The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-26
GEN. MILES IN TROUBLE AGAIN.
Says He Will Resign if HawIey
Bill Becomes a Law.

Washington, Marcn ZU.-O6u. Nei
son A. Miles today told the senate
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 become a law he
would decline to longer hold his com
mission. The reason he gave for the
statement is that the BILLS utterly sub
versive of the interests OF the mill
tary establishment. and he sald that
he would not be a party to such pro-
ceeding to the extent even OF contlnu-
ing to hold his place.
The statement was made in the
course of prolonged hearng by the
committee which was conducted behind
closed doors, and in which Gen. Miles
touched upon a variety of subjects con-
nected with the army. The portion OF
the bill to which he directed his es-
pecial criticism is that contained in
section I, reading as follows:
ssThat from and after the passage OF
this act the senior general officer OF
the army shall be assigned to command
such portion of the army as the presi-
dent may direct, or be detailed to duty
in the general 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 secre-
tary of war. Provided, that so long
as the present lieutenant 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
general of the army, said Office, except
as herein provided, shall cease and
determine.
Gen. Miles said that if this provis-
ion should become law it would have
the effect of destroying the unity OF
the army and he read numerous au-
thorities, including Napoleon, Wei
lington, Washington, Cass and Grant
to show the necessity of having one
head to the army and of controlling
authority. His own experience and
observation had, he said, had the
effect of confirming these views and
he gave an illustration of its beneficial
effect in time of emergency, lnsSanclng
the beginning of the war with Spain,
''I heard at midnight" he said,
that the Spanish feet had been
located definitely at Santiago, and l
FASTENED to the home of Secretary
Long, where the news was confirmed.
Shafter was then at Tampa, and | sat
down there, in the secretary's house
and wrote dispatch, directing him
to start Immediately for Santiago, with
the result that the army was soon on
its way to the point where its pres
ence was needed. Suppose ne added,
exhibiting the message which he had
sent to Gen. Shafter, Il had been
compelled to get around to dozen or
more majors, as many colonies and any
number of generals constituting gen
eral staff
Then he added thatin 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 it would
be competent to one day promote
captain to the position of brigadier
and the next day to make him chief
of staff, thus practically placing
captain at the head of the army.
Warming up somewhat he asserted
that the bill was calculated to accom-
plish no purpose except to allow the
secretary of war and the adjutant gen
eral to promote the interest Of their
personal favorities.
Gen. Miles was questioned as to the
reasons for locating the American army
of occupation at Tampa and holding it
there so long with the resulting con-
gestion. Replying to the first question,
ne said that it was because of the Or
der to occupy Habana. The delay was
due, he said, to the fact that the
American army was supplied with
only "a rounds of ammunition which
would not have been sufficient for
more than half an hour of fighting.
Considering that Habana 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 criticise
the then secretary of war, Gen. 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 general blame for this
condition of unpreparedness at the
door of congress.
In the course of his remarks Gen.
Miles told the committee in confidence
that with the bill law he could now
name the men who would hold the
places of honor provided under it, but
the committee did not ask for the
names.
You will never wish to take another