The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-21
AS A MILITARY Man
Major Edwin Discusses the Contro-
versy Involving Gen. Miles.
PRESIDENT SHOULD BE SUPREME
Discipline Should BE Maintained
Even If 1t Means Miles
Dismissal.

Major James Edwin, formerly, with the
Fifteenth Minnesota volunteers, is one OF
the Minneapolitans occupying command
ing positions in the late war with Spain,
who has decided views on the Miles,
Roosevelt Root controversy.
There are no two ways about it, says
the major. "If General Miles is guilty
of the grave breach of military etiquette
of talking too much, he should certainly
be severely disciplined, even If it costs
him his position before his life term ex-
pires.
II speak, mind you, from the severely
critical standpoint Of soldier and Of a
military man. Whatever views / might
have as a civilian would be of little weight
in this case. If order is heavens first
law, then it is immeasurably more so
with the army. That was the fact i'm
pressed upon me above all other consid-
erations when / entered the service, and
am convinced that only from it's strict
observance: can an army or regiment
be moulded into the fighting machine
necessary to be Of real service when duty
sternly calls.
'"rhat the private soldier, however much
he may grumble, really has the most re-
spect for the officer who strictly enforces
his orders and allows no personal con-
siderations to interfere was proved to
me in a convincing manner soon after
whole company lined up in front Of my
tent one morning and asked me to rescind
an order which had been promulgated the
evening before. I heard them patiently
through to the end, and then told them
that, come what might, that order must
stand and be literally enforced. l told
them that, officers always gave such mat
ters the closet attention before putting
them into effect, and that both sides of
any questions which might be, involved
were given due consideration before any
| conclusions had been reached. -
WELL do you know, my firm, unyielding
attitude made a hit with those boys
Before they heard me through, they were
to my way of thinking. When I had done,
they gave three cheers for Major Elwin!'
and went away satisfied.
ut is a soldiers duty to obey orders
first, last and all the time; not his to
| reason why Relatively. it is the duty
of one officer to obey the commands of
| one higher in authority. That is the
I der-in- chief of the army he should have
accepted without a murmur the dictum
Of one still higher-the president. It was
| the height of indiscretion and greatly sub
! versive to discipline for General Miles
| to question the findings of the court of
inquiry on the Sampson Schley contro-
versy. In my opinion, he deserved the
| reprimand which President Roosevelt
openly gave him.
"I have the greatest respect for Gen
erala Miles as a soldier. His military
| record Is one for all soldiers to be proud
Of From what I know Of him, and con-
sidering his early training at West Point,
I hardly believe he is responsible for the
publicity given his rejected plans for the
pacifcation Of the Philippines. If an in
quiry should prove him guilty Of conduct
SO unbecoming one so high in authority,
then he should be dismissed from the
service as incompetent for the position,
because Of approaching dotage."