Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-14
Presidents Purpose Officially
Announced.
SETF0R AN EARLY DATE
SECRETARY ROOT REFUSES TO
DISCUSS THE MATTER.
Precedents for Proposed Action-Gen.
Brooke May Be the New Com
mander of the Army.

An official announcement has been made
Of the Presidents purpose to retire Lieut..
Gen. Nelson a. Miles, commanding the
army, under the statute authorizing such
action in the case of an officer who has
reached the age of sixty-two years. No
exact time for such action is stated beyond
the statement that it will be taken "at an
early date" This may mean within few
days or not for week or more. Secretary
Root would not discuss the matter today.
but in answer to persistent inquiry said
that nothing would be done today or to-
morrow.
He will leave here Wednesday on a ten
days visit to General Wood at Havana.
He said he did not know whether any ac-
tion would be taken in the matter during
his absence.
An Authorized Statement
The following is an authorized statement
Of the situation:
''The issues are fairly Joined between the
lieutenant general and the Secretary of
War. The troubles which began long ago
under the Cleveland administration have
finally reached so critical stage that the
compulsory retirement of General Miles at
an early date is an open secret and is not
denied at the White House.
Inc question Is not personal one De-
tween Gen. Miles and Secretary Root. At
present Secretary Root has on his shoulders
a heavier burden than any other member
Of the administration. No man less strong
could carry it at ALL and now, at the very
time when he requires the most loyal sup
port Of every subordinate who wishes well
to the army and the nation, he has to spend
much of his strength in meeting the oppo-
sition of the commanding general. If Gen.
Miles is retired 1t will be simply because,
President Rn0EpVplt
that on the highest ethical grounds his re-
tention would work grave and lasting in
justice to the army as whole.
Forced Retirements.
"As some of General Miles friends have
said that 1t would be unfair to retire him,
it should be said in the first place that he
secured his promotion to a hrigadier gen
eralship only through the similar forced re-
airement of General Ord, he himself being
jumped over a number Of his senior officers
into the vacancy thus created; and in the
second place that the only action OF the
kind taken by President Roosevelt since he
has been in office was in the case of Colonel
Noyes, who was compulsorily retired, after
reaching the age of siXty-two, on the
recommendation Of General Miles. In other
words, the general has himself recon-
mended and profited by the very action
which his friends now fear may be taken
at his expense.
Gen. Brooke Would Command
IF he should go out before Gen. Brooke
is retired, Gen. Brooke, who is Gen. Miles
senior both in service and in age, and who
did gallant and distinguished work as a
volunteer in the civil war, would undoubt-
edly be put in mis- place as lieutenant gen
eral, as 1t is known that the administra-
tion has been very desirous of recognizing
Gen. Brooke's long and faithful service.
Gen. Brooke during the civil war rendered
equally meritorious service with Gen.
Miles; Gen. Brooke was the first to obtain
a commission, and throughout the civil war
he retained his advantage, ending the war
as Gen. Miles senior. After peace came
Gen. Miles was promoted over Gen.
Brooke's head. AS Gen. Brooke will neces-
sarily hold the position but brief period
before his retirement for age, Gen. s. NJ. b.
Young is likely to succeed Gen. Brooke, and
Gen. Chaffees promotion to follow two
years hence"