The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-23
QUITS NAVAL
BOARD T0HIT
WILSON PLAN
Henry 4. Wise Wood Tells
Daniels He Can't Stand
Weak Policy.
DENOUNCES CHANGE
OF DEFENCE REPORTS

fecr'tAry or the navy Danleiss . re-
hssl To- make public tho recommended
lions OF the General Board Of the navy
stirred yesterday the ire OF Henry a.
wise Wood, preparedness advocate. who
Il member OF tho Naval Consulting
Board, and Alan X. Hawley, president
o. the Aero club OF America
Mr. Wood sent his resignation from
,Sc Naval Consulting Board TO Secretary
Daniels so that nc can be free In future
TO criticisc tho dangerously weak naval
and military policy OF the President"
while NJ. HaWiey sent to senator James
". Wadsworth, Jr., to Senator OGorman
and TO the thirty-rour New York repre-
sn'a'ives In Congress a request for an
Investigation Of Secretary Daniels's sup
preston Of the original report and a de-
nand that IL be lade public in the in
terests OF the country.
Holly Attacks Daniels.
Mr, Wood. who IL chairman of tho
Conference Committee on National Pre-
paredness. attacks Secretary Daniels for
having substituted his own knowledge
for that OF the experts of the general
board lie writes in part:
81 beg TO inform YOU that with pro-
found regret | have this day sent to Mr..
Edison aud TO the American Society Of
Aeronautlc Engineers. whose appoin,ee
AN my resignation ts a member of the
Naval Consulting Board
Il have done this In order that I
shall be free to attack the thoroughly
Inadequate and thei eforc dangerously
weak naval and military polny of the
President, as expressed in Secretary
Gauison's and your own recommended
tons, and to urge publicly that tho
recomI endations OF the General Board
OF the navy and General STAFF of the
army. as contained in their original re-
ports. pe substituted therefor.
where the General Board recon-
nends that our navy be- made the equal
o. the most powerful Ia the world by
1925. and offers the programme for
Nl'-withheld by.you from the public
which the board says will accomplish
Ibis Il continued in subsequent years
on similar scale, you have arbitrarily
limited the board to given sum for
n.S construction, and thus have forced
20 substitute for this a programme
vi IN IN reality - not-nA-oyxn. hut that
o; yourself. a civilian. who as such Is
Wholly incompetent 10 judge how large
o. wat our naval forces should be.
charges n Lack Of Courage.
Likewise the Secretary Of War, not
outstanding his often expressed deep
ti,Icst in preparedness. has not had
lie courage to support the recommcn-
do.iors of the General stan Of the
A!ny The stan consists of our most
sghy trained experts, yet lie. also
g'er"ly civilian, has cut ats recommen-
da'.ons to pieces.
Thus the Administration offers us
~ a.
rst thereon the fleets OF the foremost
Powers nor enough strength ashore TO
prevent the successful landing of the
arines OF such nations. for which their
superior navies could easily clear the
way"
Mr. Hawley calls the report issued By
Secretary Daniels IAN inadequate plan
made By order Of the Administration,
a. compromise with such members of
NE Democratic party who. like William
J. Bryan. Congressman Claude kitchin
aad W. w. Bailey. advocate limited
armament" He says the suppression
or tAe original programme OF the Gen
wal H"ard ~ serious matter. and
Continues:
supposlng that the head Of busi-
heSs hrm had Instructed his manager to
engage EXPERTS To outline a plan 70 pro-
w." ior proper fire protection ~ the
r''''''HS anu uIlu
"hrn tae plan was submitted that the
manager had suppressed the plan of the
EXPERTS and had replaced II with an ut
'erly lu"lequate plan in order to COM
p''nl-" with few friends who advocate
E11t~i fire protection.
Nnit do YOU suppose would happen
70 sNl manager"
Peoples Wishes Denied, lie says,
w Hawley then says that the people,
o. III" United States have asked the Sec
re'ary ~ tn" Navy and the Secretary OF
VI" 70 outline plan for the protection
., h.s country against the fire OF war.
h. continues:
W" h"w find that the plans which the
T'ey ~ the country requires, as out
hhtd ny experts, have been euppres sed
N'd IN their stead there has been sub
'".'ea a totally Inadequate half meas
u" AMI for no other Reason than 10
''npro'nse with those OF the Demo-
,'"ur party who do not seem to realize
~" danger from the fire of war which
W., country Is facing.
reSpe 't'ully call upon YOU 10 inves-
$50" This matter and inform the people
H'etn'' Tho safety of this great country
hH not been jcopardized by the suppress
soa - TINS report"