New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-14
To N. Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In the light Of recent disclosures
il becomes plain that the position OF
the naval officer, with Secretary Dan
iels as ruler, the President as com
mander in chief and Congress as a
source Of income, is much the same
as that of the brave colony Of people
to whom the immortal words were
spoken, Taxation without representa-
ton is tyranny"
From Paul Jones 20 Frank FRIDAY
Fletcher the tradition runs-obedience'
efficiency, subordnation, discipline. 80
fixed have been these precepts, so un-
changed is their present hold upon the
officers and men OF our navy, that the
growing desire for naval representation
with Congress or the establishment by
law of a general board has come TO be
looked upon by our Legislators as trea-
son. Yet what are the facts?
The public is taxed out of vast sums
Of money for national defence. Aside
from ships and guns, however, and
standing before them in Importance, IS
the greatest investment for naval de-
fence the American people have made.
II is the Naval Academy, from which
wear after year come the men whose
professional ability and integrity we
must trust for the efficiency Of the
feet. These men, seasoned by expert
ence. the designers of our ships, the
line and staff, must stand silent while
the peoples money is spent by legis-
lators and naval appropriations are
made by men from civic life, often IN
direct opposition 70 economy or neces-
sity.
True. the General Board Of the navy
is consulted by members OF the naval
committee and the Secretary, and the
records OF the Navy Department are
open TO Congressional inspection. But
what force or strength has body Of
men with merely advisory power or Of
what use are records in the hands of
politicians? By what right does our
legislative assembly hold all the stock
in the National Defence Corporation"
determining, often unwisely, the num-
Der and types of ships; or with what
authority does the Secretly OF the
NAVY enact laws and regulations often
prejudicial 20 naval efficiency, with no
voice from that organization 20 say
with authority This should not be-?
For example: The battleships Idaho
and Mississippi, recently sold 70 Greece,
were obsolete in type before they were
laid down, because a certain gentle
man on a naval committee wished TO
have them built at a plant whose ca
pacity could turn out no larger ships.
What answer can be made for this mis-
take 10 people who are not represented
before Congress by the men trained 20
be naval experts? Who cries economy
in naval appropriations when in oppo-
sition 20 what naval officers know 70
be true we have continued to maintain
such useless naval stations as Port
Royal. Pensacola, New Orleans and
Portsmouth, not forgetting obsolete
Charleston? Why should our officers
lips be sealed by fear Of court martial
and dishonor when politicians like Sec
retary Daniels seek 70 use their power
not for the best results 10 the navy,
and so the people, but for personal or
political ends?
But recently our President eyaded
the question Of allowing officers 20
testify in the proposed naval lnvesti-
cation. Yet the peoples money is
spent for a protection which they can
not receive, unless lawfully represent
cd by men lifted by education and ser