Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-06
REPORT OF GEN. MILES
OBSERVATIONS DURING HIS TOUR
OF THE PHILIPPINES.
Thinks Troops Should Be Provisioned
With Beef on the Hoof-Sol-
diers Making Roads.

Soon after Lieutenant General Miles re-
turned from the Philippines he submitted
to the War Department full and complete
report of the results of his inspection Of
military conditions in the archipelago.
Secretary Root regarded the report as con-
fdential and refused to make any Of Its
contents public. At his direction, the re-
port was divided into sections, and these
sections were referred to the particular
staff departments to which the subject
matter appertained
As is usual with him, Gen. Miles made a
very careful inspection, and his report is
frank and free expression of his views on
the different subjects under discussion. His
inspection was made by direction of the
War Department, and he was expected to
make any suggestions that occurred to him
as tending to the betterment of the service
in the Philippines. Since the distribution
OF the report among the various bureaus
and its consequent discussion by staff off,
GERS and others it has become known that
General Miles takes radical exception to
certain features Of the present military adj
ministration in the Philippines. For in
stance, he advocates the use Of beef on the
hoof as food supply for the army in pref
erence to the refrigerated beef now brought
from Australia. General Miles thinks cattle
should be imported into the Philippines and
turned out to Craze in safely located and
convenient pasture lands, where they could
be slaughtered as needed and the meat dis
tributed to the army.
He has always been in favor Of the pro-
visioning of troops with meat after this
manner, and his experiences in the Philip
pines strengthened his view, it is said, of
that system of meat supply. The subsist-
ence officers of the army, however, do not
share General Miles views in the matter
and it is probable that General Weston the
commissary general of subsistence, will
record his opposition to any change at pres
emit in the method of furnishing troops in
the islands with beef.
Soldiers Building Roads.
In another chapter of his report Gen.
Miles seriously questions the wisdom and
propriety Of compelling soldiers to build
public roads in the Philippines in time Of
peace. as was the case in Mindanao, where
the troops were employed for many months
in constructing a road around Lake Lanao.
1t is understood that Gen. Miles contends
that soldiers should not be comp elled to do
such labor except as a military necessity,
as otherwise 1t was an invasion of the
rights of the laboring classes A similar
point was made against the employment of
sailors In building a canal on the Island Of
Culebra during the recent naval maneuvers,
and 1t was practically sustained by the
Navy Department.
Apparently in anticipation Of this crit
icism, Gen. Davis commanding the troops
In the Philippines, has sent report to the
war department IN QerenSe OF his action
in authorizing the employment of soldiers
on the public works indicated. 1t is point
ed out that the men themselves do not OBJ
Ject to the work, as it gives them occupa-
ton at time and under conditions when
1T is just as well that they should not be
idle. 1t Is stated furthermore that the
roads opened have been Of incalcuIable
benefit to the country and have contrib
uted materially to the success of the mil
1tary campaigns against the Moros
These are the principal parts of Gen.
Miles report that have leaked out so far,
put 1t is expected that other portions will
become known from time to time as they
call for action in the different bureaus
The report is marked confidential, and it is
not known exactly how the leaks occurred.
The adverse character of the comments
that have accompanied the stories are &C
cePted, however, as positive proof that they
did not come from a source favorable to
Gen. Miles: 1t is known that Gen. Miles
remarks are not entirely satisfactory to
Secretary Root, and the prediction is made
that the report will never be made public
unless it is called for by Congress.