Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-23


distinguished and gallant officer has
been assailed by parties who have en-
deavored to write him and other high
officials down. until finally he appealed
against such assaults to a coordinate
branch of the government.
THAT coordinate branch of the gov
eminent granted him court of inquiry,
and, as l understand ii, they unani-
mously exonerated him from such cpl
thets as coward, poltroon, etcetera, and
their opinions We're given to the pubic
for the information of all citizens
When l said that I had no sympathy
with those who had endeavored to de-
stroy the reputation of high officer,
who, like all other officers, regards his
honor more sacred than life. l had in
mind and referred to those assaults
against which the admiral had appealed
for protection and justification. and
certainly not to coordinate branch of
the government
II request that this note be laid be-
fore the president, and have no objec-
ton to 1t being made public.
NELSON A. MILES.
Lieutenant General"
The reprimand is contained in the
following letter of Secretary Root to
General Miles:
War Department, Washington, d. c.,
Dec. 1.-sir: BY direction of the presi-
dent communicate to you his conclu-
to which your attention was called by
my letter OF the 10th inst.
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
citizen to express publicly an opinion
regarding official questions pending in
the course of military discipline. The
established, invariable rules of official
propriety necessary to the effective dis
c:pline of the service impose limitations
upon the public expressions of military
officers, with which your long experience
should have made you familiar.
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 rec
and not otherwise.
"The first article of the regulations
governing the army of the United States
provides:
Deliberations or discussions among
military men conveying praise or CEN
sure 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 CEN
serve it rests upon the officers whose
1t L. ,t,N MI
to their subordinates. Any other rule
Of action in the military service would
be subversive Of discipline. 1t would not
be tolerated in subaltern, and it will
not be tolerated in any officer of what
ever rank
"The present facts are that for several
years there has been an unfortunate ana
bitter controversy in the navy depart
ment-a controversy generally deplored
even by the participants, as tending to
bring the service into disesteem at home
and abroad and to destroy those rela-
tions OF mutual confidence and friend
ship between naval officers which the In
terests of effective service require.
I'm this controversy the army has not
been involved, and no bar had 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. A
court Of inquiry has been held on the
matter in controversy, and report had
been made in which one member of the
court had dissented in some particulars
AZ Nd
pending before the reviewing authority.
cat this point you, the lieutenant gem
eral of the army, saw At to make pub
lie expression of your opinion as be-
tween 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.
ut is of no consequence on whose side
your opinion was, or what 1t was. You
had no business in the controversy and
no right, holding the Office which you
did, to express any opinion. Your con-
duct was in violation of the regulations
above cited and the rules of official pro-
priety; and your are justly liable to
censure which now express.
"ELIHU FOOT.
Secretary of War.
Lieut.. Gen. Nelson A. Miles.
Up. S.-Your second letter of explana-
ton, dated today. received since the
above was written, does not change the
case. The necessity for repeated expla-
nations but illustrates the Importance OF
the rule which you have violated.
"ELIHU ROOT,
ssSecretary of War"