New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-12
Nayy Secretary Puts the
Blame for Mexican
Loaf on President.
ADMITS PACIFIC
COAST GUARD WEAK
Forced to Say One Fleet
Cannot Defend Two
Coasts at Once.

uouse Committee on Naval AHdiiS "
a., Josephus Daniels, Secretary OF the
W sjdestepped the accusation that
!. tsrt fleet Of eighteen battleships
....;onsd off Vera Cruz throughout
.n months OF summer heat without
.dsouate. manpuvres and without
Dscsssarv sea practice and placed the
,..nonsibiity squarely up TO President
Wilson. The General Board Of the
,,vv. in its annual report to him, critl-
.;.sd therefore, not his action, but that
4 the President, the commander in
,bisf Of the land and naval forces Of
tho United States. Here is the General
Boards criticism, TO be found in para
graph 2S Of its report:
aThose gunboats remaining on the
list serviceable and fit for general duty
are so limited IN number that 1t has
been necessary in recent years TO de-
tail battleships, large cruisers and de-
stroyers TO do gunboat duty. This has
been markedly demonstrated during
the last year on the Mexican coast. 1t
would seem superfuous to point out
the harmful influence this has on the
efficiency ard training of the fleet for
war. and the General Board advises
strongly aglinst such practice when
ever it can be possibly avoided"
Mr. Daniels admitted that the Pa
eihc Coast was inadequately protected,
having only a single antiquated bat
ileship. the twenty-year-old Oregon;
not drcadnought, and only three sub
marines. in addition to a squadron of
cruisers. A review of the report Of
the General Board with regard to the
needs Of the navy in auxiliary ships
brought from the Secretary admission
that the navy needed more oil convey
ors. a definite policy with regard TO
the seronautic division, greater navy
yard iseilities or the Pacific Coast,
more gunboats, more destroyers and
nore tenders for the submarine flotilla.
Secretary Daniels will appear again
hsyt Monday, at which time he is ex-
peeted 10 complete his testimony.
Secretary Daniels's admission that
the President was responsible for keep
ing the battleship feet at Vera Cruz
Tor more than five months was brought
out BY Representative Roberts in the
course of the afternoons testimony.
Battleships at Vera Cruz.
Mr. Roberts, with a copy of the Gen
ersl Boards report in his hands. said:
Il want 70 20 to Paragraph 28, on
Page SO, Mr.. Secretary, speaking of
gunboats. Down in the middle Of the
paragraph the statement is made;
This has been markedly demon
strated during the last year on the
exicsn coast 1t would seem super
fuous TO point out the harmful infu-
ence this has on the efficiency and
training Of the feet for war, and the
Gsneral Board advises strongly against
such practice whenever it can be po @
sibly avoided.
'Now, what the General Board is
aiming at there is the practice of using
oattleships in the place of gunboats, is
it not"
The General Board" said Mr.. Dan
iels, Il should say. thinks that very
OFTEN you use a battleship when yoI
might use gunboat. There are two
iheories about that. In ordinary mat
lers we could use gunboats, but some
iimes we ought TO use battleships.
Know when the first trouble came in
Mexico M January, 1913, Mr.. Taft sent
four battleships down to Vera Cruz"
That was before there were any
troops ashore ?" asked Mr.. Roberts.
Yes, long before, and ne sent battle
SHIPS" said Dir. Daniels. "Some naval
oneers advised him against it; said
gnnboats only ought to be sent Mr..
Taft said that they might do, but IL
vas more impressive TO have the bat
ueships, and they ought 70 go. | think
primarily We ought 20 send the gun
boats."
what was the military necessity OF
teepug eighteen bat,leships off Vera
cruz and Tampico when Vera Cruz
vas held by brigade Of the army and
1000 or 1000 marines ?" asked Mr.. Rob-
trts
We did not keep eighteen battle
s,isips there when we had the army and
ne marines there" WAS the reply.
lnen Admiral Fletcher was wrong
hen ne told US there were eighteen
Roberts. " -
4. said We did not keep them down
sIs There were that many there
re tine, but we withdrew them
e'sesso@ly down 20 four"
a, put Admiral Fletcher was speaking
me tine he was in command there,
ag hr Roberts.
'ssi there were eighteen there at
.,,,, admitted the Secretary.
mhst vas the military necessity OF
s1a'sistnips on Vera Cruz when the
pace vas held By the land forces?"
Vrder Of Commander in Chief.
iou might ask the question, What
s me necessity of having as many
W W a. tne army had down there? We
Sns the battleships and the marines
sein 70 Vera Cruz 10 carry out the
.yoIicy OF the commander in chief, and
- question as tC what was 70 be sent
question or the commander in
'"ssi 70 determine"
ana the question Of Leeping the
.tHeHnips was 20 be determined by
ne commander in chiC.7"
.oy the commander In chief"
we had had a sufficient number
!, gpnboats they would have done Just
WI n the army went inland?" said
no, not at ALL" said the Secretary.