Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-14
MORE MEN FOR ARTILLERY
SECRETARY ROOT POINTS OUT NEED
OF COAST FORTIFICATIONs.
A Letter From Gen. Miles Read Call
ing Attention to the Present
Weaknesa.

| Secretary Root was before the House COM
mittee on military affairs today concerning
| the army reorganization bin recently passed
| by the Senate. He went over the advan-
| tages of the measure. and was questioned
| at considerable length on the proposed in
| crease of the artillery arm and the provis-
ions giving Gen. Miles the rank of lieuten-
| ant general and Adjutant General Corbin
! the rank Of major general.
The Secretary pointed out that the ef-
| feet of the bill as passed by the Senate
was to increase the army 5000 or 5000. en-
tirely in the artillery, this increase extend
| ing over a period of years. While differ
| ing from the provision originally recon-
| mended Mr.. Root approved the Senate
amendment, as 1t would permit the War
Department to go to work and put the ar
t:llery In shape. The situation now, in
caring for scacoast fertilization. was just
as foolish and impracticable, the Secre-
| tary said as would be that of a man who
built fine house. equipped 1t in the most
perfect manner and then went away and
| left 1t to take care of itself. There are mill
| ions and millions invested in Notifications,
| he said. with no one to take care Of them.
Chairman Hull remarked that the depre-
citation estimated at % per cent year
because of inattention.
Secretary Root asscnted to this and said
it was something like the trouble with the
Spanish ships-they were not taken care of.
"en. Miles Expresses Ills VIEWS
The Secretary read letter from Gen.
Miles calling special attention to the fact
that of the seventy-fve stations along the
seaboard but forty-three are garrisoned.
and of these not one is furnished with
relief
Such condition. Gen. Miles stated. re-
quired earnest and serious attention, as
$50. 100000 are invested in armaments. more
is being added. and men Of ability and
efficiency are required to care for these
plants. At present. Mr. Root said. there
were about 1900 troops all told, in the
United States. about one-half being ar
tiilery.
Representative Cox inquired as to the
necessity of advancing the rank OF Gen.
Miles and Gen. Corbin.
AS to the adjutant general. Mr. Root said
that officer was the center OF military ad
ministration. The practice in other armies
is to give the adjutant general a rank COM
mensurate with the Importance Of the posi-
tion he holds 1t is so in European armies,
in the state organizations and 1t used to be
so in our army.
Mr. Hay pointed out that the bill would
not apply to Gen. Corbin's successor.
The Secretary expressed the opinion that
the provision should be general. At the
sape time, he added. he considered the
service of the present adjutant general
during the last two years as so beneficial
to the army and the country that they
merited the amplest recognition.
Promotion Of Gen. Miles.
AS to giving the rank of lieutenant gen.
eral to the officer commanding the army
the Secretary said major general COM
manded a division. and it certainly did not
seem right to withhold from an officer who
commanded. not division. but the entire
army the rank adequate to such extended
authority He did not know any other army
in the world in which rank proportionate
to the command Of an army was not ac
corded. After stating the various chief COM
mands given in large armies the Secretary
said the rank Of lieutenant general was the
lowest given to any officer In chief COM
mand.
In the course of a general discussion on
the system of exchangeability from staff to
line and line to staff Secretary Root said he
would not like to have encountered such
restriction on placing Gen. Lawton or Gen.
Macarthur, both Of whom were staff Off
GERS, in command of troops.
The details of the bill were discussed at
much length and the hearing will continue
tomorrow morning.