New-York tribune., 1910-02-03
MEYER ASKED TO
WITHDRAW PLAN
HE REFUSES REQUEST
OF COMMITTEE.
Members Resent Reports Of
Discipline for CapPs
and Rogers.
and Rogers.
rFrorn The Tribune Bureau


Washington. Feb 2-The Secretary of
the Navy was informed to-day that there
is practically no likelihood Of the in
dorsement Of the Meyer-Swift plan OF
reorganization by the House Committee
on Naval Affairs, and the chairman OF
that committee broadly intimated TO
Secretary Never that he would relieve
the committee from er1barrs ssnent II ne
would Withdraw his recommendation "f
such statutory changes as are needed TO
carry out the plan in its entirety.
Mr.. Meyer declined TO relieve the COM
mittee from it's embarrassment IN op-
posins plan 10 which the adninistra-
ton is heartily committed
A member of the committee favoraote
TO the Meyer plan has polled the elgn-
teen members now in Washington and
finds that nine men favor the reorgant-
cation and nine including Representa-
tive Foss. the chairman. and Represen-
tattve Loudenslag ger. of New Jersey. are
opnosed to II and favor the Newberry
plan.
This poll does not include Representa-
tive Hobson who is campaigning In the
South but will not return in time 10
vote Unless there is a change Of at
least one vote. no affirmative legisls-
ton relative to the reorganization can
be accomplished by the committee
The attitude of Secretary Meyer in re-
gard TO the two officers. Rear Adr1rats
Cams and Rogers. who testified against
the Meyer plan was the subject OF dis
cussion at an informal meeting or the
committee this morning. Members ex-
pressed great surprise on learning OF any
intention in the Navy Department to
dtscfpIine the chief constructor and the
pavmaster general on account of testl-
r,oory, given before the committee As
one member of the House committee ex-
pressed il. the sentiment of that body
borders on resentment which has eS-
tended TO members Of the House rot on
that committee
MAY APPEAL TO HOUSE
The committee takes the position tnaf
Chief Constructor Capps and Paymaster
General Rogers did nothing more than
answer the summons of the COMMITTEES
as witnesses They were reluctant 20
orpose the Meyer plan until the COM
nilttee insisted on obtaining their optn~
ions The committee clair1s the right
to summon any officer of the navy
whether chief of a bureau or not. 70
testify on any subject on which the com
mittee desires information The suS-
gestion. which members of the commit
tee believe originated in the Navy De
partment. that Rear Adnirals Capps and
Rogers be disciplined is regarded as a
hoe
known to-day that the committee was
prepared in case of the refusal Of either
officer to testify TO present a resolution
in the House which would have included
the power TO subpoena witnesses and
compel them to testify.
So far as Chief Constructor Capps IS
concerned. his testimony in opposition TO
the Meyer plan is regarded as fully war
ranted by the fact that his adm1n1stra-
ton was made the object of an attack
bv Rear Admiral Hutch I. Cone, the
engineer in chief of the navy As has
been pointed out in these dispatches. II
was the Cone memorandum TO Secretary
Meyer-inadvertentIy included in official
documents from the Navy Department
which gave Chief Constructor Capps the
opportunity to defend his corps and ths
mana cement Of navy yards by naval
constructors under the Newberry sys-
TEN. In Capps's testimony. the official
report Of which has not yet been com
piled. that officer met by quotations from
official records most Of the allegations
of ineficiency and extravagance made by
Cone This, in the opinion of the mem
bers of the naval committees, does not
constitute an occasion for reprfmand
from the head of the Navy Department,
much less dismissal. which can only be
accomplished by Presidential order
1t is also urged that both Capps and
Rogers fully acquainted Secretary
Meyer with their intentions. and that
they informed the committee that their
testimony would be confined to infor-
nation and views Of which they had
spoken previously to the Secretary Of
the Eavy Moreover. the chief conStruC-
tor claims to have furnished Mr. Meyer
with written report OF his views on the
Cone memorandum. and this has sine,
been sustained by reports received by
mail from Mare Island. where most %
the incidents of alleged maladministra-
tion occurred
Another feature Of the Capps testt-
mony which impressed the naval com
mittee was his refusal to Criticise this
work at navy yards under the Bureau
of Steam Engineering A favorable i'm
preston also was made by the state
n1ent of Capps that he had issued in
structions to naval constructors at all
navy yards closely TO follow the Meyer
plan OF administration and in no way 10
block those who succeeded the naval
constructors. under the Nevberry sNs-
tenn in the administration OF navy yards
Both Rogers and Capps have stated TO
the House Naval Committee their inten-
ticn of supporting the Secretary In the
most cordial way and OF nnanifsstins no
opposition 20 the Meyer plan. except so
far as such an attitude might be con-
strued from their enforced testimony
before the committee.
RECALL PANTHER PAMPHLET.
The sentiment at the Capitol aroused
by the threat of disciplinary measures
for Capps and Rogers has served 20 re-
call the situation attending the publlca-
tion and circulation Of the so-called