The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-04-15
GENERAL SCH0FIELD BEFORE THE
SENATE COMMITTEE
The STAFF ORGANIZATION
Head of the Army whom the Pres
ident Can Remove-Roosevelt and
Miles Not on Speaking. Terms.
Goodness Between the Latter and
Secretary Root-Schoneld's High
Praise of Confederate Army Or
gnnization and Commanders.

Washington. April 1.-THE report OF
the testimony given before the senata
committee on military affairs by Gen.
eral Schofeld. formerly the command
ing general of the army. on the bill to
create a general staff was made public
TODAY. He endorsed the bill, saying
that he had long since come to the con-
clusion that there was no room under
our constitution for two commanders
and that the president. whom h con-
stitution makes the supreme command
er. must act through the secretary of
war. He added:
THE very exalted individual officer,
so called, of commanding general OF the
army. must disappear. He must be
what other nations of the earth hava,
a chief of staff. not a commanding gen.
eral."
In reply to a question by Senator
Scott. calling attention to General
Miles statement that the effect of the
proposed legislation would be to Ger
mamie and RussianiZe the American
army. General Schofield said:
Il am not afraid of that / think We
might GermaniZe other things a little
with advantage. possibly. If we had
at the head of the army for years the
same distinguished general, other
things being satisfactory. tnat wOurl
be very we'll: but what is the use OF a
great general as the nominal head of
the army if the president will not even
talk with him. except to criticise him,
or if the secretary of war and he do
not even see each other?"
Senator Burrows: why would not
the same condition of affairs exist be-
tween the chief of staff and the presi-
dent?"
General Schofield-"BecauSe he would
relieve him and get another. You
must give to the president discretion to
select that man."
Senator Burrows-"Why cannot the
commander-in-chief. the lieutenant gen.
eral Of the army n the president con-
fer as it is?"
General Schofeld-"They are not OF
speaking terms"
Senator Bur--ows-'Not on speaking
terms 2"
General Schoield-"No, sir. You viii
nave to get rid Of that in~tolerable con-
dition by which this man close to the
president, the only man who is avail
able to do these things, is a man
whom the president does not talk to,
excent to criticise hlm. The result is
bad, very bad. The president feels the
need of such a man, as did the presi-
dents whom 1 have known. They
would say: Il cannot do these things;
I must have a military man to he'll
me- Then, in that situation, he, per-
haps sends for colonel or major so and
so and he finds that he is a bright
young fellow and he knows about these
things, and in a few days it gets to be
known hat Tom sc and so,' is COM
manding the army"
General Schofield expressed the opin.
ion that during the civil war the south.
ern system of selecting high officers
was far better than that of the north.
Speaking of the rank of lieutenant gen.
eral he said he would have the pro-
posed chief of staff eve of higher
rank adding: Y would make one gen.
eral at the head of the army, and
would nave three lieutenant generals
and then the proper number of officers
in the grades under them. The con
federates. during the civil war, were {
great deal wiser than we were in that
respect. They were better soldiers anc
better educated n knew more about
it. They carried off the greater portion
of the best blood hat we had, to tel
the truth, and they organized theil
army Scientifca!ly."