Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-23

| 'ffFf ~ tNthf'iff
The roprmand Is contained n the
tolloNlnG letter Of Secretary Root 10
Gen Miles
war Department. Washington, Dee,
~ 1901 --Slr.--By direction Of the
President ! communicate 20 you MS
conclusions upon your course In the IN
terVleW to which your attention was
called by my lottcr OF the 18th,
Your explanation of the public state
ment made by you rs not satisfactory
You are In error when you say that
you have the same right as any other
citizen 10 express publicly an opinion
regarding the questions pending IN the
course Of military discipline, The %,
tabllshed inyariahla rules of oihclh
proprIQty necessary 10 the effective MS
Cipline Of the service. imposed llmia.
tions upon the public expression OF
military officers. which With your long
experience, should have made you lh-
mllar Your duty ~ to express your
opinion upon official matters When
called upon by your official superiots OF
IN the due course OF your ofhclal re-
ports and recommendations ana noe
otherwise
The FIRST article OF the regulation,
governing the army Of the uhlleu
States provide
deliberations or discussions among
military men conveying praise or uen-
sure, or any mark OF appreciation w
ward others In the military service Hre
prohibited 81,
This provision has been a part 90
. the army regulations for at leAst np,i
century and the highest opllBation
to observe IL rests upon the olllVeln
whose high rank should make lnen,
examples to their subOrdlnates' Any
other rule Of action In the military se,
vice would be subverslye Of disclpilhS'
IT would not be tolerated In q supai,
tern, and Il win not be tolerated III any
officer Of whatever rank
The present facts are That TOT Soy
eral years there has been unforluhae'
and bitter controversy In the navy ue
partment--a controversy generaly w
plored even by the participants as tenu,
Ing to bring the service into dlses'eel"
al home and abroad, ana 10 ue-
gtroy those relations of mutual COM
tlence and friendship between nayai ol-
flcers which the interest OF eneclNe
service REQUIRE. I'm this controversy
The army had not been involved, an9
no bar has been raised to that goou
feeling and friendly relation between
All the officers Of the navy ana All the
officers OF the army which Is essehtiui
10 the successful and harmonious CO.
operation of the two services IN prepa,
ration for and In action. A court Oh
inquiry has been held on the matters III
controyergv. and a report mas Deeil
made. In which one member OF tue coult
has dlssented in some particulars from
the majority and the report was penu-
ing before the reviewing authority
AZ this point the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Of the army saw nc to make q pupllc
eypresslon Of his opinions as between
the majority and the minority OF the
court accompanied by criticism OF
tho most severe character. which coulu
moi fan 10 be applied by the generanty
NJ readers 10 the naval officers against
whose view your opinion was expressed
II is OF no consequence on Whose Sluo
vour opinion was, or what il was You
had no business In the controversy INV
no rlrht holding the ONCE when YOU
conduct was In violation Of the regula-
tion above cited and the rules OF Oiilclal
propriety; and you are Justly iiaple "
censure which ] now express
Very respectfully
ELIHt ROOT, Secretary of war,
Lieut.. Cen Nelson A. Miles, HEAD
quarters Of the Army
2. s.-Your second letter OF explaha-
tlon. dated today and received since w
above was written, does not change the
caas. The necessity for repeated ek-
planations but illustrates the import"
ance OF the rule which you nave Vio-
lated 20 var
MACLAY's RESIGNATION,
The fact that simultaneously with
the publication Of the Miles cores
nondence secy. Root gave out copy
~ sccy Longs order directing that
Maclays resignation be requested
taken in connection with the publlca-
tion This morning OF the final chapters
of me schley controversy so iar rs II
has figured before the navy depart
mont IL taken Us an indication OF the
presldent's purpose 10 clear the official
records Of all pending issues on 'nas
matter. Secy Roots publlcatloh ol
Inc Naclay letter ~ explained by the
facf that he left the White House some
time after secy. Long had been there,
and thus was In position to carry our
tho Presidents latest wish In the mat
ter. 49, u,,s oetar.
..z.,, eSr Nav York