The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-14
ORIGIN OF THE BEEF SCANDAL.

ORIGIN OF THE BEEF SCANDAL.
1t looks very much from what che com
mission, appointed to investigate the con-
duct of the war, says in its report, that
the beef scandal grew out Of the inability
of Gen. Miles. the commander OF the
army. and the war department, to work
together in harmony. The general COM
manding wanted to conduct the war, and
the Secretary of War decided that ne
himself would conduct It with the advice
of the army officers in the war depart
ment. Consequently there was friction
all the time. Gen. Miles felt aggrieved
that his orders were not obeyed. and IN
turn he refused to obey orders which were
issued by the Secretary of War. For in
stance, the commission. in its report, says
that the Secretary of War ordered Gen.
Mics to inspect the camps, and that Of
icer replied that he was in the habit OF
ordering an inspection himself when he
thought it was necessary. Doubtless there
were many instances where there was a
clash between the head of the war de-
partment and the general commanding the
army.
1t seems to be pretty clear that there
was a determination from the very begin
ming of the war not to give Gen. Miles
free hand. Whether this determination
was the result of a lack of confidence in
the commanding general or of settled
purpose of the clique in the war depart
ment to slight him. Is a question that
a he answered
the "embalmed beef investigation some
facts may be brought out which will
throw some light on it, But whatever
the reason for the lack of harmony be-
tween the commanding general and the
war department the effect of it was plain
ly apparent throughout the war. While
at Porto Rico for instance. Gen. Miles
sent certain orders to Gen. Eagan. That
officer refused to obey them, taking his
orders from the Secretary of War. Soon
afterward appeared in the newspapers the
interview with Gen. Miles, in which it
was made apparent that he had a griev-
ance. And then followed the charges in
respect to "embalmed beef"
The commission in its report makes a
strong point against Gen. Miles when it
says that although he claims to have
known about the "embalmed beef" in Au-
gust he made no mention of it to the
proper authorities until October. In or
der to protect the soldiers to as great an
extent as possible he ought 20 have called
the attention of the war department to
it at once. The delay in mentioning It
IL,
have been any "embalmed beef scandal
If there had been perfect harmony be-
tween the war department and the com
manding general.
Naturally the hostility between the war
department and the commanding general
suggests that there is a weak spot in the
organization Of our army. There ought to
be no doubt as to where authority is
lodged. If the commanding general is in
dependent of the head of the war depart
ment that fact ought TO be known so
clearly that there could be no possible
doubt about 1t. If. on the contrary, the
secretary is 20 give orders to the COM
manding general there ought to be no room
for question about the matter
The army reorganization bill is now be-
fore the Senate. The point to which we
call attention ought 90 be cleared up. 1t
was expected that the House would do
something in that direction. but it did
not. The commission in its report directs
attention to it, and makes a suggestion
which should be sufficient to secure from
possible In future such condition of af-
fairs as existed during the war with Spain
and as exists now. Such a lack of har-
mony between the commanding general
and the head of the war department might
imperil the success of the army in the
event of the country becoming engaged In
another war.