Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-07-17
KITCHENER ON INDIAN ARMY
British omcer Says Present system
Must Fail I'm Case of
War.


LONDON. July ls.-(special Cablegram to
The Bee. 1.-THE onicial reports Just pub-
lished show that Lord Kitchener has not
been afraid to criticise the army in India.
Among other things he said:
No one dislikes change more than do
but II necessary do not fear 1t. would
certainly not continue rotten system be-
and take sound one
The question is an imperial and not
merely an Indian one
The present system Is faulty inefHeiant
ana incapable of the expansion necessary
for a great war. in which the armed might
OF the empire would be engaEed In a 1ife
and death struggle.
He explained how the military member
OF council is really omnipotent In milf
tary matters, while the commander-in-chief
cannot even issue orders for the move
ment OF troops, although he is the man
responsible 10 the government"
The fact is, our INDIAN military admin
istration has been framed mainly TO meet
peace requirements, and the consideration
that army exists for war has been over
| looked
Peace routine has overshadawed prepara-
uon Tor war, and unimportant details to-
gether with the multiplication OF criticisms
and discussions on side issues have a n
soroed the time ana energies Of the higher
omelals, while real requirements have been
neglected.
In war the present system must brea,,
al
TO court disaster, divided counseis. diviSeS
/ be abolished.
1t Is impossible 10 formulate or garry,
out any consistent military policy.
NO needed reform can be initiated no
usssIul USE heasuIe can De adopted, without
/ being subject TO Vexattous and for the most
part unnecessary criticism.
The fault lies simply In the system, which
! trained to unfortupate jealousy ana an
/ tagonism, and which therefore duplicate
1 work. and IN the duplicate destroy prog
! emciency
| owing to the separation Of ofices # Is
Impossible Tor the eommander-in-chief 10
know how his schemes are progressing, or
| whether hitch has occurred.
| Thus the Offices become paper-logged
| and l am not surprised that mistakes oc-
| castonally occur
the only continuity of policy that has
! system and Is Inherent IN H. Is that Of
making Il easy 10 stand still and extremely
dlmellt 20 move toTWard-a condition which
/ cannot be regarded as satisfactory.
| In presenting the the House OF Com
mons his annual statement on the finances
OF India Mr., Broderick furnished some in
terestlng details regarding Lord Kitch-
| ener's reorganization schemes. To carry
out the plans the Indian secretary asked
for S12.5O00o0 The main provisions OF Mr..
4 Kitchener's schemes, Mr.. Broderick pointed
out, included the creation by India OF nine
4 divisions in peace or war. the Increase
OF the field army from 5000 TO 10000 men
and the regrouping OF troops so as TO bring
them nearer the northwestern frontier.
The expenditure. said Mr.. Broderiok, was
large, but the need was pressing.
Alluding 10 what he called some fric-
tion" between the military department and
Lord Kitchener, the secretary OF state for
India admitted that the government had
not been able 10 conceal from themselves
the fact that Lord Kitchener's position
had become an anomalous one since his
proposals were reviewed by the army men,
Der OF the council who was his subordi-
nate IN military work