The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-13

NasHlu6lOu, feD. 1j.-lne report
submitted to the president last We'd
nesday by the commission appointed
by him to investigate the conduct Of
the war department in the war with
Spain, was made public tonight.
The report is an unanimous one, all
the members of the commission having
signed it except Col Sexton, whose
death occurred Feb. 4.
The commission says that there has
been no evidence before 1t that anyone
in, or connected with, the war depart
ment has dishonesty received dol
lar, Under existing laws the officers
Of the army are retired when they
reach the age of GA. Many suggestions
were made by officers on the retired
list, who are men Of experience and
distinction, that this law should be so
amended as to give the president the
right to call into active service any re-
tired officer during the time of war.
During the recent war many positions
were filled by the appointment of civ
iians TO which retired officers could
have brought professional training
valuable knowledge and large expert
ence.
In the matter of regimental officers,
the commission found that all volun-
teer commands differed by men of mil
ltary experience and training, Jared
much bErter than those differed by
amateurs. The soldiers were more eff
factively cared for, enjoyed better
health and were better fed and clothed.
The commission recommends for the
future a strict examination into the
pna1i6na nf al nf1iparS 1nnnintRO
to the army, regular or volunteer. The
establishment Of schools of instruction
for inexperienced officers taken from
civilian life to meet the emergency
created by the var, is highly COM
mended.
One of the lessons taught by the war
is that the country should hereafter be
in better state of preparation for war.
Suggestions have been made that large
supplies of all the material not liable
10 deterioration should be kept on hand
to be continuously issued and renewed,
so that in any emergency they might
be available Especially should this be
the case with such supplies as cannot
be rapidly obtained in open market.
For many years the divided au-
thority and responsibility in the war
department has produced friction for
which in the interest of the service a
remedy, if possible, should be applied.
The constitution makes the president
the COMMUNICATIVE of the army,
and he cannot transfer that authority
10 any other person. The president Sc
lects his secretary of war, who has his
confidence and who Is his confidential
auVlser The commanding general is
dent.
Lieut. Gen. Schofeld, who has prob
aoiy had as much experience and given
tne question as much study as any one
IN our country, says in substance:
Recent experience has served to
confirm all the results of my lifelong
study and large experience that the
proper position for the senior officer
OF the army on duty at Washington is
not that of commanding general, a
position which is practically impossl-
Die but that of general-in-c chief, which
means in fact, chief of staff to the
president
The president must have the same
power of selection of his general-in-
chief as he has of his secretary of war;
without this there can be no guaranty
mat he will give, or that the secretary
ot war will place in the general-ln-
cIhet, that confidence which is neces-
sary to perfect harmony Neither the
president nor the secretary Of war
should have in command of the army
an officer who is not working in har-
n1ony with him"
The report now takes up the war de-
partment and it's various chiefs of sub
DIVISIONS beginning with the secretary
of war
No testimony has been presented
showing intentional neglect of duty nor
any attempt to serve personal inter-
estf, The charges made that the secre-
tary OF war was pecuniarily interested
IN contracts, purchases and other tram
ssactions of the war department, have
peen thoroughly examined and found
baseless.
In the Judgment of the commission
lnere was. lacking in the general adj
iillnlstration of the war department
curing the continuance of the war
WIN Spain, that complete grasp OF the
SITUATION which was essential to the
affhy.
Brig. Gen. H. C. Corbin, adjutant
general, U. S. A., in charge.
The adjutant generals department OF
the army, having full knowledge of the
condition of the army when the declar-
atlon OF war was made it could not be
surprised by the inability of the de-
partments to Immediately respond TO
the demands. The economy of previous
years by which nearly every article OF
equipment not Immediately needed by
tne army, was disposed of, and no pro-
vision made for emergencies, rendered
Immediate effective expansion of the
army impossible.
There We're aboutf250 regiments, bat
teries and separate organizations III
the army, from only q OF which came
complaints. aside from those affecting
the medical department. Investigation
mas ghnXvrl fhnf tho most Of these COM
plants were because Of lack OF sup
plies not obtalnable at first or were
due to the inexperienee of officers IN
command, not. SO far as we can dis
cover. from any intentional neglect.
The adjutant general testified that