The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-27
Speaks Mind to secre-
tary Meyer About
Beers Case.
HAS NO USE FOR
SNOBB
Indignant Congressman Asks il
Women Are to Be Excluded
From Polite Society Because
They Work-Will Take
Matter to Committee on
Naval Affairs.

IN a~SHlnSton. ~. u, april Zo.-lH u
caustic reply to Secretary of the Navy
Meyer to-day IN regard to the Miss
Beers incident ut the Naval Academy,
7 Representative Horribly, of indianapolis.
announced that he would file with the
House Committee on Naval Affairs
copics Of the correspondence on the
subject between MIR. Meyer and him
self, and refrain from further annoy
unce to the Navy Department as TO this
Incident"
1T Il well known that many young
women take employment as nurse
girls wrote Mr.. Korbly, and that they
contribute out of their earnings to the
support of the government. Are thess
young women to he forever excluded
from polite society because they have
taken employment? 1t may be so In
England and in the Beacon Hill Annex.
but it Is not so in the United States"
Closing. the Congressman observes
that the sccretary's ''solicitudc for the
young lady would probably have been
more appreciated at the time when the
embarrassment was not menifes;iy
more yours than hers"
Horribly Aroused.
MIR. Korbly this morning received the
report sent TO Secretary Meyer by Cap
tain J. NJ. Bowyer. superintendent Of
the Naval Academy. regarding the al
legged affront offered Miss beers at u
hop at Annapolis. The secretary's let
ter to MIR. Korbly contained an intima-
ton that the Beers incident was closed.
as FAR rs the department was concerned.
Following Is the reply to the score
tary's letter, written BY Mr.. KorblS
to-day:
II wish 10 acknowledge yo1ir letter
of April %. transmitting to mo the re
port of the superintendent OF the Naval
academy on the Beers incident. You
say.
The facts OF the case were as re-
ported to you In my letter of April 22.'
Allow mo to remind you that mas
much as your letter to me of the 39d
did not give the facts. l wrote my let
ter Of the 9th. calling your attention
to the omission. and respectfully re-
peated my request for the facts.
You say the dance was a private
subscription hop, paid for by the cadets.
and that you directed the s~uperintcnd-
ent of the Naval Academy TO apologize
TO MISS Beers and her ath because
M!dshipman Burtis. who escorted her
TO the hop. had ben cautioned privately
that II was not considered lifting that
a midshipman should take a nursemaid
or domestic rvant TO a social func-
lion AT the academy.
Refers to Report.
The superintendent Of the Naval
Academy. in his report. says:
Nothing was known of the young
woman beyond the fact that she was n
nurse girl In the employ of an officers
family. and no reflection was cast upon
her character
II can hardly refrain from saying
that 1t was very considerate that the
young lady's character was left to her.
and no doubt her family and friends
are duly grateful. 1t Is we'll known
that many young women take employ
ment as nurse girls and that they con-
tribute out of their earnings to tho
support OF the government. Are these
young women to be forever excluded
from polite society because they nave
taken employment? 1t may be so in
England and In the Beacon Hill Annex,
but It Is not SO in the United States.
Since You have been kind enough to
give me advice concerning this matter,
l trust you Will allow me to advise
YOU that public opinion in the United
States has established the status Of
the American working woman quite rs
firmly as the double minding Of seven
re~ar-admirals of the United States. act
Ing as a court-martial,a hns established
the status of Captain Knight, of the
United States Navy.
Makes Two suggestions
"Your assurance that the incident Is
closed, SO far as the Navy Department.
Is concerned, coupled with the sugges-
ton that II is due to the young lady
and her family that they be spared the
annoyance of further publicly, sug-
gcsts the following observations:
First, that our solicitude for the
young lady woul probably have been
more appreciated at the time when the
embarrassment was not manifestly
more yours than hers; second, that cop
les of the correspondence / have had
with you concerning this matter will
be filed by me with the House Com
mittee on Naval Affairs, and shall re-
frain from further to the
Navy Department as to this incident"
The letter from the Secretary of the
Navy, to which Mr.. Korbly referred,
was received by him this morning, and
Is as follows:
"AIy Dear Consressman.-Your letter
of the cath at hand The facts in tho
case were as reported to you IN my
Of tho 22d. The dance was a
private subscription hop, paid for Iy
the cadets.
II inclose a o of the memorandum
received from the superintendent of the
Naval Academy. The action taken by
the department was shown In the in
structions to the superintendent to
send an apology to the young lady and
her father.
1.-THE incident is closed as far as the
Navy Department is concerned. and It
would seem due to the young lady and
her family that they DO spared the an
noyance OF further publicity.
Statement of Captain Bowyer.
Tho report from superintendent
Bowyer to tho department., is as fol-
lows:
"'It was brought to Tho attention OF
the c"ommandant of m%idshtpmen tint
a nurscmaid in tho employ OF the
family OF Lieutennnt-C Commander w.