The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-12-22

ml'ltary officers with which your long
experience should have made you IA
mill2r. Your duty is to express your
opinion on official matters when called
upon by your official superiors or in
the due course OF your official reports
ana recommendations, and not other
wise.
The first article Of the regulations
governing the army Of the United
States provided;
deliberations or discussions among
military men conveying praise or cen
sure CT any mark OF appreciation to-
ward others in the military service. are
prohibited
Essentially Severe.
This provision has beer a part Of
the army regulations for at least hail
century, and the highest obligation
10 observe it rests upon the officers
whose high rank should make them
examples TO their subOrdinates. ANY
other rule of action in the military SER
vice would be subversive Of discipline
IL would not be tolerated in a sub
altern rank and 10 viii not be tolerated
IN any officer Of whatever rank.
Ihe present facts are that for sew
eral years there has been unfortunate
ana bitter controversy in the navy de-
partment-a controversy generally de-
plored even by the participants as
tending TO bring the service into dis
esteem at home and abroad and to de-
stroy those relations of mutual conf
cence and friendship between naval
officers which the interests Of effective
service require. In this controversy
the army has not been involved. and no
par mas been raised to that good feel
ing and friendly relation between all
tne ofhcers OF the navy and all the Of
ncers of the army which IS essential
20 the successful and harmonious CO.
operation of the two services in prep
aration for and in action A court OF
inquiry has been held On the matters
in controversy and a report had been
made in which one member Of the court
had dissented in some particulars from
the majority and the report was pend |
ing before the reviewing authority.
Burns Miles Some More.
At this point the lieutenant general
OF the army saw ut to make a public !
expression of his opinion as between /
the majority and the minority Of the
court, acc mpanied by a criticism of a |
most severe character which could not |
fail TO be applied by the generality of |
readers to the naval officers against /
whose view your opinion was ex- I
pressed. A. is Of no consequence on |
whose side your oplnien was, or what |
II was. You had 10 business IN the /
controversy, and no right, holding the (
Office which you do, to express any
opinion. Your conduct was IN viola /
ton of the regulation above cited AID /
the rules Of official propriety, and you /
arr Justly Liable to censure, which I /
now express. Very respectfully,
"ELIHU ROOT, Secretary Of War.
Lieutenant General Nelson A Miles, !
Headquarters Of the Army.
"P. S.-YOur second letter Of ex-
PLANTATION, dated today and received /
since the above was written. does not /
change the case. The necessity for re
peated explanations but illustrates the
Importance OF the rule which you have
violated.
'ELIHU ROOT. Secretary Of War"
Closes the Controversy.
The fact that simultaneously with
the publication OF the Miles cOrrespOn-
dence Secretary Root gave out copy
of Secretary Longs letter directing
that Maclay's resignation be requested,
taken In connection with the publica-
ton this morning of the final chapters
of the Sohley controversy, so far as il
has figured before the navy depart
ment, is taken as an indication Of the
purpose to clear the official
records Of all pending issues on that
matter Secretary Roots publication
Of the Maclay letter is explained by the
fact that he eft the White House some
tiIncs after Secretary Long had been
there and thus was in position to carry
out the presidents latest wish in the
matter,