The sun., 1908-12-23
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ROOSEVELT DIDNTRUN NAVY
SAYS JOHN d. LONG, SPEAKING
or SPANISH WAR TIMES.

Former Secretary Protests Against Tsx.
traVSgant Praise OF his Assistants
Share In Work. rs Described by
Henry Reuterdahl IN Magaz zine.
BosToN. Dec. 22.-In an open letter
published to-day former Secretary Of
the Navy John d. Long says:
Reading In to-day's Outlook its commen-
dation Of Henry Reuterdahl's article In
Pedrson's December magazine on the Navy
and In tribute to Mr.. Roosevelt's connection
with 1t note references to me, These lead
me to suggest that In that respect, and per.
haps therefore In others. he has not written
with sufficient preparation or knowledRe
ofNhis matter.
For instance. he says that "the Secretary
oItne Navy was the Hon. John D. Long,
president OF the Massachusetts Peace
Society This ls evidently one OF those
haphazard statements which careless writ.
ers make. Its purport is evident. I was
never president OF that society. honorable
as such place is. 1 never attended one OF
its meetings.
"hen was Governor. nearly thirty years
ago. probably as O courtesy to the ONCE
rather than TO me personally, 1 was notified
ol my election as member. to decline which
would have been as discourteous as to accept
1t was to acknowledge a courtesy which [
appreciated.
. Nor could there be a statement more
reckless OF the truth or more calculated to
impair confidence in the whole article than
the following: In fact he TMr. ROOSEVELT
was the Navy Department. No one, 1 am
sure. would sooner disclaim or more regret
such fulsome and utterly unwarranted
assertion. Instead OF being tribute to
Mr.. Roosevelt, 1t only tends to neutralize
the eject OF the praise thus given and BY
It's extravaganza make it worthless. ~.
Mr.. Roosevelt during his brief term as
Assistant Secretary OF the Navy before the
war came on was one of the most efficient,
active. jealous and helpful officials In the
Navy Department. But he was only one of
them. The splendid preparedness Of the
navy for the war with Spain was not due to
him. as Mr.. Reuterdahl claims. He shared
in II. but in the main It was due to the chiefs
OF the various bureaus ordnance. equip
ment, supplies. &c.
Mr.. Roosevelt deserves all the credit
that Mr., Reuterdahl gives him for his
work on the personnel board in preparing
a bill for reorganizing the personnel of
the navy. As its chairman he directed its
work with much tact and ability. In the
matter OF the purchase of ships, colliers,
transports. de-, OF which, OF course many
we're needed. he was especially active and
useful, though he will tell you that this
work was mostly done by them Capt.
Fred Rogers. who, like the bureau chiefs,
is now forgotten by the public and their
names are never called. alasi when the
word of praise is spoken. -It -
Thus history is written: Indeed in every
way Mr.. Roosevelt gave his heart and soul
to his work. as he always does"
Had he been in tho navy during the war
he would. of course, have continued to be of
great service to It. but he left 1t for the
army as soon as the war was on. Things,
however. went on in the same old way under
the same-to use Mr.. Reuterdahl's words
machinery OF the Navy De-
partment, cloRged with red tape IL the
Navy Department was red tape" as Mr..
claims. 1t was mighty good red
tape. and SO everybody seemed to think
when at the close Of the war the record
Of the navy at large was made up.
II is not worth while to refer to Mr..
revival Of the squibs about
Mr.. Rooseveit's taking advantage of a
DAY 3 absence on my part from the Denart-
nent. OF course In such a case he was
acting Secretary. As sucn IL was very
properly his duty to perform the functions
,f my ONCE. But he was not the whole
NAVY DaDartnant