The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-08-08
SOME SECRETARIES OF WAR.
frances Army the Only One Without COmmander-irchef

vantage from the fact that rer army
would be commanded by men IN che very
prime % life, whereas that q France
would be led By septuagenarians.
AboaI NIIiIat, OBeHI-IUr.
Inasmuch as the President OF the United
States is. by virtue o, the Constitution.
I the supreme head OF the American Army
in time OF peace as in time OF war, this
country has remained entirely foreign "a
the controversy which has for years rag
/ ed In the monarchical countries OF Eu-
rope as 10 whom the army owes IT'S
obedience. Is it to the monarch 10 whom
II has sworn allegiance. or is il TO the
Parliament representing the people who
rays it, That is a problem which IS now
more than ever becoming the a.l-abSCrb-
ing question OF the moment in every one
I Of the constitutional countries Of the old
world With the rising tide OF democracy.
de 10 the progressive spirit or the age.
conflicts between the crown and the peo-
pie are Increasing in frequency and in
( tensity, the people making demands for
more and more of that power hitherto
vested in the sovereign which the latter
is determined TO retain at all costs, know
ing full well that ii involves the very eX-
isJence OF his throne and OF his dynasty.
Let matters reach the climax-as they
ultimately husband the monarch will
be forced either 10 step down and out or
10 appeal 10 the allegiance sworn by tine
soldiers 10 defend the throne against peo-
pie and Parliament The whole issue 81
the struggle Will depend upon the manner
IN which the army responds TO this ap-
peal Most of the revolutions Of the pres
ent century have resulted from the failure
Of the soldiers to rally around their sCv-
erelgnS at such moments as these. Such
was the cause of the overthrow. in 1855 Of
Queen Isabella OF Spain, OF that OF En-
press Eugene, when Regent OF France. in
1910. and OF King Louis Philippe, in 1S4S
while it was solely the loyalty of the
army to the monarch that enabled the
rulers OF Austria, Holland, Prussia, and
other German states to save their crowns
from being engulfed by the great wave OF
popular revolution that swept over Eu-
rope in lSis
Struggle for Control.
OF course. he attitude OF the army IN
such crises as these is influenced to
great degree by the nature OF the control
to which they have up to that time been
subject. IL the officers and soldiers have
been made 20 feel that they are depend
eht not only for their pay. but likewise
for their promotion, and for more or less
agreeable assignment to duty, upon the
representative OF parliament In The per-
son of the Minister OF War, as in Eng
land, in Spain, in Portugal, Belgium. Hol-
land, and in Scandinavia then IL is prob
able that they will side with the legisla-
tGre, and with the people. against the
crown. But in the event OF the army hav-
ing been accustomed to regard the throne
as the fountain of honor. as the dispenser
OF all rewards and faVOrs, and as the
autocratic controller OF their destiny for
good and for evil. as is the case in Ger
many, Austria, Italy, and Russia, then
the troops are likely TO adhere to their
allegiance 10 the sovereign and 10 fight
for him If necessary against their own
kith and kin. No one understood this
more fully than the first Duke or Vel
lingtOn. who was a soldier in every sense
OF the word, and who, nevertheless, as
Prime Minister, on several occasions had
opportunity of making himself acquaint-
ed with the political and civilian aspect
OF the question. He was never tired Of
urging upon the Queen and Prince Con
sort that the command-in-chicf Of tbs
British army should always be vested in
the hands OF a member OF the reigning
house, who would, by reason OF mis- DO
siticn and royal rank, be independent
OF Parliament and of the latter's rep
rosentdtiye. namely. the Secretary OF
State for War. This advice was acted
upon. and during the greater portion of
the present reign the command in
chief was he'd by the Queens cousin, the
Duke Of Cambridge, who was virtually
Independent OF the Secretary of War. al
though he consented 10 Cooperate with
him, and who locked for his orders d.
rectly TO the sovereign. Unfortunately
for the crown a moment arrived when
the Duke. by reason OF old age and in
trinity, became incompetent TO perform
his duties. Having, moreover, Inherited
the traditional obstinacy OF mis- grand
father, King George III, he turned a
deaf ear TO all suggestions OF reform, and
became the obstacle 20 all endeayo.s 10
place the English army upon the same
level Of military progress as Those OF
continental countries. Not only the peo- /
pie, but also the army clamored for MS F.
removal. The Queens third son, Arthur. /
Duke OF Connaught, was too young and .
inexperienced for the post. Consequently /.
II became necessary TO select some nom
royal veteran for the Office. and as a /
Liberal administration was in power at 1
the time 1t took advantage Of the matter /
TO subordinate the COmmaHder-iu-ChieY (
TO the Secretary OF State for War. who .
thus has become the technical adviser .
OF the Minister and the organ through /
which the latter, not as the representa-
tive Of the sovereign, but as the rep-
resentatiye Of Parliament Issues MS d.
rections to the army. That Il 20 say to-
day 1t is the Marquis OF Lansdowne. the
Secretary OF State FOR War in the Sails
bury Cabinet, Z civilian without any mil
itary training. who Is the virtual head
or the British army, while Field Mar
shall Lord WoIseley. the nominal Com
who has been apDCint-
cd for Term u FIVE years. is nothing
more than the Minister'S chief OF STAFF
and executive officer.
Mead of he Army.
While this arrangement is certain 20
last throughout the present reign, IL will
not be continued without a severe strug-