Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1901-12-27
MILES rs REPROvED.
Taken to Task for Expressing Opin-
ion on Schley Verdict.
He Receives n Severe Pcrsonal Repri-
mnnd from President Roosevelt
and liz Criticized in Letter
from Secretary Root.


cles of the capital Saturday.
Secretary Root sent formal letter
to Lieut.. Gen. Nelson A. Miles censur-
ing him for publicly indorsing Admiral
Dewey's verdict in the Schley case.
President Roosevelt reprimanded
Gen. Miles when the latter visited the
white house.
Gen. Miles was reprima because
he gave public expression in a news
paper interview of his conviction that
Admiral Dewey's verdict in the Schley
inquiry was just and accorded more
nearly with the facts disclosed at the
inquiry than the verdict of Admirals
Ramsay and Benham. The soldiers
first reprimand came from the presi-
dent during a visit which Gen. Miles
paid to the white house Saturday
morning. The second came in the form
of a letter signed by Secretary Root.
Rcprimanded by President.
The president had seen both letters
when Gen. Miles arrived at the white
house. At the moment the general
came in he was talking with several
representatives about an unimportant
hastily, he commanded that the lieu
tenant general of the army be admit
ted to the executive office. Gen. Miles
instantly appeared at the door. The
president FASTENED to meet Gen. Miles.
General" he cried, in a voice that was
distinctly heard by the 90 or more
representatives and senators in the
outside lobby, 81 was pained to read in
the newspaper an interview attributed
to you in which you criticised severely
and unnecessarily coordinate branch
of the government. You have no busi-
ness interfering in the affair, which,
as you knew, was still pending before
the navy department. You did wrong
in expressing any opinion that was
likely to stir up strife between the
two branches of the military service.
You know how necessary it is to pre-
serve harmony and friendship between
those services and how easy it is to
disturb that harmony"
Gen. Miles, having presented his two
letters and having made his oral state
ment. took his rebuke like soldier
and said nothing. He wilted as mat
ter of course, because the president
was terribly in earnest and spoke from
deep conviction of the proprieties of
the case.
Root Uses Strong Language.
In reply to Gen. Miles letter ac-
knowledging the published interview,
and his explanation of his motives, Sec
retary Root sent the following letter
to the generals:
"Sr: BY direction OF the president COM
municate to you his conclusion upon your
course in the interview to which your at
tention was called by my letter of the 18th
inst.
"Your explanation of the public statement
made by you is not satisfactory. You are
in error II you suppose that you have the
same right as any other citizen to express
publicly an opinion regarding official ques-
tions pending in the course of military dis
cipline. The established and invariable
rules of official proprety necessary to the
effective discipline of the service impose
limitations upon the public expressions of
| military officers with which your long eN-
| perience should have made you familiar
'Your duty is to express your opinion on
| official matters when called upon by your
| official superiors or in due course of your
| official reports and recommendations. and
not otherwise. The first article of the regu-
lations governing the army of the United
| States provides:
Deliberations and discussions among
military men conveying praise or censure
| or any mark of appreciation toward others
in the military service are prohibited
'This provision has been part of the
| army regulations for at least half a CEN
| tury, and the highest obligation to observe
| It rests upon the officers whose high rank
| should make them examples to their subor-
| dinates. Any other rule of action in the
| military service would be subversive of dis
cipline. 1t would not be tolerated in a
subaltern, and 1t will not be tolerated In
any officer of whatever rank.
| THE present facts are that for several
| years there had been an unfortunate and
| bitter controversy in the navy department
"a controversy deplored even by the par
ticipants, as tending to bring the service
into dsesteem at home and abroad, and to
| destroy those relations of mutual conf
| dence and friendship between naval officers
which the interests of effective service re-
quire.
.In this controversy the army had not
been involved and no bar had been raised
TO that good feeling and friendly relations
| between all the officers of the navy and
army which is essential to the successful
and harmonious cooperation of the two
services in preparation and in action,
"A court of inquiry had 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 many, and the report was pend
ing before the revising authority. AT
this point you. the lieutenant general OF
the army, saw fit to make public eX-
preston of your opinion between the
majority and the minority of the court, ac-
companied by a criticism of the most se-
we're character, which could not fail Ia
be applied by the generality of the readers
TO the naval officers against whose view
your opinion was expressed 1t is of nc
consequence on whose side your opinion
was, or what II was. You had no business
in the controversy and no right holding
the office which you did, to express your
opinion. Your conduct was In violation OF
the regulations above cited and of the rules
of official propriety, and you are justly
liable to censure which j now express. Very
respectfully, ELIHU ROOT,
| Secretary of War"
Flattering OHer TO Marconi.
st. Johns, n. r., Dec. 23.-Financt
Minister Fielding, of the Dominion
government, telegraphed to Maroon
| from OTTAWA Saturday offerinp him