The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-03-20
MILES WILL QUIT.
Head of the U. s. Army Threat
ems to Resign
If the Army Reorganization
Bill Becomes a Law.
WON'T BE FIGURE HEAD
Secretary of War Would Be-
come COmmander-in-C Chief.
Could Put a FavOrite Captain
i'm Miles Position.

Washington, March 20.-General Nell
mittee on military affairs that if the
bill introduced by Senator Hawley at
the instance of the war department for
the organization of a general staff for
the army should become a 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 of the military establish
ment and he said that he would not be
a party to such a proceeding to the ex-
tent even of continuing to hold his
place.
The statement was made in the course
of a prolonged hearing by the commit
tee which was conducted behind closed
doors and in which General Miles touch
ed upon a variety of subjects connect
ed with the army. The portion of the
bill to which he directed his especial
criticism is that contained in section z,
reading as follows:
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
-
prescribed by law for the commanding
general of the army shall be performed
by the chief of general staff or other
general officer designated by the Secre-
tary of war: provided that so long as
the present lieutenant general of 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 officer except as herein
provided shall cease and determine"
General Miles said that if this provis-
ion should become a law it would have
the effect of destroying the unity of the
army and he read numerous authorities
including Napoleon, Wellington, Wash
ington, 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 the effect of confirming these views
and he gave an illustration of its bene-
fetal effect in time of emergency in
stancing the beginning of the war with
Spain. Il heard at midnight he said,
that the Spanish fleet had been located
definitely at Santiago and fastened TO
the home of Secretary Long where the
news was confirmed.
Shafter was then at Tampa, and
sat down there in the Secretary'S house
and wrote a dispatch directing him TO
start Immediately for Santiago, with
the result that the army was soon on
It's way to the point where it's presence
was needed. Suppose" he added, ex-
hibiting the message which he had sent
to General Shafter, Il had been COM
PEELED to get around to aRdozen or more
mai jorS, as many colonelS and any num-
ber of generals constituting a general
staff?" Then he added that in all prob
ability the senior general of the army
would not under the provision he had
quoted, have been in a position to do
anything, and he called attention to the
clause relieving him Che senior gen.
eraD of command and making it pos
III for RfE fEnrN Afff IN ha n
pointed He declared that under Sec
ton it would be competent to one day
promote a captain to the position of a
brigadier, and the next day make him
chief of staff, thus practically placing n
captain at the head of the army.
Warming up somewhat, he asserted
that the bill was calculated to accom-
plish no purpose, except to allow the
secretary of war and the adjutant gem
eral to promote the interests of their
personal favorites.
General Miles was questioned as to
the reasons for locating the American
army of occupation at Tampa and hold
ing it there so long with the resulting
congestion. Replying to the first ques-
tion he said that it was because of the
order to occupy Havana.
The delay was due he said to the fact
that the American army was supplied
with only 81 rounds of ammunition
which would not have been sufficient
for more than half an hour of fighting.
Considering that Havana was one of
the best fortified cities in the world he
said THAI to have attacked it would
have been foolhardy in the extreme. He
declined, however, to criticise the then
secretary of war, General Alger, for the
condition of affairs. saying that prob
ably any one else in the same position
would have done about what he did
He laid the general blame for this con-
dition of unpreparedness at the door of
congress.
In the course of his remarks General
Miles told the committee in confidence
that with the bill a law he could now
name the men who would hold the
places of honor provided under it but
the committee did not ask for the
names.