The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-22
SECRETARY OF WAR
CREATE SENSATION
Continued From Page one.)

statement made by you is not salts
ff tory. You are in error If you
suppose that you have the same
rights as any other citizens to ex-
: press publicly an opinion regard
ing official questions pending in the
course of military discipline. The
established and invariable rules of
official propriety necessary to the
effective discipline 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 opin-
ion on official matters when called
upon by your official superiOrs or in
the due course of your official re-
ports and recommendations; 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
censure, or any mark of approba-
ton, toward others in the military
service, are prohibited"
This provision has been a part of
the army regulations for at least
half a century, and the highest OBJ
legations to observe 1t rests upon
the officers whose high rank should
make them examples to their sub
ordinates. Any other rule of action
in the military service would be
subversiVe of discipline. 1t would
not be tolerated in any officer of
whatever rank. The present facts
are that for several years there had
been an unfortunate and bitter con-
troversy in the navy departments
controversy generally deplored even
by the participants, as tending to
bring the service into dis-esteem at
home and abroad, and to destroy
those relations of mutual confidence
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 had been raised to that good
feeling and friendly relation be-
tween 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 had been
held on the matters in controver-
sy and a 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 reviewing au-
thority. At this point you, the lieu
tenant general of the army, saw fit
to make a public expression of your
opinion as between the majority and
the minority of the court, accom-
panied by 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 conse-
quence on whose side your opinion
was. or what It was. You had no
business in the controversy, and no
right, holding the office which you
did to express any opinion. Your
conduct was in violation of the reg
ulation above cited and of the
rules of official propriety; and you
are justly liable to censure, which
| now express.
Very respectfully,
(Signed), ELIHU ROOT,
Secretary of War.
Lieut. Gen. Miles, Headquarters
of the Army.
"P. S.-Your second letter of eX-
PLANTATION, dated today, and received
since the above was written, does
not change the case. The necessi-
ty for repeated explanations but
illustrates the Importance of the
rule which you have violated.
"SignedD, ELIHU ROOT,
SECRETARY of War"
The fact that simultaneously wit
the public alton of the Miles correspon
dence, Secretary Root gave out cop
of Secretary Longs letter directin
that Maclays resignation be requested
taken in connection with the publica
ton Of the final chapter of the Schle
case, so far as it has figured befor
the navy department, is taken as a
indication of the Presidents purpos
to clear the official records of all pend
ing issues in that matter. Secretar
Roots publication of the Maclay let
ter is explained by the fact that h
left the white house some time afte
Secretary Long had been there an
thus was in position to carry out tn
Presidents latest wish in the matter
The following order was made pub
lie this afternoon by Secretary Of Wa
Root.
Navy Department, Washington,
D. c., Dec. 20
Rear Admiral A. S. Barker
"Commandant Navy YARD
New York:
"Sir: I am directed by the Presi-
dent to ask Edward S. Maclay,
special laborer general storekeep-
ers office navy yard New York, to
send in his resignation.
VERY respectfully.
(Signed)
JOHN D. LONG,
Secretary"