The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-12


things being satisfactory. that would be
very WELL but what is the use of a great
general as the nominal head of the army II
The President Will not even talk TO him eX-
cept TO criticise him, or If the secretary of
var and he do not even see each Other2
What good is he?"
Senator Burrows-Why would not the
same condition of affairs exist between the
chief Of stan and the President?
General Schoheld-Because he would re-
heve him and get another The personal
relations between the President, the secre-
tary of war and the commanding general
are, after all. more important than any
law, and that is one of the reasons why
this bill is absolutely indispensable, or
something like it. You must give TO the
President discretion to select that man.
Senator BUrrOws-Why cannot the lieu
tenant general of the army and the Presi-
General schofeld-They are not on speak
ing terms.
Senator Burrows-Not on speaking
terms?
General Schofeld-No. sir. You will have
TO get rid Of that intOlerable condition by
which this man close TO the President. the
only man who Is available TO do these
things. is a man whom the President does
not talk to except TO criticise him. The re.
suit Is bad. very bad. The President feels
the need Of such a man, as did the Presl-
dents whom | have known. They would
say: Il cannot do these things; L must
nave military man To help me- Then,
In that situation, he. perhaps, sends for
that he is a bright young fellow and he
knows about these things. and In few days
it gets to be known that Tom So and So"
Is commanding the army.
In reply 10 a question by Senator Scott
calling attention TO General Miless state
ment that the effect Of the proposed legis-
latiOn would be TO Germanize and Russian
ize the American army. General Schoheld
said: Il am not afraid OF that. / think we
might Germanize other things little with
advantage, possibly.
RemHr<inO the urOxriGinn Of
for a four years term as chief of staff
General SchOfeld opposed il as coming
from that fountain of error, the Congress
of the United States, which provides for
the retirement OF the very best men just
when they come to be OF the age when
Won Moltke won his greatest triumphs.
am not superannuated yet" he continued.
and still L have been retired for a long
time
General Schofield expressed the opinion
that during the war of the rebellion the
Southern system Of selecting high officers
was far better than that of the North
Speaking of the rank of lieutenant general
he said he would give the proposed chief
of staff even higher rank. adding: 81 would
make one general a the head OF the army
and ! would have three lieutenant generals
and then the proper number Of officers in
the grades under that. The CCnfederates
during the civil war were great deal
wiser than we were in that respect They
were better soldiers and better educated
and knew more about it, They carried off
that we had. to tell the truth, and they
organized their army scientifically"
He also expressed the opinion that under
the secretary of war the chief Of staff
should have charge of the departments of
supply and transportation and the signal
corps. which the commanding general does
not now control. He ALSO urged that under
existing law the commanding general has
no real authority. and. except that he is
president of the Board of Ordnance and
FortificatiOns, there has never been a law
defining what his position is. He held that
the United States and Greart Britain are the
only important countries which have not a
general staff OF the British he said
They have not any system. What we
have is what they had a hundred years
ago. and we have not improved on il and
they have not either. They have had the
same conflict between the horse guards
and the War Office in Great Britain as we
have had here, and that will continue un-
til by some chance a King happens to be a
soldier and then he will straighten il all
out quicker than lightning.