The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-03-29
SOME PLAIN SPEAKING


Why He Opposes It,
WASHINGTON. March 20.-GeneraI
Miles today told the Senate Committee
ou Military Affairs that if the bill in
PRODUCED by Senators Havlcy at the i'm
stance of the War Department for the
organization of a general staff of the
Army should become law ne would de-
cline to longer hold his commission The
reason he gave for the statement is that
the bill is utterly subyersiyo of the in
terests of the military establishment,
and he said he would not be "a party To
such q proceeding to- the extent of even
continuing to hold his place.
The statement was made i'm the course
of "a prolonged hearing by the COM
mittee which was conducted behind
closed doors, and i'm which General
Miles touched upon a variety of sub
jeCts connected with the Army. The
portion of the bill to which he directed
his especial criticism is that contained
i'm section g. reading as follows:
"That from and after the passage
of this act the senior general officer of
the Army shall be assigned to COM
maud such portion of the Army as the
President may direct, or be detailed to
duty i'm the general staff corps. All
duties prescribed by law for the COM
handing General of the Army shall be
performed by the chief of the general
staff or other general officer designated
by the Secretary of War provided, that
SO long as the present Lieutenant-Gen-
eral 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
General of the Army, said office, eN-
cept as herein provided, shall cease and
determine
General Miles said that if this pro-
vision should become a law it would
have the effect of destroying the unity
of the Army and ne read numerous
authorities. including Napoleon, Wei
lignton Washington, Cass and Grant,
to show the necessity of having one
head to the Army and Of controlling
authority. His own experience and OBJ
servation had. he said had the effect Of
confirming these views, and he gave an
Illustration of its beneficial effect in
time of emergency instanCing the be-
ginning of the war with Spain
Il heard at midnight he said, that
the Spanish fleet had been located def
nitely at Santiago, and fastened to the
home of Secretary Long where the news
was confirmed. Shafter was then at
Tampa, and I sat down there in the
SeCretary's house and wrote a dispatch
directing him TO start Immediately for
Santiago. with the result that the Army
vas son Oh 10 az ~ ne s poil'C i" :, u
IlS pIeSeliCg " as usSugu' i,e
had sent to General Shafter, Il had
oeeH com SeI!eu 10 SCI aiouuu ~ d uoA z'.i
OF more laJoIs a. many ',iC
any NUM- ss o 81 0sil1i" ais Ooi'''
general stan 49,. -. -, ...-t.,t.i,i,,.
the senior General of the Army would
not uilueI me prov iSIou ne Ilau luolSu'
nave peeIi III poSlII"n ~ Go any Iil'is'
anu ne CaIeu aIIeIlliol ~ IIis T ~ g
IeNIus MN lIHS senior HeIlFt5I' oI III
Hlanu anu an NlaNlnS II po ,.SsSzIl] III any
oIher oIllcet 10 ne ap?oIllSeu u. az uS
cIaIeu IilaI ulIueI s5Cllou II Nou'u NC
co!lpeIeHl 10 Gile Jay Pi0 1.li, d az az
am W IHE pOSlOIT" -! q, - - ss
me me next uaS I'aAe nm CLIgI VI s'@IL,
mus ,l'eIIl5 d siie
ngau oil 1ne AIll4' up @
what ne aSseI Leu ma Iue plI vas os, al
cuIaIea 10 accQhlplish no purpose eNcePI