The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-07
READY FOR THE NEXT WAR.
Secretary Roots Plan for CentraIiza.
ton of Responsibility.
New York Press.

New York Press.
If Secretary Roots latest plan for army
legislation is carried out the United States
will be prepared for its next war-some-
thing that never could be said of the United
States before. AT least. if it is not, two
men Will be responsible. the chief of the
supply corps and the chief of the general
staff corps, for they are clothed, subject
10 the limit of congressional appropria-
tons. with all power TO make the United
States ready for its next war.
The duty of providing for the care and
keeping OF armies will not be divided
among a group of bureau chiefs, the quar-
termaster and commissary and paymaster
general If wooden uniforms are issued
when khaki should have been, if ambu-
lances are lacking and the wounded have
TO be carried off the field in springless
wagons, If hospital ships are out OF Ice,
one big man, and not three or four little
men, will be to blame.
The duty Of planning campaigns VIII not
devolve on impromptu conferences after
the declaration of hostiities between Pres
| ldent, secretary and adjutant general
There will be no ornamental individual
with the sounding title Of general COM
handing to make a center of disaffection
and disgruntlement The officer who has
heretofore filled this anomalous position
becomes the chief of the general staff, with
vastly increased powers for usefulness and
greatly decreased capacity for mischief
He will have the same rank of lieutenant
general as that now held by him, and Gen
eral Miles will be the last of the old order
and the first of the new. But he viii have
fixed and definite duties subOrdinated to
the secretary of war, not vague and ire
sponsible powers sanctioned by public ira
dtion rather than created by law, which
enable him to constitute himself censor
of the conduct of the department. 1t Will
be the staff cOrps's business to consider
the military policy of the country and pre-
pare comprehensive plans for the national
defense, and for the mobilization of the
military forces in time of war. and 10 de-
wise means for the cooperation of the
military and naval forces of the United
States with view to harmonious action In
time of war.
The officer at the head of this organiza-
tion will have the next war in his pigeon
holes when it breaks out. or he will have
been recreant to his duty. If the first
campaign is a failure in design the wrath
of the country will have a place 10 strike.
II IL be success, the praise of the coun-
try will for once know where to bestow
itself. We shall know our lie Boeuf Che
who declared the French army ready to
the last gaiter button" in 1870, and we
shall know our Won Moltke. Under such
a responsibility we shall get no proclama-
lions to the soldiers and interviews in the
newspapers from our highest cOmbatant
officer. We shall get the most serious pro-
fessional work of which he is capable.
We do not know that this legislation can
pass, though it seems shrewdly designed TO
placate opposition in the army itself and
its friends i'll Congress-" If it does, the
head of the service will be for the first
time in our history fitted to guide and con-
troll whatever body may be supplied TO 1t.
In this latter behalf. too, there has been
progress. There has been a small but graf
flying actual increase in the regular army
and a proposed adaptation of the State
National Guards to federal military pur-
poses. This probably is the most that can
be expected in army reform. 1t is not as
much as ii might be, but it is so much
more than ever was had before, that, look
ing back four years to the time when Con-
gress on the eve of war. refused every
thing but the bare authority to levy war
recruits, that we may feel grateful surprise
at our advance to the point where we may
even hope for the passage of the legislation
| recently introduced under the auspices of
the secretary of war.