Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-28
IMPROVING ARMY ORGANIZATION.
Secretary Roots Statement to the
House Military Committee.

Secretary Root made a strong appeal to
the House committee on military affairs to
report favorably the War Department bill
to increase the efficiency Of the army In
the course Of his remarks he said that the
sections of the bill relating to staff organI-
cations provide for the abolition Of the pres
ent system of permanent staff appoint
nIents, and for the substitution of details
from the lines to the staff for periods Of
four years. unless sooner terminated by
the President. with the requirement that
upon the expiration Of a detail the officer
shall serve at least one year in the line
before he Is eligible for another detail.
The advantages Of these provisions"
said the Secretary, II believe will be mani
fold. think the change will break up and
prevent the tendency to bureaucratic gov
eminent, of which there is always danger,
and will increase the efficiency both Of the
line and the staff. by breaking down the
division between them. by giving to each
more intimate and personal knowledge and
appreciation of the difficulties and the needs
of the other and by creating a larger body
of all-round men. trained in every branch
of the service and competent for any COM
mand, instead OF men who have been
trained in one branch only.
THE provision which permits the Pres.-
dent to terminate a detail to the staff is Of
the highest Importance. Nothing could be
more impractical than tine present perma-
nent tenure OF the chief of a bureau. The
President. as commander-in-chief. is re-
sponsible for the efficiency Of the army In
time OF war he is expected by the country
to produce results by its use. He can de-
termine who shall command the armies and
can change generals in command as often
as he chooses. but he Is absolutely power
less as to the heads of these great depart
ments, which organize and assemble and
feed and clothe and transport and arm and
equip and care for the army. Victory or
defeat is organized in the staff departments
before shot is fired. Inefficieney ii. them
means necessary disaster at the beginning
and the expenditure Of countless treasure
and the sacrifice of countless lives. Yet no
matter how plainly inadequate to the task
the head of one of these departments may
be, the President is powerless to make
Change. unless the officer commits some
distinct and heinous offense upon which
he can be court-martialed and dismissed
the service
The Secretary said care had been taken
to protect the rights Of incumbents of
staff positions, and he thought the
great majority of them were satisfied to
accept the change cheerfully. but he under
stood there were a very few who are dis
Satisfied. Their opposition, he said. is pure
ly personal and of the same kind which for
proving army organization. Such consid-
erations should not prevail. The people of
the United States wanted an organization
which. when war comes. will organize and
arm and equip and clothe and feed and give
medical attendance to our young men In
the camp and on the battlefield with the
utmost possible efficiency: that will save
them from all avoidable confusion. mistake,
disease and death. The subject, said he, IS
too grave to be treated in narrow and
personal way. Il think he said, 1.-THE
overwhelming opinion of the army and the
favor of this plain practical Improvement
in organization