New-York tribune., 1902-12-21
ARGUES FOE ROOT PLAN.
General Corbin AdUocdtes q General
Staff for the -4Ymg


were Senator Hanna and Governor Nash. of this
State. Generals Corbin. Young and Chaffee all
responded TO toasts. General Corbins speech
was an argument for the general staff plan for
| hte United States army, recommended by Sec
| retary Root He said:
| We are fortunate in having a permanent mill
tary establishment of volunteers What is known
as the regular army Is IN the hignest sense e vHl
/ Of his own notion-and be it said, that from the
hsgnnng of the to the M present I rea day
| lar army. The only conscripuon we have ever
aTng daq the TO Var IA e o fea Re un6n Bn to H
1t is perfection of organization that is demanded
dinaton and direction, For a century we have
s nne bng ne last Century we
had many statutes aiming to @ Pr9moJe t od me EN-
but they have, a rule, related to some partici.
! relation to what had gone before. In other words,
laws for the administration of the army have been
grated on the statute books in many parts, with
out a continuity of Legislative thought SO that
that the President shall command the army and
an anG bohe HHa 60se ehased with esponbtes
nectad Herewith. That these unhappy conditions
heretofore offered satisfactory solution. secre
tay Root n9W lie b st thhs b
head of which there shall be an officer OF higneSS
the War Department and known as the % CHIEF oil
to the PreSdent ana IN a
the staff corps and departments, and who. through
Name Of the sseretary of War the constutona
representative and spokesman of the President. mt
paTments art To to report to the secrstary Of War To
than to quote from the bin now pending before tef
Congress- defining the duties of the chief OF stan
defence and for the mobilization of the military
hpoa ali II nes0ns ms on cc til t6s Of
army and its state Of preparation Tor Dr., m5eaFy dl
ance to the Secretary of War and TO general officers
agents in informing and co-ordinating the action
OF all the different officers engaged IN carrying out
fhafr orde and n
may be from time to time prescribed by the Presi-
This in brief covers the administration @ t Of the
army and the ne Wag g I haf Of sfa from the
general officers of the line staff, thereby giving
lection and while performing this important duty
the officer detailed shall have rank o fb
detail as chief staff the officer returns TO MS
rank in the line or the corps or department from
The tiil does not increase the number officers,
but continues the number and rank now Csr PFoaed a
for the army. In the event the senior ollcer rs
that he shan have command Commensurate with
his rank and The 0a appea
to the senior general In such llstaiJes tn T,t,g
the 4us Senior apply That there has been friction
one can wonder That there hS ect 9ec 6armo2y Of
administration is no more possible unGet eSS1S ,S
constitutional provisions than the placing or TWO
pegs in one hole.
General Corbin spoke of Mr.. Roots measure and
said:
every direction and hurtful in none. To no ques-
ton has Mr.. Roct addressed 6iusei Win more tloIe
OF administration The stafr and militia bill he re-
Is the result OF more than three years experience
and thought and research He offers @ niii tna{ MAJ
make harmony intelligence and efficiency take the
!aGe G for Mhich cannot ghtay be charged 70
men. but to the conflict 9f law ravson and of the
JUS. long as the e. CO c91fatpr9n fTa
rest under the President and his titutiona rep
resentative aud execuiixe oieer tne SecSeCaGy a "
of War but the President should have the advice
bo h rTen them M by chief Of staff who win be
by the President rom amSng the the c6ef Of
stan a board OF military experts This Is a solu- @
eTnment Il gives the President Secretary OF
War the information necessary Tor lntelgeItt 1Ia
in a forceful way the subordination of the mill,
aTman 9E or French plan or that existing in any
foreign army. While he may haye gained ya114Pls ape
of foreign armies. his scheme is wholly American
rnnent and is in close touch with the constitution
1t should be accepted in the spirit II IS % ere MEL @
iigent Confederation OF the country is given to it.
,S rs ba1hfs and energy to the solution of this
Important problem Should those Of you ed Gdayg9p 9er
organization faulty would yoH SehNIre Nt hi of r.
You would hold them blameless, and. assembling
your board of directors. correct ts fault ana the
ana fhe9 b oh cors rS' Secretary Root proposes 1t is
mater Pse sy 9f aT sg %g'h Na0n5 no
armies to make war. out TO prevent IT. we supPoJit
bes rather than the pToPaoilines o the ~ tuITe ny
Force is and always will be an element d OF s0st sst
a wise and prudent provision You are better sat;
isfed if never called upon TO realize upon pom II S 0r o,r
chiIdrens children will rejoice that 1t does NOT ha
You The principles should be aPP4SSa W S
in assuring your country against sdo OF and md
prudence suggest only the best on the staoibf}y sth}
and efficiency of our army and navy may PossloV
depend the destiny of the nation d s 't th
army and the interests of the whole country. are
you as Sd pFfTS1e fo1e fhe benet Of timely Counsel
There can be but one answer: You are not CoIl os
] an6ToVai Of the best thought of the service,
and particularly of the two distinguished ssheFais
Welcome to the first city of my native state You
joined in hearty congTatqlaa0nS aT on yone [E TO
the rank of lieutenant general IN august le4C
Gow e% of IN reong teh gF7 Wh me IN the
my long time friend and comrade dear Ola Cn5i1eG;
run we are nearing the end our long ser serVlCS &c
makes competent to bear testimony a Eacn and o.
colectiveiy it covers almost century and a guar
tedious and severe we have the satisfaction that
goes with abundant reward In passing let me
say say that hat IL nd S1Gn an that viii cheer
on each of us having started on our careers as
dGemonstratiRg der in way that iii this country all
things possible Ito to all men tbs army sboud un
derstand that he consecrates his life TO patriotism
s and 1S are few The Youth
of fame and fortune should not seek place III Iu
fu field In the army few can have high rank and
but few of these ever reach the dgnit 3I TGat au
Grant Sherman and Sheridan alone have reacned
distinction and the respect and admiration of their
countrymen The same talent appi.ca;oH u; ana eel en-
would IN M rhe I'd both in the way of position and
MANY