Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-17
LOEB PUT IN ANAkIAS CLUB
EVANS SAYS he SAID WHAT
WAS NOT TRUE.
Retired Admiral Writes That Presi'
dent Really Told Him Fleet
Would Circle Globe.

NEW YORK, October 17.-Secretary
Loeb has been put In the famous AnaniaS
Club by the recently retired Rear Ad
mfral Robley D. Evans.
The story has to do with the Atlantic
battleShip fleet and the preparation for
its present trip around the world. Ad-
miral Evans tells IL in the history he is
writing for Hampton's Broadway Maya
zine.
He describes the incidents preceding
and attending the departure Of the fleet
from Hampton roads. He reiterateS his
now famous notice by direction of the
President that the fleet. after a stay of
a few months In the Pacific, would re-
turn to an Atlantic port by way of the
Suez canal.
Loeb Denied President Said It.
This notice was signaled to all the COM
manders. When it was cabled back by
correspondents Loeb insisted no such in
structions had been given or suggested by
the President.
Admiral Evans accepted the rebuke in
silence. The President was his superior
officer and Loeb was the President :
secretary. One might not be impugned
without rejecting on the other.
Now that Admiral Evans Is retired he
may relate the incident as interesting
history The admiral leads up to his
assertion Of the truth of his notice given
to the fleet with q relation of the cor
diality of President Roosevelt on the &C.
cason.
Describing his good-by TO his command
er-in-chief, he writes:
LAS l passed over the gangway l was
met by the President and greeted by him
in his usual hearty and courteous man
ner. 4 battery OF cameras clicked and
snapped as Mr.. Roosevelt gave me a few
last instructions, and L am sure no eX-
preston OF his face or mine escaped
these energetic workers. who, in pursuit
of their calling, often make themselves
most annoying.
For the first time l was authorized
by the President to say to the ofhcers
and men OF the fleet that after stay OF
a few months in the Pacific the fleet
would return to an Atlantic port via the
Suez canal. That message was conveyed
to them by signal, the first night out,
and announced 10 the officers at the ward
room dinner.
Could Keep Loeb Busy.
zone of the newspaper men sent the
message to his paper by wireless. and IL
was published the following morning.
"Afterward / saw that Mr.. Loeb had
promptly denied that the President ever
authorized any such statement.
Mr. Loeb is undoubtedly one or the
best men who ever served as secretary
to a President, but l am sure l could
keep him busy for a long time denying
things If published everything the Pres
ident has said to me-
lon this occasion II was plain from
his manner that Mr.. Roosevelt felt deep
ly the Importance of the step he had
decided to take, and which had conferred
upon the navy of the United states the
critical attention of the whole world. The
same may be said of Admiral Browning
who accompanied him. Both OF their
faces were serious bit not troubled.
II was most gratified TO have the Pres
ident say to me as he did:
.Remember Admiral Evans, You sail
With the confidence of the President more
completely than any admiral ever did
before Your cruise is a peaceful one. but
YOU realize your responsibility IL 1t should
urn out otherwise.