The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-12-22

| line honorable the Secretary OF War: Sir
Referring to my note OF YESTERDAY and in orie
that there may be no misunderstanding 1 de
sare to say that for several years. distinguished
| and gallant officer has been assailed by partie.
| VINO nave endeavored to write him md othel
| nigh officials down. until finally he appealed
| against such assaults to q coordinate branch o.
the Government. The coordinate branch OF tn.
| Government granted him a court of inquiry, and
as understand it. they unanimously exonerated
| MN from such epithets as coward. roltroon etc
| and their opinions were given to the public 70,
| the Information OF all citizens When I said
that had no sympathy with those who had en-
| dearored to destroy the reputation of a hiRf
| ofncer. who. like all other officers regards his
honor more sacred than life. had in mind
and referred to those assaults against which the
Admiral had appealed for protection and justin.
| or the Government
request that this note be laid before the Pres
] ident and have objection to It being mace
| public Very respectfully
NELSON A NILES,
Lieutenant General
ROOT ADMINISTERS
SEVERE REPRIMAND.
The reprimand is contained in the follow
Ing letter from Secretary Root to General
| Miles:
War DEPARTMENT. Washington. Dec. q. 1901
Sir: By direction OF the President I comnun,
cato to you his conclusions upon your course in
| the interview to which your attention was called
by my letter Of the 18th instant
iA0uf eApidnation or tho public statement made
oy you Is not satisfactory. You are in error IL
you suppose that you have the same right a, anr
otner citizen to express publicly an opinion re-
gardinE Official questions pending in the course
OF military discipline. The established, invar!a-
BILE rules Of official proprlety necessary 10 the ef
fective discipline Of the service impose lm,ta-
tons upon tho public expressions OF military Of
ncerA with which your long experience should
nave made you familiar.
Your duty IL to express YOUR opinion on oract,,
matters when called upon by your official s,-
periors or in the due course OF your official re-
ports and recommendations. and not otherwise
The first article OF the regulations uoverninr
the army Of the United States provides:
Deliberations or discussions among military
men conveying praise censure or any mark OF
appreciation toward others in the military service
are prohibited
This provision has been q part OF the army
resnlaticns for at least half century, ana the
highest obligation to observe II upon the Of
hcefs whose high rank should make them ex
anples to their subordinates. Any other rule OF
action In the military service would be subvsrsye
OF discipline. 1t would not be tolerated In q sub
OF whatever rank
The present facts that for several year.
there mas been an unfortunate and bitter coutro-
versy in the Navy Departments controversy
generally deplored even by the participantr a.
tending to bring the service into dise.teem At
home and abroad and to destroy those relations OF
mutual confidence and friendship between naval
officers which the interests OF effective service re-
Quire.
In this controversy the army has not been In.
vcived and no bar had been raised TO tha, xotl
feeling and friendly relation between all the
officers OF the Sary and all the officers of the
Army. which iG tssentiA to ths s,cctssSul. anu
harmonious cooperation Of tho two services in
preparation and In action. - -.
A court OF inquiry has been held on the mat.
tiers in controversy and \ report has been made.
m which ono menber OF the court had dissented
In some particulars from the majority, and the
report was pending before tho reviewing au-
thority. At this point the Lieutenant General o:
the Army saw fit to mako Z public expression of
your opinion. AZ between the majority and mo
minority Of tho court. accompanied by 4 cr.;,-
cism OF the most severe character. which could
ers 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.
. You had no business in the controversy ana mn
right. holding the office which you did to expires,
any opinion.
Your conduct was In violation Of the r.xu,st t,on
above cited. and the rules Of official propr1ety,
eno you are Justly liable to censure which I
now express Eefy respectfully, |
ELIHU ROOT,
Secretary Of War
tiers OF the Army.
P. s.-Your second letter Of explanation, dated |
to-day and received since the above written.
does not change the case. The necessity for re-
psated explanations but illustrates the importance
Of the rule which you have violated. |
ELIHU ROOT.
Secretary Of War.
The fact that. simultaneously with the l
publication OF the Miles correspondence,
Root gave out a copy of Sec
retary Longs letter, directing that Mac |
Lays resignation be requested. taken in |
with the publication this morn |
Ing Of the fnal chapters Of tho Schley case,
30 far as 1t has figured before the Navy |
Department, is taken as an indication of /
the Presidents purpose to clear the ofIicial /
records Of all pending issues in that mat |
ter.
Secretary Roots publication Of the Mac
Lay letter II explained by the fact that he /
left the White House some time after Sec l
retary Long had been there. and thus was |
In position to carry out the Presidents lat
est wish in the matter.