The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-12-22


corning which ! conceive there was no
impropriety in expressing an opinion the
same as any other citizen upon q matter
of such public interest.
my observations were in no sense in
tended as a criticism of any acton taken
by a coordinate branch of the SCI vice.
and the statement that l had no sym
pathy with any efforts tending to dis
rarage a distinguished and gallant Off
Ger likewise had no such reference.
VERY respectfully,
(Sgned) NELSON A. MILES,
Lieutenant General"
General Miles supplemented this letter
with the following handed to the Sec.
retary today:
Headquarters Of the Army. Washington,
D. c., December 21st, 1901.
THE Honorable, the Secretary of War.
"Sir:-Referring to my note of yester-
day, and in order that there may ee no
misunderstanding, l desire TO say that
for several years distinguished and
gallant officer has been assailed by pa--
ties who have endeavored to write him
and other high officials down, until
finally, he appealed against such assaults
to a coordinate branch Of the Govern
ment. That coordinate branch OF the
Government granted him court or In
| Quiry, and as l understand it, they unsn-
| imously exonerated him from sucn
| epithets as coward, poltroon, ct cctcre,
and their opinions were given 10 the
| public for the information of all citizens.
When | said that l had no sympathy with
these who had endeavored to destroy ne
! reputation OF high officer who, like all!
! other officers, regards his honor more
sacred than life, l had in mind and re-
! ferred to those assaults against Whlch
the Admiral had appealed for protnctiol
| and Justification, and certainly noS 70
| a cor ordinate branch of the Government
| 1 request that this note be laid before
| the President, and have no objection tc
it being made public.
"very respectfully,
| (SignedJ NELSON A. MILES,
Lieutenant General"
| The reprimand is contained in the fol-
lowing letter of Secretary Root to Cen
| eral Miles
war Department, washington, d. C.s
| December 21st, 1901.
Sir: BY direction of the President,
| communicate to you his conclusions upon
YOUR course in the interview TO which
your attention was called by my letter
| of the 18TH instant.
Your explanation of the public state
ment made by you is not satisfactory.
You are in error if you suppose that you
have the same right as any other citi-
zen to express publicly an opinion re-
garding official questions pending the
| course of military discipline The es-
! tablshod and invariable rules of Off
cial propriety necessary to the effective
discipline of the service impose limita-
| tions upon the public expressions OF
military officers, with which your long
! experience should have made you ia
miliar 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 and
recommendations, and not otherwise,
The first article of the regulations gov
erning the army of the United States
srovides:
deliberations or discussions among
military men conveying praise or CEN
| sure, or any mark of appreciation, to-
ward others in the military service, =
prohibited.
This provision has been a part of the
army regulations for at least half a
I century and the highest obligation to
observe it rests upon the officers whose
| high rank should make them examples
to their subordinates. Any other rule of
| action in the military service would be
subversive of discipline. 1t would not
| be tolerated in a subaltern, and 1t will
not be tolerated in any officer of what
| ever rank. The present facts are that
! for several years there had been an un-
| fortunate and bitter controversy in the
| Navy Departments controversy gen
| orally deplored 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
dence and friendship between naval Off
GERS, which the interests of effective
service require. In this controversy
the army had not been involved and no
bar Dad been raised to that good feeling
and friendly relation between all the
! officers of the navy and all the officers
of the army, which Is essential to the
successful and harmonious cooperation
of the two services in preparation and
in action. court of inquiry has been
held on the matters in controversy and
report had been made, in which one
member Of the court had dissented in
some particulars from the majority, and
the report was pending before the review
ing authority. At this point you, the
Lieutenant General of the army, saw fit
to make 2 public expression of your
/ opinion as between the majority and
minority Of the court, accompanied by a
criticism of the 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 expressed. 1t is of no consequence
on whose side your opinion was. or what
it was. Ycu had no business in the
controversy and no right, holding the
Office whieh you did, to express any opin
ion. Your conduct was In violation of
tho regulation above cited and of the
rules of official propriety and you are
justly liable to censure which l now
express.
Very respectfully,
(Signed.) "ELIHU ROOT,
l-..secretary of War.
! Lieutenant Gener; es.
Headquarters of the Al.
=