New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-15
WAR OFFICE REFORMS
I" 't5 Str0Hge Omission to Prop,s.
british Army 7cith General CIR

''.o" OI coiuiai relations with Franz. -
union OF the three Western naval 1.,.-N rs
iand settlement in Ireland and the - 'ns
war Office have been brought abo,,. 49, y tas
influence eXerted IN accordance vvttb 40
tons OF constitutional monarchy -Ndi'
za'ion OF the military system was ir,,.--..'~1
necessary after the BOer war. ana - W
Brodrick created six army corps on ~. A1I
committee conducted an exhausr,r. = 90
cation respecting the lack OF prepara,,,.. -
campaign and the blunders committed a. -
esy and tactics. nothing was done "a -.
public confidence in the army a. m -
"shtihs machine The empire had lost ur.,.,-.
as military power. but the government 49,
had conducted the war badly and had bsar -
Informed at the opening OF the ca,,,..-S
seemed 10 be incapable Of prohtng BY hpr-r
iaung experience. Possibly ministers wer, -.
"holiy responsible for the sluggishnss. rs.,
which they approached the few really .s,.-. -,
reforms. namely. the abolition Of a ana1 -
TEN OF civic and military control and ~.
alton OF an efficient STAFF. These were esp..s.
matters when It was known that Ouas, ~.
toria had considered the Office OF commands
chief one OF the perquisites OF rovaItv -
when it was suspected that King Edward -.
upon the Duke Of Connaught as the propa- -
Wa
dent that the King was impressed WITH -.
Esher's minority report on the conduct A. -
war and disposed to favor the abolition =, a.
post Of commander in chief the raorva,,-..-'
OF the War Office became a simple arr,,-
committee OF three. after holding z. few 50,
tations. has proposed a definite and cob.-.-.
scheme, which viii be adopted without dsl.v
The main features Of the new programme. =,
reorganization are the substitution Of a. a.
spectOr general for the commander q, ~,
the creation Of an Army Council similar "a ~.
Board Of Admiralty and the Transformation !,
a Cabinet committee Of defence into a bvh-,s
body with permanent military and naval a.
vfsers. The results are anomalous and A NJ.
correspond either with the German sv,.,r,
which IS admitted 20 be the best IN Enron. :.
with Secretary Roots reforms. which have b..,
introduced with marked success IN the Trni,.a
States. In Germany the Emperor Is tina eor,-
mander IN chief; the chief OF staff Is rsspons,.
bic TO him. and IS the executive officer Of N,
army; large and efficient STAFF serves rnS.v
him. and the War Office civilians taks cbarvs
OF the financial details. In the United statsA
under reformed administration there e. po
commander IN chief except the President. ~,
there Is a chief Of staff responsible 10 ira sso-
rotary OF War. and there Is a large star con-
binlng the best expert talent in the army m
America as close an approach has been mads 70
German scientific methods as Is possible undsr
republican Institutions; but IN England the b.
spirdtion comes neither from Berlin nor ram
Washington. but from the Admiralty; and an
artificial attempt has been made to galvaniss q
Cabinet COMMITTEES OF defencs into an imperial
body with military and naval advisers mo
plea IS heard that the German system hss been
adapted to British requirements, but ne anal
ogie5 are not by any means clear. Thsrs Is
no substituts provided by Lord EsheTss con-
mIttes for the General STAR Of the Prussan
Army which has been Initiated n the United
States on a reduced scale The Army Council
with It's four military members and tnrss cvH
officials. IS not star which can be brought con
stantIy into touch with the troops and Win
every branch OF the service n time Of peace;
nor are the military and naval experts Of hs
Prime Minister'S imperial defence COMMITTEES
available FOR any OF the functions Of the German
stan. which receives its own training Tor war IN
conducting naanoeuvres and promoting tns all
cienty OF the army. The argument Is used that
the Admiralty system Is a safe model because
II has been tried for a long period and has been
found 70 be absolutely sound In principal Hsrs
too, the snaIogies may be at fault general
star IS not required for the navy either n psaes
or in war. but It does not follow that one Oaa
be dispensed with IN the organization OF a ruJ
Imperial army.
The INSPECTOR general. who Is 70 taxa ms
place OF the commander in chief. Is not IN any
sense a chief OF star. He IS responsible 70 ms
Army Council. and Is TO report upon the s'ana-
ard OF efficiency OF every branch Of the SERVES
after inspection OF the troops. lie Is TO ascsr-
tain by systematized and thorough Inspection
Whistler the ideas OF the first military meIn0eF
Of the Army Council are carried out IN ths Va
rfous districts and areas where the troops az
chartered. II IS 50 subordinate a post that
amazing to find IN print the suggestion unA-
either Lord Roberts or the Duke OF C0nnausn.
viii be appointed Inspector general the PROCESS
Of decentralization has been carried a long way
when this drill master. whose notions OK sSAg
rnent and training OF troops for wariaFs ~
drawn entirely from military martinets
structfous Is the shadow OF the once pON''A-
and dignided commander in CHIEF Fro0aoly =.
other British soldier Is 80 competent 70 NV
the training OF troops for warfare as Lora Nos
erts. who went TO South Africa when me A-''
tary system devised BY the Stan CoDeso AA
completely broken down. The general who save.
the empire Is displaced because the dlvOI''
administration from executive connana ~.
sldered indispensable; and a post Is erea''1
which original force and military genius ar' =. -
required. and which could be filed satisfac'oi.'
by second or third rate generals Ike sH 30
vers Butler or Lord Methuen. The duaI sys'e
OF control by which responsibility was ui'4-.
between the Secretary for War and tho 60
u1ander IN chief was indefenslole; but u
by any means clear as the buglemen o. =
government are contending. that new sis
military reform has begun or that the "GOl1'--
knot of red tape has been cut" 40.
The control OF the army for admin 81.
purposes will be vested IN the Army Oou---,
The Secretary for War will occupy posi-
responding in every respect to that OF 10 -,