The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1902-03-20
HE GIVES THE SENATE COMMIT
TEE THE BENEFIT OF HIS Ex-
PERIENCE AND OPINION.
POINTS OUT THE DEFECTS
Flatly Announces That He Will Resign
II the Army Bill in It's Present
Form Becomes Law-Text
of Section Seven.
fRy Associated Press.l

Washington, March 20.--Gcneral Nell
son A. Miles today told the senate COM
mittee on military affairs that II the bill
introduced by Senator Hawley at the
instance OF the war department for the
organization OF a general staff of the
army should become law he would de-
cline to longer hold his commission.
The reason ne gave for the statement
is that the bin Is utterly subsersive of
the interests of the military establish
ment and he said he would not be
party to such n proceeding TO the extent
of even continuing to hold his place.
The statement was made In the course
OF prolonged hearing by the commit
tee which was conducted behind closed
doors and in which General Miles
touched upon variety Of subjects con-
nected with the army. The portion of
the bill to which he directed his espe-
clal criticism Is that contained In Sec
tion 7, reading as follows:
Objectionable Clause.
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 presl-
| dent may direct, or he detailed 10 duty
| In the general staff corps. All duties
| prescribed by law for the commanding
general of the army shall be performed
by the chief OF the general staff or other
general officers designated by the secrc-
tary OF war, provided that so long as
the present lieutenant general OF the
army continues on the active list ne
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 pro-
vided, shall ceasc."
Miles Quotes Authorities.
General Miles said that If this prov-
| sion should become a law 1t would have
| the effect of destroying the unity Of the
army and he read numerous authorl-
ties, including Napoleon, Wellington,
Washington, 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, had the effect Of confirm
| Ing these views and he gave an illustra-
| ton OF lts beneficial effect In time OF
| emergency, instanclng the beginning or
| the war with Spain.
Il heard at midnight he said, that
| the Spanish fleet had been located defin-
| itey at Santiago and hastened to the
nome D1 OccTelHTy iSollb WHsi' thS bN"o
| was confirmed. Shafter was then at
| Tampa and ] sat down there in The Sec
| cretary,s house and wrote a dispatch d.
recting him to start Immediately for
| Santiago with the result that the army
| was soon on Its way 10 the point where
| Its presence was needed.
Cites a Case.
Suppose" he added, exhibiting the
a n .,g.I
! Shafter II had been compelled TO get
around to a dozen or more majors, as
| many colonels and any number of gem
| erals constituting general staff?'
| Then he added that In all probability,
| the senior general Of the army
would not under the provisions
he had quoted. have been In
a position to do anything and he
called attention to the clause relieving
| him dhe senior generaD of command
and making It possible for any other Off
Ger to be appointed.
| He declared that under section seven
! II would be competent 10 one day to pro-
| mote a captain TO the position Of
brlgadier and the next day make him
| chief of the staff, thus practically plac
! ing a captain at the head Of the army.
Warming up somewhat he asserted
| llat tne Dill was cdfulHleu 10 accom-
| plish no other purpose except to allow
| the secretary of war and the adjutant
| general to promote the interests of their
! personal favofites.
Would Not Critic re Alger.
General Miles was questioned as 10 the
reason for locating the army Of occupa-
| ton at Tampa and holding ii so long
| with the resulting congestion. Replying
| TO the fist question, he said II vas be-
| cause of the order TO occrpy Havana,
| The delay was due to the fact 4 nat the
| American army was suppied With only
| GA rounds Gf..-snmunitlon, which would
not have been sufficient for more than
| half an hour Of fighting. Considering
| that Havana was one OF the besS forti-
| fed cities in the world, he said, that to
have attacked 1t would have been fool
| hardy In the extreme. -
| He declined, however, to crltlcise. the
| then secretary OF war, Geneet iAlger,
| for the condition of affairs, saying that
probably anyone else In the position
| would have done about what he aid. lie