The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1902-03-26
GEN. MILES is MAD.
He Declares that He Will Resign if a
Certain Bill Passes.
SECRETARY OF WARS SCHEME

Charges I'avo:i,isin

Rank for Service. Miles
Charges Fnvo?itism
Gen. Nelson A. Miles THURSDAY told
the senate committee ON military af-
fairs that il the bill introduced by
Senator liawley at the instance or the
war department for the organization
OF general staff for the army should
become law he would decline to
longer hold his commission. The
reason he gave for the statement
is that the bill is utterly SubverSive
OF the interests or the military cStab-
lishment, and he said that he would
not be party to such proceeding TO
the extent even of continuing to hold
his place.
The statement was made in the
course OF prolonged hearing by the
committee which was conducted be-
hind closed doors, and in which Gen.
Miles touched upon a variety OF sub
jectS connected with the army. The
portion OF the bill to which he direct
ed his especial criticism is that CON
tained in section I, reading as fol-
lows:
MAKE GENERAL 4 FIGUREHTAD.
That 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
Of ln ball y,
ed by the chief OF general staff or
other general officer designated by the
secretary OF war. Provided, that so
long as the present lieutenant general
or 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"
WOULD DESTROY UNITY OF ARMY.
Gen. Miles said that If this provision
should become law it would have the
effect OF destroying the unity OF the
army and he read numerous authori-
ties, including Napoleon, Wellington.
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 confirm
ing these views and he gave an illus
tration OF its beneficial effect in time
of emergency, instancing the begin
y I,.,s.s,- = -t.5ssl II with Spain.
Sr<.sss9ss - midnight" he said,
that the Spa W. Gt,, leeU lia' pe1iI
located defnite nome %r Ti"sS, Of Secrat,rr "tu
hastened to the do .i ~ VI S.,y 'eG,eo'iy
Long, where the ner.l Sas oo'int I tn,eu
Smarter was then at Taar"rnrv,i r
sdI down there, in the Sc, nctin,,
mouse and wrote K" ifspatcn, dill. iaas tia'Ee
him to start immediately for, >0i"So
with the result thatsssysSny w u
soon on its way to the poo "lie!c iUS
presence was needed suppose he
added, exhibiting -ine message which
he had sent TO Csn. Sha1ter, had
been compelled to get around to a
dozen or p-Jre majors. as many colo
neis- -ar-a-lny number of generals CON
stITuting general staff"
SCHEME OF THE SECRETARY
Then ne added that in all prObabil-
ity the senior general Of the army
wouNnot under the provision he had
quoled have been in position to do
anhthing, and he called attention to
the clause relieving him (the senior
gcneraD of command ard making it
possible for any other officer to be APP
pointed. He declared that under
section it would be competent to one
day promote a captain to the position
Of a brigadier and the next day to
make him chief of staff, thus practi-
cally placing captain at the head Of
the army. Warming up somewhat he
asserted that the bill was calculated
to accomplish no purpose except to al
low the secretary OF war and the ad-
jutant general to promote the interest
of their personal favorites.
WHY THE DELAY AT TAMPA
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 re-
sulting congestion. Replying to the
first question, he said that it was be-
cause of the order to occupy Habana.
The delay was due, he said, to the
fact that the American army was sup
piled with only 64 rounds of ammuni-
tion which would not have been sunl-
cient for more than half an hour Of
fighting. Considering that Habana
was one OF the best fortified cities i'm
the world, he said that to have attack
ed it would have been foolhardy in
the extreme. He declined, however.
to criticlse 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 unprepared-
ness at the door OF congress.
KNOWS THE FAVORITEs
In the course OF his remarks Gen.
Miles told the committee in confidence
that with the bill a law ne could now
name the men who wOUld hold the
places Of honor provided under it but
the cOmmi, ee did not ask for the
names.
ROOTS ENDORSEMENT.
The printed report OF the testimony
Of Secretary Root before the military
committee on this bill was made
public Thursday. In his statement
the secretary stated that the general
staff OF the army rs it is proposed to
organize it under this bill would be
simply an advisory board and that It's
principal duty would be that OF an
advisory board.
Asked as to the place the command
er-in-chief would occupy with refer
ence to this board, the secretaryre-
piled:
THE plan OF the bill is TO have the
chief OF staff selected by the president