The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-26
"SMALL NAVY" MEN
LASHED IN HOUSE
Charges Of Graft" Against Of
ficers Stir Padgett to
Bitter Reply.
DEFENDS APPROPRIATION
Says United States Is Third
Naval Power in World
at Present.
DEFENDS APPROPRIATION

WASHINGTON, April 25.--A debate or
the naval appropriation bill that melted
Democratic orators TO indulge in bite,
exchanges and recrimlnations was staged
in the House OF Representative. TODAY
!, was provoked by Representative Padgett
n Tennessee, the Democratic chairman o,
tho House Committee on Naval Affairs
who made bitter attack upon the small
navy members OF his party. Mr.. Padset,
defended officers of the navy repudiatinu
the imputation that these officer.
grated as charged by Repre.entativ,
wtherspoon OF Mississippi, a Democrat
as a means OF building up the naval estab.
lishment. Chairman Padgett dashed the
small navy group for an hour or more
and he was enthusiastically applauded by
members on both sides Of the chamber.
In his speeches earlier In the week
Representatives, Witherspoon OF Mississippi
and Hensley OF Missouri had practically
charged that there were many dishon.s 9,
s6acers In the navy. Both are Democrats
Defends Naval Omccrs.
Chairman Padgett. who is normally a
man of peace. was angry when he took
the floor 10 speak
Il stand here to repel these insinuations
against the naval officers OF the United
states, he declared. who are these Of
fcers and whence do they come, Do
thsy not spring from the best families In
the land? Have we not committed 10
them the honor of our country? Have
we not placed in their hands our flag. the
emblem OF our sovereignty and the sym
Dol OF our power? And yet when we come
10 the little question OF how many ships
We are to have. the question of what is
needed In the way of new construction
their motives are to be questioned, their
honor to be torn down. and they are TO be
branded as men moved by an unholy pur-
pose, and conspirators in an unholy
cause"
Representatives Witherspoon and Hens
ley charged that naval officers and others
interested had purposely moderated the
strength or the American navy in order
TO obtain more appropriations. They
charged further that naval officers had
classined the American navy below that
OF Germany In strength. whereas, the
small navy members asserted, the
United states actually ranked ahead of
Germany as naval power. Messrs.
Witherspoon and Hensley were SO in
temperate in their utterances that they
practically included Congressman. as well
as naval officers. in their sweeping asser-
impelled those Who asked for large
navy.
Beginning his speech, Chairman Pad
gett said that the debate had been unique
that 1t had been filled with statements
which ought never to have been made.
including charges and insinuations and
'hnuendoes OF bad faith and bad purposes"
Accusers sauirm At Denial.
Messrs. witherspoon and Hensley
equrmed In the, seats as Chairman
Padgett Numbered his pronunciation Of
their attack on American naval officers.
There is not particle of basis for
criticism OF the Navy Department" con-
tiLued Mr.. Padgett II have said before
that the Secretary OF the Navy has given
personal attention to the administration
OF his Office and that he has submitted
estimates this year s2i.0OO,0O0 less than
the estimates Of year ago. These gen.
temen. two in their minority report and
one OF them upon the floor OF the House.
characterized these estimates as mex
ousabie extravaganza and criminal waste
Of the public money. This bill with two
tattleships is carrying ss36.O00 less than
The law OF last year with one battleship
yet these same gentlemen charge the pres
ent Naval Affairs Committee and the
present Administration with extrava-
bdnCc.
They said by nnuendo and insinuation
ana by use Of such words as 'grafters
that the officers of the navy are disrs-
garding the true interests and welfare of
the navy that they are forgetful of the
high trust imposed upon them and are
recommending the construction OF ships
that are not needed for the purpose Of
ahord!ne an opportunity to the trusts and
combinations in this country to sell steel
ana other articles to the navy.
There Is absolutely no foundation for
that charge. 1T is a SANDER upon as hon
orable. as noble and as patriotic a band
Of officers as ever dedicated their lives
10 the service of their country and who
are willing to write their own epitaphs
IN their own blood for their countrys
honor"
4. 8. Third Naval Power.
In summarizing the comparative
strength OF the navies OF the world Chair
man Padgett argued that on the basis OF
tonnage Completed and tonnage in process
OF construction the United States I'M
doubtedly stood third among naval powers
Great Britain at the present time has
completed 2.072,7ll tons" said Chairman
ladgett Germany has 9i3.33s tons, the
united States 10000 tons. How would
be II you took in what is building? Tho
relative rank would not be changed. Great
Britain would have 2,6l1,29l tons. Ger
many, LESBOS tons. and the United
states, s2l,sii tons"
THESE ratings. Mr.. Padgett said. came
rom sources that were recognized as au-
uot.ties the world over.
IL has been with me all my lifetime
and ! am proud Of it, said Mr.. Pad
fe't never to impute to any man an
improper motive or purpose as long az
I. conduct is susceptible OF an honor
'he Interpretations"
II" quoted an old French maxim which
u'.s Ip'n the criticisms of Messrs
" ihtrSr"on and Hensley. which inter-
.''l'1 ho said. means: shame be IL to
in Who evil thinks"
M" more YOU think OF these things"
70 ADDED, 'thc more preposterous II be-
''m'- and the more IL is to be regretted
'a' mon VIII SO forget themselves In
''r Hlherant enthusiasm for their
I''n.e.Eod notions and IDEAS as to
'f '.'D tho character and destroy tho
hl' goo ~ the American people In the
A.'. 'r tHl high character OF the very
''' ~ wH0se hands We place the nag
u our 0o.ntry"