The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-04-19
We ARE READY
WAS THE REPLY
SECRETARY OF NAVY CoMPll-
MENTs WORDS OF REAR AD-
MlRAL.

know what we will be called upon
to do. but we are ready This, the
only statement Rear admiral
Charles }. Badger, commander-in-
chief of the Atlantic fleet had toI
make as his ships steamed out OF
Hampton Roads for Mexico, was
made public here tonight by Sec
retary Daniels to be added Ito the
splendid words spoken by American
naval heroes"
Mr.. Daniels told members of the
Navy League Of the United States
at their annual banquet that the
breyity and comprehensiyepess OF
that statement deserved 20 rank
with thos2 o. Dewey at Manila
and John Paul Jones in the battle
of the Bon Homme Richard and the
Scraps.
An appeal for popular support Of
the navy was voiced by the secre-
tary.
There is nothing the matter with
our navy" he said There is no.
thing the matter with our discipline.
There is nothing the matter with our
splendid personnel there is a great
deal the matter with our public |
viewpoint; there is a great deal the
| ha pi a
on the part of great portion OF
our citizens as to the navy.
"It is my firm belief that no def
mite programme Of naval construc-
tion-by that l mean a programme
that will not be jeopardy every time
congress assembles-can be laid
'own until an overwhelming ma
jority of our people become friends
of the navy and give somewhat more
than passive support to the navy's
proper development"
Fine Body, Says Lind.
! Mr.. Daniels said his pride and
admiration Of American naval Of
fcers and men was stirred and
strengthened by John Lind, Presi-
dent Wilson's personal representa-
tive in Mexico, upon his return toI
the United States recently. The
secretary remarked that Mr. Lind
called to tell him that the officers
and men of the navy were the hnest
body of men he ever had known,
and thai Rear Admiral Fletcher was
a wise man, of sound judgment and
better than that, he is patriot, 10y
al to the core to this country"
The navy now has its full quota
and for the first time has wait
ing list, the secretary gaid.
Speaking ce MS recent ocaer abol-
ish!ng the wine mess, the secretary
said:
with singular lack of logic, crit
les who see fit to represent me
as foe to discipline on the one
hand twist this into a case of dis
cipline run mad on the other Far
greater questions than that OF dis
cipline lie back of this
The secretary said there was no
BODY of more temperate, clear-head-
ed men in the world than American
naval officers. He asked his hear
ers whether they would not demand
the abolishing Of wine mess in a
railway engineers club house if the
railroads should permit such
thing.
Honor Hinges on Men.
The wreck of a great battleship'
said the secretary; "the loss of
single battle and the honor of the
country may easily hinge upon one
of many men in the varied and
complex duties which these great
masses of intricate machinery, call
ed battleships, have created"
Secretary Daniels called attention
TO Emperor Williams advice 10 the
naval cadets at Murwick: :
That nation which consumes tue
least quantity of alcohol wins, and
that you should be, my gentlemen
and through you an example should
be given the crews"
Substantial and practical econo-
mics have been brought about in
the expenditures for the navy Mr'
Daniels said. THE appropriation
bill now before congress is less
than that of last year, yet last years
appropriation included only one bat
-leship. This year with less money
we propose to build two. In GER
tain interested quarters, where
competition has resulted in a cut