Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-09-12
NAVY'S SSECRETARY MAY QUIT
WHERE Oh WHERE IS Mr..
METCALF?
Certain Rumors Revived IN Nashiagl0n
confIicfiag Statements Abouf
BatlIeship Fleet

ON the ese ~ his return o. Washing
ton from California. y here be has SPENT
more than two months. the Fuu1or =
revived tha4 Victor ~. Meteatf viii
resign the Navy portfolio n Prcsi-
dent Rooscseit's Cabinet.
This rumor has been pegsfsteutIy
circulated since tlIe strange conHict
of statements issued simultaneously
by Secretary Mctcalf At Oakland and
Secretary Loeb az oyster H4y-Mr.
Meteaif's. 10 the effect that it had
been definitely determined - send the
Atlantic battIcship fleet to the Paeific
and Mr.. Loeb's that no such decision
bad been reached.
At FIRST the reports of Mr. Netcaif's :
retirement we're based on tie supposi-
zion that the President was angry
with him for giving away the Admin
istrati0nfs plan with regard - the
feet. More recently. however. the
story has gone the rounds that Met
caIf's status At the White House has
been impaired for other reasons than
ihose connected with the programme
for the battIeships, and that Sir Met
.slf. realizing this, is making prcpa-
ratfsns To leave the Presidents official
family as gracefully as possible. fn
the absence from Washington ~ those
who would be in a position % know
the truth Of these rumors It Is i'm
possible 10 aay whether Mr.. Afetcalf
will stay or 20.
with the return of SIR. Aietcalf a.
Washington there IS bound - be- =
revival Of interest in the mystery
with has shroudcd the reasons for the
decision 20 send the battleship Heet
To the Pacific. Mr.. Metcalf is able
Of course, to throw light on the suh-
iect. hut hardly any one thinks he
will do 80, not merely on account of
considerations Of International and
domestic policy, but heeause, being
n cautious man. be will hardly risk
a repetition Of the unfortunate diver
gence in the official announcements
made a oyster Bay and at SIR. Met
lcalf's California home.
That the battIeship cruise perlained
in an intimately personal way - Mr..
Metcalf rs citizen Of California with
political ambition, has been suggest
cd by some Of those who have follow
ed the subject carefully. Persons " n0
have fathcred this suspicion have
pointed out that Dir. MctcaIf's formal
statement on July 4, telling 0f the
purpose Of the Administration TO send
the fleet TO the Pacific Coast, was
plainly intended for home consump-
tior. II might have stated before
leaving Washington exactly what J am
saving now, = said Sir. Mctealf, but
thought that as the news concerned
the people Of the Pacific Coast, today
would be an appropriate time to an
nounco the plans.
Just why this m0mcntOus moVemEnt
Of tire greatest fleet that ever assem-
bled by the United States Govern
ment should cOucern the people of
the Pacific Coast more than the peo-
pie in any other part ~ the country
has never been fully understood BY
those In Washington not connected
with the inner Administration circle
and there is q feeling there that Mr.
Metcalf should give clearer expia-
nation. But where j. ME. Mctcaifs
Washington has been asking this
question for two days. lie was seized
nled to reach there yesterday. but up
10 a late hour last night had not put
ln an appearance. There was a report
today that he had gone 10 oyster
Bay. but Navy Department officials
said that they thought tl.is vas in
correct. Mr.. MetcaIf il supposed -
have left Seattle on last Friday
morning.