Evening journal., 1902-03-21
MILES WOULD
LEAVE THE ARMY
Declines to Act As Mere
FigurO-head
OBJECTS TO PROPOSED BILL
Says Ii Would Have The Eject Of
Destroying Unity OF the
Army
OBJECTS TO PROPOSED BILL

washington. March 21.-General
Nelson A. Miles yesterday told the
Eenate committee on military affairs
that if the bill introduced by Senator
Hawley, at the instance OF the war
department, for the organization OF a
general staff for the army. should be-
come a law he would decline to longer
hold his commission. The reason he
gave for the statement is that the bill
is utterly subversiye of the interests
of the military establishment, and he
said he would not be a party to such
proceeding to the extent even Of con-
tinuing to hold his place.
This declaration was made in the
course of a prolonged hearing by the
committee, which was conducted be-
hind closed doors. and in which Cen
eral Miles touched upon a variety OF
subjects connected with the army.
The portion of the all to which he
directed his special criticism is that
contained in section z, reading as fol
lows:
THAT from and after the passage of
this act the senior general officer Of
the army shall be assigned to com
mand such portion of the army as the
president may direct, or be detailed
to duty in the general staff corps. All
duties prescribed by law for the com
manding general of the army shall be
performed by the chief of general
stan or other general officer desig-
mated 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 sep
aration from active service of the said
lieutenant general of the army, said
Office except as herein provided, shall
cease and determine"
General Miles said that If this pro
vision should become a law ii would
have the effect of destroying the unity
of the army and he read numerous au
thorities. including Napoleon, Yelling
ton. Washington. Cass and Grant, tc
show the necessity of having one head
to the army and of controlling au
thority. His own experience and OBJ
servation had, he said, the effec
of confirming these views, and he gave
an illustration of its beneficial effec
in time of emergency, instancing the
beginning of the war with Spain. &c
heard at midnight" he said, that Tho
Spanish feet had been located def
nitely at Santiago and I fastened t
the home OF Secretary Long, wher'
the news was confirmed. Shafter wa
then at Tampa, and l sat down there
in the secretary's house, and wrote
dispatch directing him to start imme
diately for Santiago. with the rosul
that the army was soon on its way T.
the point where its presence wa
needed Suppose l had been CON
PEELED to get around to a dozen o
more majors. as many colonels an
and number of generals consttutin
a general staff"
In the course OF his remarks Gel
eral Miles told the committee in col
fdence that with the bill a law h
could now name the men who woul
hold the places of honor provided III
der II. but the committee did not as
for the names.
The printed report Of the testimon
of Secretary Root before the militar
committee on this bill was made publ
yesterday. In his statement the Sc
retary said that the general staff
the army as it is proposed to organii
Il under this bill would be simply q
advisory board, and that its pPncip
duty would be that of an advisor
board. 1T proposes" he said, q"
create by detail from the officers
the army a body of officers who shs
be charged, in the first place, with Il
duty of doing the military thinkin
of doing what the navy has a boa
engaged in now, and what we ought
have in the army and have not tOda
The primary idea is not to give ordoi
II is to study and prepare plans T
the men who give the orders" Ask
as to the place the commanders
chief would occupy with reference
this board, the secretary replied tn
he would accept plans made by t
board OF not as he might please. T
secretary continued as follows:
"The plan of the bill is to have {
chief of staff selected by the preside
as commander-in-chief, and to have
a detail, so that he will come in wi
the president and so out with
president"