Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-02
MR.. McADOo's ADDRESS,
He Speaks Mt the War College on
Naval Administrations.

He Speaks Mt the War College on
Naval Administration.
rEWPORT. R. l.. June 1.-The summer
scssicn OF the Naval War College was
opened today by the assistant secretary Of
the navy. Mr.. McAdoo, who addressed the
L embers Of the college at length.
The Assistant Secretury's Speech.
In opening Mr. McAdoo spoke of the sue
cess the Naval War College had been, and
said it was doing a work for this coun-
try Of an Importance great that 1t could
not we'll be exaggerated. Continuing. he
said in part: Force is yet, and will con-
tinue to be for loI ages. prime factor in
civilization. The diplomacy Of a nation,
however able carries with it weight
unless backed by power. especially on the
sea. War in republic Is apt to be more
sudden and PERCEPTIONS than under the
most autocratic of monarches, and we,
nation, have reached the point In our
career where, whether we will or not, we
are obliged from memorable circumstances
to assume great international responsible
ity and obligations more especially on this
hemisphere. He must he wholly ignorant
OF the existing facts around US and
oeservant of recent occurrences and their
sisnif1caEce who does not realize how
much naval strength makes for peace,
the security of our rights our commercial
growth and the assured success of our
policies. A proper navy would Go more to
secure peace for the United States than
endless speeches and pacific resolutions. 1t
is not the armed but the unarrned nations
that are in danger of war. spoftation and
outrage. In the political world. as in the
natural. inertia and Stagnation mean death;
activity and the contest of opposing forces
stand for life. This country Of ours cam
not stand still, nor can it evade the awful
responsibilities Of destiny and environ
ment. The accidents Of time may retard,
but they cannot prevent the great events Of
destiny.
Naval ikfra ton.
THE SUBJECT which have chosen for
today's address is Naval Administration.
i think you will all agree with me that
however able the personnel OF the navy
may he, however excellent the material, I'M
less the establishment a whole is we'll
organized and properly administered the
navy cannot be efficient. A bad or lax
adminLstra ton in time of peace makes
navy incapable of carrying out the wises,
solutions Of any problem in time of war.
A weak, foolish Ut worse administration of
the navy would discount all the bravery
and ability Of the military units that go to
make up the organization The best troops
viii fail in the hands of a commander In
whom they have no confidence; the best
business will be wrecked if those at the
head are incapable of executing it's af
fairs The machinery OF naval administra-
ton Is complex and more difficult to han
die in many ways than that of other
branc hes of the government / want the
navy to be popular, because 1t deserves to
be, and in a government like ours all in
situations depend upon the good will and
support Of the people, who. being in the
main highly intelligent. demand reasons
for the existence of thing around
them. No one can realize better than the
civilian head Of the navy that while the
navy Is great and important branch of
the government, ii Is not all the govern
ment. and the different parts of the govern
mental ma chinery are correlated, and they
all are subject TO the policies, conditions
and even passions of the times. 1t is a
task requiring great judgment and mark
ed ability, and 1t is not amiss for me 10
say, this administration neaIS its close,
that the present Secretary has shown him
self equal to meeting it,
Secretnry's Difiiculties.
The assistant secretary then referred to
some of the duties imposed on the head of
he Navy Department and the Importance
of the Selection of his prof advisors,
and said his duties were mere onerous and
responsible under our system than under
| Il at of England. Continuing, ne said:
Our present naval administration, under
| existing law, is we'll and wisely admins
| tered, and yet l fully believe that in the
event Of war IL would of necessity have
| TO be changed and modified in aany re-
| sHects. both with regard TO the efficiency
| of the personnel and material. / think
! that it would be wise If the Secretary OF
| the Navy, coming into Office, could be
given by law authority to call, # he so
| desired it. into his councils additional pro-
| fessional advisors, and So arrange the eX-
| listing system that 1t could set with less
| friction, greater adapablity to circum
| stances. and produce quicker results, with
| possible secresy to the government l
! think l am not mls1ating the use when l
| say that the great number of temporary
| boards called rapidly into being to pass
| upon manifold questions regarding the ma
! terial and other questions shows that the
| secretariate finds itself frequently in need
| of advisors near at hand to PASS upon
! numerous professional questions demanding
an immediate settlement"
A Composite Board.
Further OF In his remarks Mr.. McAdoo
spoke Of national defense, and in this con-
nectlon argued for close connection on
| this subject between the army and the
navy. He hoped to See the time when
| there would be board composed of army
| and navy officers, and called a board for
| the military defense Of the Urited States
! Ia conclusion, he declared that, earnestly
| concerned for the success of the navy he
| sincerely trusted that those into whose
/ hands in the future its admnistrat ton
4 would be entrusted would continue as
their predecessors Of all parties in the past
| have done, to tire at the navy as a national
| institution, far removed from all partisan
and personal considerations, and entitled
| to broad and catholic treatment on high
| n dc