Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-12-23

LIEUTENANT T. NCLSON "A. MILES.
war department with a written reply
and also submitted a verbal statement.
In both he admitted that he had been
correctly quoted. but claimed that he
had not meant to criticise the court Of
inquiry of the navy department.
Secretary Root accompanied General
Miles to the White House and laid his
explanation before the president. Gen
eral Miles explanations were not sat
isfactory to the president. and the sec
rotary told him so. The president an
nOunced that he intended to put an end
to the further military criticism on the
Schley controversy by calling public
attention to the fact that General
Miles conduct was a violation of the
army regulations, with which even
junior %lieutenants were expected to be
familiar.
Roosevelt Orders II Reprimand.
The president then directed that u
reprimand should be prepared. Secre-
tary Root returned to the war depart
ment and wrote as ordered. 1t is not
couched in diplomatic language, but is
so direct in it's terms that the lieuten-
ant general must feel the blow Sc
verei.y.
General Miles has discovered thai
President Roosevelt intends to stamp
out characterization and loose criticism.
The president will not tolerate the ac-
ton of any officer that .tends to de-
moralize army or navy discipline.
The secretary of war, in giving out
the correspondence with General Miles,
considers the incident closed. Should
there be any further attempt by Miles
to renew public discussion a stronger
remedy will he applied.
The president now has it in his DOW
err to retire the lieutenant general of
the army at any time. General Miles
has been forty years in the service and
is siXty-two years Of age.
Part of the text of the correspond.
ence which passed between the secre-
tary of var and General Miles follows.
the first letter being Secretary Longs
original demand for an explanation:
Sir am instructed by the president to call
your attention to the inclosed report of an inter.
view with you appearing in certain newspapers Of
Tuesday. Dec. II, and sto inquire whether the !
observations upon the action of a coordinate |
branch OF the service in a matter now pending in
the navy department were made as reported and
ii 50 o afford you such opportunity for explana.
ton N writing as you may desire.
lie the secretary's letter General |
Miles made this reply:
c.. D.nI:u - |
have ne honor to state. that my observations AS |
subs italy reported had no reference to the ac-
ton. pending or otherwise, of a co ordinate branch !
OF the service. They were merely my personal F.
views based upon matters set forth in various ,
publications which had been given to the world
and concerning which l conceive there was no i'm. !
in expressing an opinion the same as !
any other citizen upon a matter Of such public in
terest.
No Criticism Intended.
My observations were in no sense intended as A
Of any action taken by a Coordinate
branch of the service. and the statement that I
had no sympathy with any efforts tending to dis. |
parage a distinguished and gallant officer like. ,
wise had no reference. /
General Miles supplemented his reply
with another and somewhat longer let
ter, which was handed to the secre-
tary.
The reprimand is contained in the
following letter of Secretary Root to
General Miles:
Sir-By direction of the president communi. !
to you his conclusions upon your course in
he interview to which your attention was called
BY my letter OF the 10th inst.
Your explanation Of the public statement made
~ you is not satisfactory. You are in error il
7ou suppose that you have the same right az anv
'ther citizen to express publicly an opinion re.
garding official questions pending 10 the course
# military discipline.
The established and invariable rules of official
necessary to the effective discir line OF
he service impose limitations upon the public
of military officers with which your
ong experience should have made you familiar.
Your duty is to express your opinion TN official
matters when called upon by your Off ,ial sumo.
Tors or in the due course of your official reports
nd recommendations and not otherwise. The
article of the regulations governing the army
4 the United States provides:
deliberations or discussions among military
nsn conveying praise or censure or any mark 81 !
pprobatiOn toward others in the military service
. are prohibited"
This provision has been a part Of the army req.