The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-03-21

A. Miles today told the senate committee
en- military AFFAIRS that. II the bll intro
erccd by Senator Hawley at the instance
of tho war department for the organization
Of general stan for the army. should be-
come law. he would decline to longer
hold his commission The reason he gave
for the statement is that the bill is ut
terry subverslye OF the interest Of the
m itary establishment, and he said TINT
he would not he pnrty 10 such pro
oeeding to the extent even Of continuing
to hold his place The statement was
roadc in the course OF prolonged hearing
by the committee. which was conducted
chiud closed doors, and in which General
Mile. touched upon variety of subjects
connected with the army. The portion Of
the bin to which he directed his especia'
criticism is that contained in section I,
reading as follows:
"That from and after the passage Of
this act the senior general officer ot
The army shall he assigned To COM
maud such portion of tho army aS the
president may direct, or be detailed 10
duty IN the general stan corps Az
duties prescribed by law Tor the com
maudlng general Of The army shall be
performed hy the chief OF the general
STAFF or other general othccr desgnal-
cd by the secretary Of war provided,
that SO long MS the present lieutenant
general If the army continues on the
active list he shall be the chief Of the
general staG and upon The separation
from active service Of said lieutenant
general Of the army said office, eX
cent as herein provided. sh0A cease
General Miles said that II this provision
should become law 1t would have tho ef-
feet Of destroying the unity Of the army
aud he read numerous authorities, iuclnd.
ing Napoleon, wellington. Washington,
Cass aud Grant to show tho necessity Of
having one head TO tho army and one con
trolling authority. His own experience
and observation, he said, had tho effect
Of confirming these views. and he gave
on illustration Of it's beneficial effect in
time Of emergency, instancing the he
ginning Of the war with Spain.
Il heard at midnight he said, that tho
Spanish feet had heen located definitely at
Santiago. and FASTENED to the home Of
Secretary Long where the news was con
frmed. Shaftcr was then Mt Tampa and
sat down there in the secretory's house
and wrote dispatch directing him 10 start
immediately for Santiago with the result
~. ~ ,,,,, ,,.a. snnp an its WAY 10 tbe
point where It's presence was needed. Sup
pose" he added, exhibiting the message
which he had sent 10 General Shafter, 81
had been compelled IN get around Ia
dozen or more majors. ms many colonel,
and any number Of generals constituting ;
general stat" Then. he added that in al
probability the senior general Of the army
would not under the provision he has
quoted, have been in q position to do any
thing. and he called attention to the claus,
relieving him Ohe senior general Of com
mand and making it possible for any othel
officer to he appointed. lie declared that
under section It would be competent Z.
one day promote a captain to the position
Of brlgadier, and the next day make hin
chief Of stan, practically placing captain
at tho head Of the army. Warming NJ
| somewhat he asserted that the bill wal
calculated TO accomplish no purpose excep
TO allow the secretary Of war and the ad
| jutant general to promote the interests o.
their personal fayorites.
| General Miles was questioned AS to tn,
reasons for locating the American army o
occupation at Tampa and holding it Their,
so long with tho resulting congestion.
! Replying 10 the hrst question. he SAFE
/ that it was because OF the order to occupl
! Havana. Tho delay was due. he said, (,
tho fact that the American army was sup
| piled with only slxty-four rounds Of am
munltlon. which would not have been sufd
clent for more than half an hour Of eight
! ing. Considering that Havana was one o
| the best fortified cities In The world, h,
/ said, that TO have attacked II would haY,
/ been foolhardy In the extreme. He de
| clIned. however. 20 criticlse the then secre
| tary OF war General Alger. for the condl
| tlon of AFFAIRS, SAYING that probably an!
ono else In the position would have don,
about what he did. He laid the genera
blame for this condition Of unpreparednes
at the door OF congress.
| In the course OF his remarks, Genera
Miles told the committee In confidence that
With the hill a law. he could now nam
The men who would hold the places o
honor provided under e. but the commit
tee did not ask for the names