The Washington herald., 1911-12-11

Charles Lewis Clifford, the midship-
man who was dismissed from the Naval
Academy for 'desertion and causing
undue notoriety to the navy" will appear
this morning before the House Committee
on Naval Affairs relative to a bill which
may be introduced in the House to REIN
state Clifford and his chum, CASTOR Lee
Holmes, of Mississippi, who was dis
missed on similar charges.
Clifford is from West RoXbury, Mass.
and since the dismissal of the cadets on
September 20, several of the Massachu-
setts Representatives have been investi-
eating the matter. and in conjunction
with the Mississippi delegation have
about decided TO introduce a bill to re-
instate them.
VIII Get Hearing.
At 10 o'clock this morning several of
the Representatives from Massachusetts,
Mississippi. and members Of the Com
mittee on Naval affairs will meet Clifford
in Congressmans Peters office and hear
his story. Senator Lodge believes that
Clifford has an excellent claim for vindi-
cation if not reinstatement Representa-
tive Peters sounded the Massachusetts
delegation and informed Clifford that he
was assured of their support.
Everything is favorable to my being
re1nstated said Clifford. and l am sure
that my story will be believed by all who
hear it. The Committee on Naval Affairs
will be in favor of it. and I am sure that
when introduced the bill will pass.
There is one doubt which Clifford has.
however. that the President may not
sign the hill on the grounds that such
action would he in opposition to his de-
cision regarding the attempt which is
being made TO reinstate five West Point
cadets.
From the time when the affair happen
ed in Bergen. Norway, until they were
dismissed. eight weeks later, Clifford and
Holmes were not allowed to say one word
publicly Thus, only the official side
reached the newspapers, and publicity
probably had more to do with the boys
being dismissed than the affair itself.
one of the articles of dismissal having
been causing undue notoriety to the
navy" One effect which may be brought
about is absolute vindication of Clifford
and Holmes and. even though they are
not reinstated, this end is to them worth
while CIifford's story, as told to the
naval board. is:
Clifford Tells story.
We left Bergen, Norway, early in the
morning for Finse. for an alI-day trip.
We arrived at Finse at noon. and after
having dinner took a short walk. In
structions had been given US that the
whistle of the train would blow at $50
o'clock, and that the train would leave
ten minutes later Holmes and walked
too far, and when we heard the whistle
We were off the track and about two
miles away. We started on the run for
the station, and after running for half
an hour we gave it up and walked.
After an hours walking We came to
hut in which lived an old Norwegian who
could not speak English, but We made
him understand that We wanted To get to
Bergen, and he pointed in the same
direction from which We had come. We
had been travelling nearly two hours in
the wrong direction from Finse, and our
train had left nearly two hours before.
Bergen was over 800 miles from where
we were. and the nearest station was
Berri. four miles along the road. When
We reached there we found telegraph
office. but owing to our inability to un-
derstand Norwegian and the operators
not knowing English, we could send no
message.
I'VE could find no accommodations,
there was not hotel within thirty miles.
and no train went in either. direction for
almost twenty-four hours. so we went
still farther from Finse in search of
shelter. About the middle of the night
we came to a hut which was broken
down and half-COvered with snow and
ice. We entered il and made a fire. We
had no food, so laid down tired and hun
CRY. and did not wake until the next
afternoon, when We found that the train
had passed some time before. We walked
back to Finse. taking nearly two days for
the trip and arrived there exhausted
from exposure and starvation. We found
Lieut. Van Aukin waiting for us. He
took us to Bergen on a special train and
We boarded the collier Vulcan, which
carried US to Gibraltar, where we Joined
our ship"