The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-30
LAUDS
MISSOUR|'S CREW
Roosevelt Says Action of Men
Was Heroic Disaster Was
Appalling.

WASHINGTON, D. c., May 2s.-Sec-
retary Moody has issued a general order
containing certain extracts from the re-
port of the Missouri court of Inquiry re-
garding the conduct of officers and men
at the time of the explosion on that yes
sci, letters from the president regarding
the bravery of thesnen of the Missouri.
including the extraordinary heroism
shown by Chief Gunner's Mate Monson.
Gunner's Mate C. g. Schepeke and Act
ing Gunner R. E. Cox and also a letter
from the president to the department ex-
pressing his approval Of the conduct of
the chaplain of the Missouri, Father Glee-
son, at the time of the accident.
After reading the memorandum of the
commander-in-chief, the president sent
this letter to the department:
White House, Washington, May IA,
1904.-To the Navy Department: The
memorandum of Rear Admiral A. S. Bar
ker, commander -in-chief of the North
Atlantic fleet of April 16 on the incident
upon the Missouri, has been laid before
me by the navy. department. In it Ad-
miral Barker says:
Developed Heroes.
'sThe disaster was appalling. but it
developed heroes. History records no
more heroic act than that of Monson, who
crawled through a hole into the burning
LfcBdZlnG 10 put Out7 the names. Inc
conduct of the captain. officers and crew
was superb, showing excellent discipline
and marked physical courage"
Although we must all of us be sad
dened at so lamentable catastrophe and
though every effort must be made and
every energy bent to minimize the chance
of its recurrence, yet IT is matter of
profound qualification to- ali who are proud
of the American navy that the officers
hox hoI u
under such trying circumstances. The
weapons with which men now make war
on the ocean are so terrible, the mechan-
ism Of our warships is at once so deli
cate and so formidable as to make thor
ough training and practice in their use
both indispensable and dangerous. Such
war machines would, in battle be utter
ly useless unless those handling them
knew by actual experience their capabili-
ties and power to utilize to the highest
degree their capabilities and this power
can only be acquired by practice.
Must Minimize Risk
AS have already said, every effort is
made to minimize this risk. But after
all such effort is made certain amount
of risk will still remain and this risk
must be faced in the same spirit in which
the risk of actual battle is faced
This is expressly the spirit which was
shown in the fleet Under Admiral Bar
ker's command, markedly on the Mis-
souri,, but also on the other vessels For
many minutes after the accident occurred
on the Missouri everyone aboard her knew
that at any moment she might go to
the bottom; there was no f1inching or
disorder among her crew. The veterans
aboard her were less numerous than the
recruits; every man performed his duty
with a. cool lf-possessfon, which gives
us a right to feel grounds for entire con-
fidence as to the manner in which emer-
gency in battle or otherwise might be
met
Similarly we have a right to be proud
of the fact that on the instant of the
resumption Of target practice, the marks
manship, if anything showed slight inn
provement over the previous efforts
l congratulate and thank Admiral Bar
ker and those under him for the show
ing that has been made have written
separately concerning Capt. Cowles, Act
ing Gunner r. E. Cox, Gunner's Mate
Monson and Gunner's. Mate c. E. Sche-
peka. Theodore Roosevelt