The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-03-21
The War Department the Real Father
of This Measure to Organize
General staff.
THERE SHOULD Be ONE HEAD SAYS MILES
Otherwise the Unity Of the Army WIN be Des-
trOyed. General Miles Speaks Before
the Senate Committee on
Military Affairs.
Military Affairs.
(By the Assoeiated Press.l

Washington. March 20.-General Nelson
A. Miles today told the Senate Commit
tee on Military Affairs that if the bill in.
troduced by Senator Hawley at the in.
stance of the War Department for thu
organization of a general staff for til
army should become a law he would IA
cline to longer hold his commission. n
reason he gave for the statement Is III
the bill is utterly subversive of the
terests of the military establishment.
he said that he would not be ID
to such a proceeding to the extent ekes
CT continuing to hold his place
The statement was made in the cours
Of prolonged hearing by the caqaTf 4
which was conducted behind closed
and in which General Miles touched II
variety of subjects connected with
army. The portion of the bin to VII
he directed his especial criticism is tfN|
contained in section seven reading
follows:
That from and after the passage of Thu
act the senior general officer of the arm
shah be assigned to command such poi
tion of the army as the President MAJ
direct, or be detailed to. duty in the egsnS
eral staff corps. All duties prescribed
by law for the commanding general Of the
army shall be performed by the chief Of
General Staff or other general officer
designated by the Secretary of War. Pro
vided that so long as the present lieu
tenant general of the army continues ON
the active list he shall be the chief Of the
general staff and upon the separation from
active service of the said lieutenant gen
eral of the army, said officer, except as
herein provided, shall cease and determ-
inc" ~
General Miles said that if this provis-
ion should become a law it would have
the effect of destroying the unity Of the
army and he read numerous authorities
including Napoleon. Wellington, Washing.
ton, Cass and Grant to show the necessit,
of having one head to the army and
Of controlling authority. His own exper.
ience and observation had, he said. had
the effect of confirming these views an6
he gave an Illustration of its beneficial
effect in time of emergency, instancing the
beginning of the war with Spain 81
heard at midnight" he said, that 4hf
Spanish feet had been located definitel,
at Santiago and / FASTENED to the home
of Secretary Long, where the news was
confirmed Shafter was then at TAMPA
and / sat down there, in the Secretary
house and wrote a dispatch directing hin
to start Immediately for Santiago with
the result that the army was soon on its
way to the point where its presence was
needed. Suppose" he added, exhibitina
the message which he had sent to Gen.
raj Shafter, 81 had been compelled to get
around to a dozen Or more majors, as
many colonels and any number of generals
constituting general staff"
Then he added that in all probability
the senior general Of the army would not
under the provision he had quoted have
been in position to do anything and he
called attention to the clause relieving
him (the senior generaD of command and
making it possible for any other officer
to be appointed. He declared that under
section seven it would be competent ia
one day promote a captain to the position
of a brigadier and the next day make him
chief of staff, thus practically placing a
captain at the head of the army Warm
ing up somewhat he asserted that the bin
was calculated to accomplish no purpose
except to allow the Secretary of War ana
the Adjutant General to promote the in
terests Of their personal favorites.
General Miles was questioned as TO the
for locating the American army
Of occupation at Tampa and holding IL
there so long with the resulting conges-
tion. Replying to the first question, he
said that it was because of the order to
occupy Havana. The delay was due, he
said to the fact that the American army
was supplied with only GA rounds Of am
munition which would not have been suff-
cient for more than half an hour of fight
ing. Considering that Havana was one
of the best fortified cities in the world
he said that to have attacked it would
have been foolhardy in the extreme. He
declined, however, to erticise the then
Secretary of War, General Alger, for the
condition Of affairs, saying that probably
any one else in the position would have
done about what he did He laid the
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