The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-27
ORGANIZATION
PLAN OF ARMY
New Law Is Expected to Increase
the Efficiency Of Our Fight
ing Machine.
Its Details Similar to the Mango
ment Of a Big Industrial
Concern.
The German Plan and What It Has
Done for the Kaiser's
Power.
From The Journal Bureau. Room 45, Post Build

From The Journal Bureau, Room 45, Post Build
Ing, Washington.
Washington, June 27.-The most I'M
portant thing that has happened to the
army OF the United States during the
past forty or fift years. in the opinion
of all military authorities, Is the adop-
ton of the general staff" plan OF organ
ization. Congress passed the law author
izing the change last winter. and for
Number of weeks the president and secre-
$ary Of war have been working out the
Details and getting ready to put the new
scheme into operation.
Aug. Is is the date when the general
staff takes hold. On that day General
Nelson A. Miles will go on the retired
list, and the office of general command
ing the army will be abolished. From
that time on the army will be commanded
by the president and the secretary OF war,
assisted by staff Of forty-two ofhcers,
at whose head will be a chief OF stan'
General S. B. M. Young.
In order that an ordinary civilian may
understand what the general staff Is TO
do, it is only necessary to cite the organ
ization Of any large mercantile estapnsn-
ment. Take a large department store ZOE
example. 1t has general manager, VI
owner who is responsible for the "hoie
affair Under him are heads OF depart
ments who are responsible for their d1Vl-
sions Of the work. There Is the creolt
man. who looks after all accounts ana
dealings where the responsibility OF the
purchaser Is involved. There Is superln-
tendent of delivery. who has to get the
goods out and who is master of all the
nroblems of transportation. There Is a
buyer or a. number of buyers, VINO are
experts on judging the trend OF the pup
lies purchasing inclinations, and there
IA person who has charge OF the per-
sonnel Of the establishment, maintaining
discipline and making appointments ana
aenarations There are heads Of special
lied departments who are supposed 10
be experts, familiar with all the detalis
of the branch of the establishment Win
which they have to do.
The head of a mercantile organization
must be familiar, in a general way, with
ali the departments under his command.
He cannot, however, master the details
of each branch, or personally look aAter
all tho business which may come to all
the departments. He has a stan, ana
they do this for him. He holds them ac-
countable for results.
Theory OF Organization.
That is the theory Of the new scheme
OF army organiza ton. An army mas many
functions like those of an industrial Or
Eanlzation. Its main business Is fight
Ing. b,it before 1t can be an eHectlve
fighting machine 1t must be an eIective
orranization A modern army conducts
a vast amount Of business. 1t buys 1ood'
arms, tents, houses. horses anu rallroaus'
It pays rent. conducts nlanuiactufes,
works out patents, erects buldlngs' lays
ont roads holds cemeteries and does q
tbri,yinp trade in artificial limbs and
drugs. No ore man can be an expert III
all these lines; nor can any two or tnIee
men. The head Of the army organization
must have a lot of trained spec!ahsts
These trained specialists the stan Is &c
furnish. ,.E
Rut an army must do more than keep
itself organized It must study out the
problems Of war. 1t must be preparing
In time of peace, for any ana all coh.lh
aencies The German army, To-Day mas
a Man of campaign all laid out to be used
in case of a declaration OF war with the
tinted states. 1t has orders all prepared,
for the mobilization of troops ana loI
their TRANSPORTATION and for the move
ment Of the naval arm OF the service.
The German war department has maps
Of our harbors, full details as to the mum
her Of our troops and their location and
fun information as to the nature and
strength Of our coast defenses. Germany
has this information collected and pre-
pared by the staff officers, and one wore
only would be necessary to put all lntc
operation. Germany has this data, mol
only for the United States, but for all the
possibility become involved IN war.
Present Scheme Anticipated.
The organization Of the United States
army is at present loose and inefrectual
1t has grown UP under system pasec
mostly on seniority and military rank
without regard to the growing needs o.
tbe work which will be assigned to the
staff has fallen into the hands OF civilian
bureaus which have grown up IN WASH
ington and much more OF the work has
never been properly done the trlnlna
calls Of the Spanish war were suIlclen'
to demonstrate the weakness of the sys.
tenn the early efforts to mob11ze 1orce
resulting in all sorts of confusion ana
hopeless lack of responsibility.
In general the officers of the staff will
be charged with the responsibility OF pre-
partng all orders for the mobiliza ton O.
connected with the national defense; they
must obtain all possible information In re-
gard to the organization and efficiency
OF foreign armies; they must decide wha
arms the troops shall have. and make al
necessary recommendations IN regard t
the supply of all war material. They ar
RESPONSIBLE for the tactics and instruction
Of the troops, and will prepare all plans
for the naneuvers. They are to prepar'
maps, work out all the military problem
connected with the use of railroads ant
steamboats, and organize the field posta
service And these are only few o
their functions.
Members of the staff will be appointed
on the basis of merit. They must stan'
examinations and take certain preparation.
courses in the military college. Staff pc
sitions are not for life After SERVING
for awhile on the staff the officer goe
back for time to the line. The purpos
is to give staff officers experience in al
the other arms OF the service, 50 they vii
e be able to cooperate intellisently wit
! them.
A Under our new law the general stat
will consist of one chief of staff, two gen
erals four colonies. six lieutenant colonies
twelve majors and twenty captains.
w. w. JerInane.
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