New-York tribune., 1915-03-27
WILSON GODS GIFT,
DECLARES DANIELS
Navy Head Ranks Presi-
dent with Lincoln as Man
Sent TO Save u. S.
LAUDS GRAPE JUICE
AND BILLY SUNDAY
Will Choose Departments New
Chaplains on Baseball Basis,
He Announces.

Praise OF Abraham Lincoln, William
Mckinley, Woodrow Wilson, Billy Sun
day and Methodism, together with a
recital of the reforms which he had
established and hoped to establish in
the navy, formed the chief topics Of the
address delivered by Josephus Daniels,
Secretary of the Navy. last night at
the dinner of the New York Confer
ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church
at the Bombay Hotel, Madison Avenue
and Ninetysecond Street.
The greatest three Presidents this
country has ever known, according TO
the Secretary, were, through Divine
dispensation, the three who guided US
through the Civil and Spanish wars and
the present crisis
"TO be guided by men possessing the
judgment, patience and equipoise to
stand uD for the rights of their coun-
try and al the same time preserve. un-
I'll the call Of honor comes, the peace
Of the nation. is the greatest blessing
a land can have" Mr.. Daniels asserted.
at was Divine patience and love of
peace which guided Abraham Lincoln.
and there is not man in the South to-
day who does not bless him for the
preservation OF the Union. In 1898
there came another crisis, and in the
White House there was another man OF
calm judgment, who, unswayed By yell
low journals and orators, held for
peace as long as that was possible.
Praises Billv sunday.
"To-day again we find ourselves con-
fronted by conditions that are delicate
and serious. have trembled when
have seen nation after nation lose its
head and plunge into this war. But /
have felt, or rather | have known. that
as in 80 and '9S, the Almighty had
placed in the Presidential chair a wor-
thy successor to Mckinley and Lin
coin"
The speaker deplored the fact that
the Northern and Southern branches
Of the Methodist Church were still di-
vided. at is time for US 20 mobilize"
he asserted. "and storm together the
ramparts Of sin"
In Mr.. Daniels's opinion, courage is
needed more than anything else in the
ministry a. present This, he said,
was the secret of Billy Sundays preach
ing. He has the old-fashioned faith
Saint Paul said that sinners should
be anathema maranatha,' the Secre-
tary pointed out. Sunday says they'll
go to hell 1t is the popular appeal Of
the man that makes him great. His
baseball too. brings him near TO the
common people, for baseball is the
greatest game in the world. Within
the next few months shall have 20
appoint thirty new chaplains to the
navy, and | may say frankly that those
who play baseball will stand the bet
ter chance of being appointed"
Defends Grape Juice.
In referring TO his grape juice
edict, Mr.. Daniels asserted that it had
been a blessing to the navy in lifting
it to a higher standard. Il was not
alone in this way. he announced, that
the navy had prospered under his re
.ime. The creation Of more chaplairs
to look after the spiritual welfare Of
The men had also been part Of his
work.
"When | came into Office" he an
nounced. Il found that there had been
no change in the number Of chaplains
in the navy since 1912. In this time
the number of officers and men had at
least quadrupled. | secured from Con-
gress a law providing for thirty new
ministers for the navy, and they will
all take Office within the next few
months
Other reforms which ne considered
Of great benefit to the service were his
establishment Of schools for the en-
listed men on every ship and the re-
duction of sentence for deserters
"If men don't want to stay in the
navy we now say 20 them Get out.'
and let them 90" he remarked. THE
three years Imprisonment penalty
which used to exist was barbarous.
am not only Secretary Of the Navy;
am also the president Of the greatest
college in the world the school which
| have established, and which is train
ing enlisted men for advancement in
their profession"
When questioned after his speech re-
gardng the condition of the navy. the
Secretary said th.t it had never been
in better shape than II was now.
This last Congress has done more
for us than any other which ever pre-
ceded it." he asserted. Because Of its
action we will have five new dread
noughts and twenty-siX submarines
The battleship fleet has been practising
since January and we are in splendid
condition"