The Washington times., 1902-03-06
Tells of His Plans for a De-
partment of Supply.
ARMY NEEDS IMPROVEMENT
Contends This Was Made Evident in Our
War With Spain-Hopes to Consolidate
the Quartermaster's, CornmissaTy, and
Pay Departments.

Secretary Root has written a letter
the Military Committee of the Senate
in explanation of the bill which he trans
mitted TO Congress recently, providing
for a consolidation of the quartermaster.
commissary and pay departments into
department of supply. and the creation of
a general staff.
Secretary Root is decidedly of the opin-
ion that the organization of the army re
quires Improvement. and, in support OF
this he calls the attention of the COM
mittee to the conclusions of the commits
sion appointed by President Mckinley to
investigate the conduct of the war with
Spain. Referring to the question of con-
solidation of tSe general staff and the re-
port of the commission. he says:
THE commission contained a number of
very distinguished officers. both of the
volunteer forces of the civil war and of
the Regular Army, and its clear. emphatic
conclusions that in both respects mention
ed the organization of our army requires
Improvement is entitled to the highest
consideration"
Plan to Consolidate.
Secretary Root says in his letter that
the plan TO consolidate three staff depart
ments is not a condemnation of any par
ticular bureau. He says: 1T has long
been apparent 10 all students of the sit
uation that the time has arrived when ii
has become necessary TO have both the
army and navy body of officers trained
n he mil Of ha
country and to prepare comprehensive
plans for defence. and charged specially
with these duties.
The mobilization of armies and SINH
lar operations require time and consider
alton. which cannot be given to subjects
by officers who are burdened with cur
rent and official work in the Army and
Navy Departments. This work must be
done before the moment of war arrives,
because modern wars are so short and de-
cisiye that it would be criminal to delay
preparations until the moment of rup-
ture"
He remarks the present system produces
much haphazard work, and in the end is
extremely expensive by reason of frequent
changes and orders for mobilization and
concentration oil troops. ''as was evinced
In the war with SPAIN
No Dual Control.
In his opinion there should not be
dual control in the War Department by
the Secretary Of War and the Command
ing General He remarks: In this coun-
try. as in the British Empire. the effort
to conduct the army with two heads has
always failed
He explains that the proposed bill pro-
vides that the first chief of general staff
shall be the present Lieutenant General
OF the Army. In further describing the
work OF the general staff he says that it
will include all the great military ques-
iions which may concern the United
States in the disposition of the greater
force to be raised whenever war comes
upon US. II will be an agency through
which the military operations and civil
policies of the country may be harmon
lied as becomes a republican form of gov
ernment'
Inspection Branch.
As to thS inspection branch of the mil
itsry service, and its relation to the gen.
eral staff. he says: Officers Of this staff
viii be detailed to make all military in
spections of the army and the country,
and the inspector generals department,
as now constituted. will gradually be
eliminated, without interference with the
equitable rights OF those now holding per-
manent commissions in that department
Secretary Root briefly explains those
provisions OF the bill which limit the ap-
pointment OF enlisted men of the army to
commissions from the ranks of non-com-
Inissioned officers, instead of the present
practice OF authorizing the appointment
q priyates.