The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-12
WASHINGTON, April II.

WASHINGTON, April III.
TOSEPHUS DANIELS made an ad-
dress on June s last before the
graduating class at the Naval
- Academy at Annapolis which was
Q remarkable revelation Of the person.
allty Of the present Secretary Of the
Navy.
While tina. address. which naval on
GERS now admit was given too little at
tention, contained the key to many Of
the subsequent official acts OF Secretary
Daniels, there was in It also . statement
which by many is regarded as commit
ting the Secretary strongly against
what he did when he issued his recent
order practically imposing enforced
total abstinence upon naval officers at
sea or on duty at navy yards and shore
stations. He said to the midshipmen in
discussing the use of alcoholic liquors:
1T is not in your province or mine to
Ak a standard for others. but each for
himself must make a regimen for HIM
self that makes him the master Of HIM
self and the dictator to habit, forbid
ding any habit to dictate to him."
That is precisely the quarrel which
naval officers now feel they have with
their Secretary: that Mr.. Daniels has.
BY his recent order used the authority
of his office to fix standard for tho
officers of the naval service with regard
to their use of alcoholic liquors.
The real basis N the resentment felt
against the anti-liquor order. forbidding
the use or introduction OF intoxicating
liquor on board any naval vessel or
within the limits of any shore station.
Is that Mr.. Daniels has refused longer
to permit, In his own words each naval
officer to make a regimen for himself
that makes him master Of himself!
The great purpose of the training Of
q naval officer from the time he on
tiers the Naval Academy to the moment
Of his retirement Is to develop in every
man the character. the self-command
and the trustworthiness based on a
high ideal Of honor and lofty sense Of
duty which will make him fit to COM
mand other men. This training 10
regarded as the sacred spirit OF the
United States navy, which makes It
more than a mere aggregation OF ef-
ficient machines. and conservative and
experienced naval officers now assert
that II Mr.. Daniels had q genuine un-
Outstanding Of and sympathy with this
inner spirit Of the navy he never would
have issued his prohibitory order.
Mr.. Daniels has assured himself Of
everlasting fame in the United States
navy even though he should relinquish
his office tomorrow. Officers who are
beginning to get an insight into the
personality OF tho present Secretary
are confident that before his term Ia
over he will have exercised his great
powers over them in ways quite as re-
markable as those which constitute his
drst years record.
But It IL doubtful n the ohcers Of the
present generation, much AZ they ad-
nire and respect their Secretary. will
ever forgive him for what they regard
a. q deliberate reflection upon and hu-
initiation Of them in tho eyes Of the
American people and their confreres in
foreign navies They believe that for
the sake Of injecting his own personal
Views into the naval service. through his
authority as Secretary. Mr.. Daniels has
sacrificed them upon the altar OF ridi-
Guile.
Yet naval ofYicers who read or heard
Mr.. Daniels's Annapolis speech should