Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-25
NILES ON THE HAWLEY BILL
Says it Opens Door to Dictation by AutOcrat
or Military Despot,
THROWS AWAY LESSONS OF EXPERIENCE
Lieutenant Generals words Quoted
as spoken TO the senate Military
Committee in CondemnInE Re-
Organization Measure.

WASHINGTON. March 24.-The statement
Of General Miles before the senate COM
mittee on military affairs as 1t will appear
| In the official records was made public to-
night. The features which caused some
thing Of a sensation when published the day
the statement was made do not appear and
| the following colloquy at the closing Of the
hearing explains It:
Mr.. Pettus-Mr. Chairman, think there
ought to be some mode OF having these
notes revised.
The Chairman-That will be done.
Mr.. Pettus-The report of the proceed
ings should be submitted to General Miles
with permission to strike out such portions
as ought not to be published
Mr.. Proctor-That is 1t.
General Miles-I do not know that there
is anything to be stricken out
The Chairman-We have been in the
habit OF submitting to the " .tness before
the commission whoever he was, the stem
| ographers report Of his remarks for cor
rection Of course.
Pettus Wants Fair Play.
Mr.. Pettus-I wanted to 20 further than
that. The stenographer has no doubt taken
down correctly what the general has said,
but there are some things that he said
which he may desire to strike out, and l
think he would be allowed that privilege
The Chairman-He must be the Judge OF
that.
Mr.. Pettus-He should be allowed the
liberty Of striking out anything which
ought not to be published, even IL It is
stated correctly in the report
The stenographer's report was submitted
to General Miles and the official report
indicates that he followed closely the writ
ten statement he had prepared and read to
the committee. The main facts of the gen,
erals opposition to the War department
staff bill were given at the time. Some
OF the features Of the statement however,
not reported at the time are OF interest.
Concerning the inspector gneral's depart
ment he said:
I'm the bill under consideration IL Is pro-
posed TO abolish the corps Of inspectors who
have been most instrumental in keeping the
army up to its high character and efficiency
and in discovering defalcation, inefficiency
and, on the other hand, encouraging and re-
porting meritorious conduct, efficiency and
ability in all the different commands and
departments Of the service"
Compliments Service.
Speaking of the general efficiency Of pay
quartermasters' and commissary depart
ments, he said
The three departments mentioned have
rendered most efficient service in the great
civil war, the wars of the frontier, the
Spanish American war and in the Philip
pines and China. The maindministratien-t IN
the commissary department that occasioned
so much suffering In 1898 was not the fault
of the system, but of those responsible for
It's administration, and since 1t was exposed
and corrected l am not aware that a single
case has been reported where a soldier has
not received his daily food and his pay
when due from the commissary and pay de-
partments, respectively, and these have
been promptly transported to him through
the efficient management OF the quarter
masters department"
Further along he said:
1T is Capitalization OF the most pro-
nounced type, augments the power Of the
staff and in effect removes 1t further from
touch with the fighting force of the army.
The scheme is revolutionary, casts to the
winds the lessons of experience and aban-
dons methods which successfully carried us
through the most memorable war epochs Of
our history. The proposed plan is but an
effort to adopt and foster in a republican
form OF government such as ours a system
peculiarly adapted to monarchies having
immense standing armies. 1t would seem
to Germanize and Russianize the small army
of the United States"
Talk with Mckinley.
General Miles said that before the Span
ish war began he called on President Nc
Kinley and that when the president said
he supposed the army was ready, he (Gen-
erRl Miles) replied:
The army, as far as the personnel is
concerned, is ready for any service. but
there is much to be done In the way Of
equipment and the defense OF the coast,
which ought to be supplied at the other
end Of the capital"
The president. he added, consulted mem
bers OF congress and the $50 900 900 defense
fund was voted.
In addition to that portion Of the state
ment heretofore published. showing how
the president could. by promotions, make
captain chief of stan with the grade Of
lieutenant general, General Miles said:
1T seems to me you are throwing the
door wide open for a future autocrat or a
military despot. II is not, in my Judgment,
in accordance with the principle and theory
OF democratic government and for the best
interests of the army which has existed