Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-15
FLETCHER PLACED
ATF[EET'S HEAD
Rear Admiral to Command Big
Naval Force in the
Atlantic.
HIS SERVICE AT VERA CRUZ
REWARDED BY PROMOTION
Will Succeed Rear Admiral Badger.
Action of Secretary Daniels Ap-
proved by President.

proved by President.
goal of every American naval officers
ambition. is to be the reward Of Rear
Admiral Frank F. Fletcher for his work
in Mexican waters. Secretary Daniels
announces that the President has ap-
proved his Recommendation that Admiral
Fletcher be made commander-in-chief OF
the feet, to succeed Rear Admiral Bad
ger when the latter completes his tour
Of service, which Will be within the next
few weeks.
Several Of the navys higher ofncers
outrank Admiral Fletcher. but the Score
tary holds that the conspicuousiy master
" conduct of Admiral Fletcher at Vera
Cruz entities him to special recognition.
Moreover. II Congress passes the pending
bill creating the rank OF vice admiral.
Fletcher will be among the first to be ad-
vanced to that grade.
Comment by the Secretary.
In announcing his action Secretary
Daniels said
since Admiral Badger took the ATTAIN
tic feet to Mexican waters he has had
the situation well in hand and his serv-
ices there have added to his reputation
as one of the first men of the American
navy.
Admiral Fletcher Will be promoted
from the command of the first division
of the Atlantic fleet. He has been In
sip he American
ships in those waters was first called for,
and his command of the situation during
the whole time he has been in charge has
been masterful. He proved himself not
only a great admiral but statesman
and diplomat as well. His services COM
mended themselves not only to the Sec
rotary, but to the President and the
latter expressed himself in high praise
when Admiral Fletcher turned over the
command of Vera Cruz to Gen. Funston.
Both in the taking of Vera Cruz and In
the administration of the city government
afterward Admiral Fletcher showed him
self man of the highest abilities.
Praised by the President.
President Wilson seized the opportu-
nifty when presenting diplomas to the An
napolis graduates at their recent COM
mencement to hold up Admiral Fletcher
as a pattern. saying. in part:
lis not that something to be proud of
that you know how to use force like
men of conscience and like gentlemen.
serving your fellow-men and not trying to
overcome them? Like that gallant gen.
tleman who has so long borne the heats
and perplexities and distresses of the sit
uation in Vera Cruz-Admiral Fletcher.
mention him because his service there
has been longer. and SO much of the
early perplexities fell upon him.
I have been in almost daily commu-
nication with Admiral Fletcher and I
have tested his temper. / have tested
his discretion. I know that he is a man
with a touch of craftsmanship about him,
and he has grown bigger IN my eye each
day as ] have read his dispatches for he
has sought always to serve the thing he
was trying to do In the temper that we
all recognize and love to believe Is typi-
cally American
Shows His Versatility.
Admiral Fletcher showed his versatil-
ity in the way which he handled the
news from Vera Cruz at the time when
the entire American people were waiting
eagerly for every dispatch which came
UP from Mexico, and Mr.. Daniels jocu-
larly remarked to the newspaper men
that the admiral would have made a great
managing editor II he had not been an
admiral. for he not only showed the
newspaper instinct of real news, but in
his dispatches he flung the feature Of
newspaper man would have done.
The Secretary has no power to pro-
mote naval officers for meritorious serv-
Ices. This can be done only by Con-
eress. But the change in the. command
of the Atlantic feet falling due about
this time. the Secretary thought 1t well
to make public his recommendation to
the President to promote Admiral
Fletcher, inasmuch as the promotion
synchronizes with the recommendations
for recognition of the services of the Of
fcers and men of the navy in recent
operations in Mexico The recommends
ton for promotion Of Admiral Fletcher
is made in part for his invaluable serv-
ices in Mexico as well as for his record
in the line
Lauds His Administration.
In addition to the above statement to
the press Secretary Daniels wrote a letter
TO Admiral Fletcher highly commencing
his administration of affairs at Vera
Cruz
nected with the seizure by naval forces
Of the city of Vera Cruz, Mexico, April
% and %, 1914" said the Secretary, you
requested that the department recognize
the Conspicuous Vdiof, nerolSm, courage
and devotion to duty of a number of Of
fcers and enlisted men under your COM
mand whose actions were notable even
where all nobly performed every duty
that lay before them. Eleven of these
men the department has in some degree
rewarded by awarding to them medals
OF honor and the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
gratuity that the law provides
ITO the officers and some forty other
men whom you commanded the depart.
ulent has added its commentator in the
form of letter to each officer and mar
which is to be made part of his service
record The department has advanced al
The enlisted men IN rating where an ad-
vance was possible. and will afford oppor
tunity for promotion to warrant grade