The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-12
Says There is No Use Of
Figure Head General
SOUTH SET A GOOD LESSON
Candldly Tells Committee That the
Confederaoy Had Great Military
System and Were BY Far
the Best Soldiers.

Washington, April 1.-THE report of the
testimony given before the Senate COM
mittee on Military Affairs by Gen. Scho-
field, formerly the commanding general of
the army on the bill to create general
staff was made public today. He en-
dorsed the bill, saying that he had long
since come to the conclusion that there is
no room under our constitution for two
commanders and that the President,
whom the constitution makes the supreme
commander must act through the Secre-
tary of War. He added:
THE very exalted individual office, So
called. of commanding general of the
army must disappear. There is no room
for it in this government no matter who
occupies 1t; it is not a question of per-
sonality at all or the character of the
individual so far as this great question
is concerned. He must be what other
nations of the earth have; a chief of
statf, not commanding general"
Referring to the German system Gen
eral Schofield said: I'VE have to modify
their system so as to make 1t applicable
If we had at the head of the army for
years the same distinguished general,
other things being satisfactory, that
would be very WELL but what is the use
of a great general as the nominal head of
the army if the President will not even
talk to him except to criticise him, or If
the Secretary of War and he do not even
see each other, what good is he?'
Senator Burrows: why would not the
same condition of affairs exist between
the chief of staff and the President"
Personal Relations Important.
General Schofed-Because he would re-
heve him and get another. The person
al relations between the President, the
Secretary 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 indls-
pensable, or something like it. You must
give to the President discretion to select.
Senator Burrows-Why cannot the lieu
tenant general of the army and the Pres
ident confer as it is?
General Schofield-They are not on
speaking terms.
Senator Burrows = Not on speaking
terms?
General Schofield-No sir. You will
have to get rid of that intolerable condi-
ton 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 crit
icize him. The result is bad; very bad.
The President feels the need Of such a
a..
known. They would say L cannot do
these things; 7 must have a military
man to help me- Then La that situation
he perhaps sends for Colonel or Major
$50 and So anu he finds that ne is
bright young fellow and he knows about
lhese things and in few days it gets
10 be known that Tom So and So is
commanding the army"
Would Not Russianize the Army.
In reply to a question by Senator Scott
Failing attention to General Miles state
ment that the effect of the proposed
legislation would be to Germanze and
Russianize the American army, General
6ccfeld said: II am not afraid of that. 1
think we might Germanize other things
p little. with advantage possibly"
Remdrking upon the provisions Of the
bill for a 4-year term as chief of staff,
General Schofield opposed 1t as coming
from that fountain of error, the Con-
eress of the United States. which provides
for the retirement of the very best men
last when they come to be of an age
when Won Moltke won his greatest tri-
hmph. / am not superannuated yet" he
continued. land still I have been retired
for a long time"
General Schofeld expressed the opin-
ion that during the civil war the
southern system of selecting nigh Of
for taoft h hof Hp ha
Ncrth Speaking Of the rank Of
lieutenant general, he said he would
give the proposed chief of staff even
higher ranking, adding: II would
male one general at the head Of the
army, and l would have three leu
tenant generals, and then the proper
number of officers in the grades under
that. The Confederates during the
civil war were a great deal wiser than
we were in that respect. They were
better soldiers and better educated
and knew more about it. They carried
off the greater proportion of the best
blood that we had, to tell the truth
and they organized their army scien-
tificaiiy."
He also expressed the opinion that un-
ser the secretary of war the chief of staff
should have charge of the departments
M supply and transportation and the sig
hal corps which the commanding gen.
sral does not now control. He also urged
mai under existing law the commanding
several has no real authority and except
That he is president of the board OF ord
nance and Notifications, there has never
been a law defining what his position is.
he held that the United States and Great
Britain are the only important countries
which have not general staff. or the
British he said
.arhey have no system. What we have
= what they had hundred years ago,
Ind we have not improved on it and they
have not either. They have had the same
conflict between the horse guards and the
var office in Great Britain as we have
had here, and that will continue until by
tome chance King happens to be SOL
lie, and then he Will straighten 1t all out
su,cker than lightning"