The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-09
senator Hale on the General STAFF.

It may be taken for granted that
SENATOR HALE has a few tons OF Goa shot
into his coal bins from time to time, and
THAT as winter approaches he either has
~ warm overcoat on hand or knows
where he can get one. These are wise
precaution nary measures, and so are the
army plans which he condemns. Be
cause such measures are justifiable and
necessary and because they are wise,
we regard his recent attack on the Gen
Ieral Staff of the army as unjustihable
and unfair.
Senator HALE'S fling at the General
staff for initiating the methods OF Euro
pean armies is without warrant. The
limited States Government has had for
eign wars in the past and may have
| them in the future, whatever may be
Mr.. HALE's views of the probability OF
such an event. The General staff Corps
q organized in preparation for such an
Experience, with a view to devising plans
OF operation for Use if the experience
I comes. Section 2 of the law creating
this organization provides that the
f. 0QIlbS OI TIE btIcl III IIuh WI p oiiu' w
to prepare plans for the national defence
and for the mobilization of the military
forces in time of war; to investigate and
report upon all questions affecting the
efficiency of the army and its state OF
Preparation for military operations
This work is as necessary for the well
fare of the nation as is the filling of
Benator HALE's coal bins for his protec-
zion against the icy blasts Of winter.
Therefore the General staff Of the United
Z States army does precisely what is done
bby every nation of any important stand
ing in the world. 1t studies and inves-
tigates and devises plans, offensive and
4 Extensive, for use in the event of conflict
with any Power whose military resources
make it desirable for us 20 know the
strength of it's offensive and defensive
Hf0roes. The work of the Corps is neces-
sary, imperative. Condemnation ofthese
Investigations and plans is as unwise
as would be condemnation of the chart
iang of our coasts and the erection of
lighthouses.
Mr.. HALE asserts that the Staff has
worked out plans for war in the East
and for the invasion of China. We be-
.iieve that it has done so. We go even
Further and believe that the secret
archives of the Staff Corps contain
elaborate plans, based on special infor-
mation, for war with Mexico, or Brazil,
or Peru, England, France, Germany and
Il score of other lands. Certainly in
the War Office of every one of those
Icountries there would be found elaborate
plans, based on special information, for
war with the United States. But the
plans of our General Staff are not given
out in Washington to the press, nor are
they in any possible way obtainable by
the press. They are as sacred as are the
documents concerning diplomatic rela-
tions stored in the secret chambers of
the State Department.
Senator HALE is wrong in his asser-
ton that the plans for a campaign in
China have been given to the press by
the General staff. Such is not the fact.
The assumption of official publicity is
based on a certain elaboration of detail
and on the extensive scale on which
outlines of n possible movement have
been submitted by Washington CORE
lspondents. There is not, in fact, a
single statement in all that has been
published which could not have been
written by any man who keeps fairly in
touch with army matters, The state
ment that such and such are the "inten-
lions" of the War Department may be
made by a correspondent from his own
belief on the authority of the notion of
some junior officer who really knows no
more of the purposes and Intentions
4 OF the Department than does a newsboy
on the street.
There are two facts which the Ameri-
can people may accept with confidence.
One is that the formulation of military
plans by the General staff is absolutely
essential to our national welfare. The
other is that these plans, while in process
or after completion, are not commune
Gated privately or publicly. Any officer
who, knowing those plans, gave informa-
ton concerning them, either in time of
4 peace or in time Of war, would at once
be liable to punishment on a charge of
treason. There should be no confusion
between such reasonable Outgivngs and
mere clever guessing.