The times., 1897-08-14
Mr.. BOWLEs EXOHERATED
The Charges Against the Naval
Constructor Dismissed.
SECY. ROOSEVELT'S COMMENTS
No Evidence to Sustain the Cha rges
of Discrimination for Political or
Other Reasons-Co Conclusions of
Commander Davis Report Fully
Sustained by the Department.

After having made a thorough examina-
ton into the charges preferred against
Naval Constructor Francis t. Bewies, OF
the Brooklyn navy yard, Commander G.
Fl. Davis filed d report at the Navy De-
partnent. wholly exonerating Mr.. BOwles-
The charges contained specifications for
making unjust discharges, which included
political discrimination; discrimination
against veterans Determinations against
competent persons retained; yindictiye use
OF the power OF discharge; harShness III
inflicting the extreme penalty OF discharge;
rating men on discharge lower than their
real merit, and undue Influence on the part
Of forenen.
Second. Discrimination against Brooklyn
men in employing labor.
Third importing labor from other places
to tie exclusion Of men having navy yard
experience
Fourth Holding men under false ratings
and establishing new ratings III order %
take on special men, to the exclusion OF
others ON the eligible list, and that the
general efficiency Of the construction de
partment lad deteriorated under Mr..
BowIes' administration, and that general
system OF intimidation would deter men
employed in tile yard from giving testimony
before me adv erSe 70 Mr. Bowles- These,
| as understood it, were the general allega
| tons against Mr.. Rowles.
| Commander Davis, in his long report,
| cites the cases Investigated and declares
| that he did not find evidence TO sustain Il
single charge In commenting ON this
| r.eoIr acting Secretary Ronseveit SAYS:
Navy Department, August IL, 1897.
| The department fully snstatns the con-
p! cIusions OF COMMANDER Davis as 70 the
| charges against Mr.. BOWleS- IN so lar as
| tney relate to alleged political dlscriInlna-
! ton, or To the appointment or outsiders anu
| the retention or unworthy in preference TO
| worthy men, these charges are not ohIy
| disproved but are shown 20 rest upon
| not hing more substantial than malicious
| or frivolous gossip, or else upon the beiief
| OF the less competent worknen that tney,
4 aad not their superior Officers, are lhe
| proper Judges of their efficiency
| The aGtenUion OF constructor E0WieS VIII
| be especially called to that part OF Com
| nander Davis report warning him as co
| being sometimes over-harSh and follow
/ ing too implicitly the reGoHIne ndatiOns or
leadnemen and Quarterlnen; but ~ Is
| evident that the real reason for the at
| tackS upon Mr.. EowseS Is TO be FOUND, not
| in the fact that he has done badly, but
| that he has done Well.
| He has shown great energy and capac-
ity in handling men; he has PAID need
| solely TO the needs of the Government
| work, and has sought 10 esta p!ish hiGh
| standard OF efficiency among the IaborerS
| i'll the yard; he has absolutely diSTegaEded
all political considera tions in appointing
| and employing men, and the opposition to
| linn evidently arises mainly from the fact
that under him for the firs5 time i5 has been
| impossible TO procure the reinstatement or
| reten ton OF men guilty or miscorduc5
| who possessed political Influence.
The evil OF occasional nirsnAesS IN dis
cipline is trivial compared with the evil
| or allowing men to Shirk, or be guilty OF
| other misconduct, provided they nave po-
ntical Influence; aud it is because of his
refusal TO permit this that Mr. Bowies is
| attacked.
The standard of work in the Brooklyn
navy yard has been very appreciably raised
| under Constructor BoTles. The complaints
| against him have now twice been inyeSti-
| gated, once by me personally, anu once al
| great length by Comma nder Davis.
| The widest latitude has been given &c
| everyone who had any accusation what
soeyer to make, and it is evident that
| there s no foundation whatever for these
| charges. There can be no possible ex
cuse FOR any further Investigation and Uht
| case will not be reopeneo
AS regards the charges made by The
veterans it appears that there is no GROUND
whatsoever for complaint against Mr.
BOwles, and the testimony of the witnesses
produced tells very strongly in his fayo
and incidentally shows that under the la
Dor board scrupulous heed is paid to the
rights of veterans.
tut IN the department OF I ards and Docks
IT does appear that Mr.. Reed, a veteran
was discharged, when Mr. Menocal adj
iIslEs that be was as good as tne three non
veterans who were retained. Mr.. keet
VIII accordingly be reinstated, not becaus'
he has any legal eia'm, for ne has none, bu
because 1t Is the policy OF the department
where men are equally good to FetaiT
the veterans In case it is necessary to max
| a discharge
The Regal rights OF the veterans have no
only been carefully preserved by the Nav
| Department, but In its labor regulation
1t has gone very far beyond what the Law
requires in giving preference 10 veterans
| having, indeed, gone to the very verge o
| the line W fIich divides inefficiency fron
efficiency, In the effort to do all that
| possible Tor the soldiers and sailors of th
| late war.
: In appointments from the lists veteran
I are given an absolute preference, and W ne
. | discharged, LIZ they have behaved well
, even though less Well than the others
they are still given preference.
In consequence, the department at tim.