New-York tribune., 1902-02-17
PROGRESS IN ARMY REFORM

Secretary Root is making good progress with
his plans for army reform. The proposition lust
laid before Congress for the consolidation Of
the quartermaster's. subsistence and pay DEPART
ments into a transportation division under a
chief of supply corps. and for the creation of
a general staff, is only one part Of a far reach
ing design for improving the countrys military
efficiency. Other features OF the plan such as
the provision for putting the National Guard
at the disposal Of the government for home
service in emergencies and for organizing State
volunteer bodies in addition to supplement the
regular army for foreign service in time of war
have already been favorably commented upon
by The Tribune The newly published parts
of the plan also seem calculated to improve
the service.
The present organization of the supply depart
ments puts premium confusion and waste
Our troubles at the beginning of the Spanish
War were in no small measure due to this cum
bersome system. Responsibility for supplies
was divided. Even with the most harmonious
relations between the different bureaus and the
most expert management the work of one will
often fail to fit in with that OF the other. When
has sometimes been the case, jealousy and
friction have developed, the army is sure TO
suffer through lack of cooperation in the dis
tribution of supplies. With divided authority
it is difficult to fix responsibility for failure
to provide adequately for troops in the field.
Moreover, the division means expensive dupli-
cation of labor. 1t entails the employment Of
a double set Of buyers of army supplies,
double machinery for handling them and a set
of independent functionaries for each bureau In
each regiment. One head as we'll as two could
superintend the distribution of both food and
clothing, and 1t could also attend to the finances
Of a regiment. Sometimes troops find them
selves overburdened with clothing and lacking
In food, because one bureau has been oversize
cessful in the scramble for transportation at
the expense OF the other bureau If a single
authority forwarded supplies in due proportion
there would be no such difficulty In the navy
all three functions OF supply are performed by
one department and the result justifes high ex-
pectation Of benefit to the army from consoli-
dation.
The utility of general staff is easily appre
ciated when the multifarious technical duties
imposed on all departments as now constituted
are taken into account. The large problems of
any administration require expert study from
some other point of view than that Of an officer
who is daily engaged in the routine of detailed
management. What is needed is a body of men
who can devote themselves to tactical problems
in large way and who will also be at work on
questions relating TO army equipment and mob
ilization of troops making complete plans for
the harmonious cooperation Of every part Of
the military system as no conference OF inde-
pendent bureau heads each devoted to his own
speciality, can do. Incident TO this reform is
promised a solution of the old problem OF what
TO do with the general commanding the army
AS the head Of the general staff he will have
q definite and highly honorable work to do in
line with his professional attainments, and at
the same time the business OF the army will be
transacted under the Secretary OF War. If a
general is really to manage that business as an
| independent force, the army ceases to be admin
| istered in due subordination to the civil power
| Yet. If the Secretary really determines what
| the army shall do. the general in command be-
| comes merely f1gurehead under the old sys-
| TEN, and a dissatisfied fgurehead at that He
| should have his place as the highest authority
| on purely professional matters, with corps -
experts about him, and this he will have under
Secretary Roots plan.