The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-03-22

q as between men now hold
"A ing high command in the
army, and looking at the
proposed army reorganization measure
as we would look at something affect
ing generations to come. what ground
has General Miles for objecting to
clothing the president with power Of
selecting such men 10 command the
army and to advise with the command
ing officer as he deems most likely to
produce the desired results?
General Miles says that I'm army law
of this kind would simply facilitate the
exercise of favoritism by what he calls
the army ring. Would not that depend
upon the kind OF man occupying the
white house? The responsibility in time
of war rests upon the president of the
United States and upon the secretary
of war. There is no way to shift this
responsibility without recasting the en-
tire structure of our government.
Though as the law now stands. under
the rule of seniority, they have little
discretionary power in picking men for
difficult military commands, they are
held responsible Just the same. If a
campaign goes wrong, the secretary of
war; and behind him. the president,
catch it: no one thinks of putting the
blame on the lieutenant general COM
manding. Although General Shafter
was the officer whom General Miles
recommended for command Of the San
tiugo expedition, no one heard any cen
sure of Miles during the time that the
newspapers We're making Shafter and
Alger the targets of raillery and abuse
The meaning of the bill now before
the military affairs committee is that
if the president and secretary of war
must carry responsibility they should
have corresponding power. If they find
that a captain or II colonel exhibits a
better fitness for responsible command
than some officer of q higher grade
whose main prop is seniority, the pend
? ing bill means that this subordinate
may in the commander -in-chief's dis
cretion, he called to the higher position
where his usefulness would be greatest
and the senior officer of inferior merit
be set aside. What would the pro-
prietor of an industry think if the law
should say to him that he must not
pick his men for promotion according
- to his estimate OF their fitness fol
'' certain trusts. but that he must pro-
mote all hands according to the rule OF
seniority? AS applied to n civil enter.
prise this seniority rule is manifestly
Il. ridiculous As applied to the army il
+; is equally so, especially in times OF
j. emergency, when men who can dc
t' things are doubly and trebly valuable
regardless OF how long they have beer
in the service.
of course there is the possibility ol
favoritism in the use of discretionary
power. This would be larger in a time
of tranquility, when commanding posi-.
tions in the army have little actua
meaning so far as large interests are
concerned, than in time of war. But
it is in war time that discretionary
power is most essential. Under all ar.
rangements of human affairs the cry
of faVoritism from those who have
fallen by the wayside is inevitable. n,
worth while to try to do away with it
But 1t should at least not be permitted
i to interfere with making army promo
y tion responsive to fitness: for that Is
the only tenable groundwork of IA, per,
! feoted military service. u ..