Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-04-10
ID April. 10, 1916.
IN DEFENSE OF SECRETARY
DANIELS.

the New York World let Somc telling light
IN upon the criticism that has been aimed
at Secretary of the Navy Daniels by Ger
tain Interests aided BY certain
and news ~yndIcatc- which prepare canned
editorials for those papers whose editors
are lacking either the Time Or the brains
10 de- their own editorial writing.
When Secretary Daniels cut or the al
cohoiic beverage from the officers mess
Of the navy, he made himself a target for
abuse. SANDER and ridicule. although in
doing - he only applied to the officers 4
rule which had been made for the enlisted
men III the navy under hi republican pre-
dcccssor. The huuor interests and the anti
press IN general have pared no efforts to
iiScrcdit Mr.. Daniels IN every way imagin-
able.
But this IL only one source from which
has arisen opposition 10 the secretary. Mr..
Creel, IN the article referred 10, brings out
the fact that Secretary Daniels ha- made
bitter enemies az the trusts controlling the
manufacture of auuor plate, proicctilc~
and power, by m campaign against waste
of government money IN the manufacture
Of supplies for the navy. The millions
Secretary Daniels has saved have been
taken from the profit at those trusts.
CONSEQUENTLY they hate HIM. and do all
they can &" InJure HIM.
When Secretary Daniels established
schools on our naval vessels. giving the en-
listed men a change io gain an education
and NJ the same time opened the way to
promotion for the man from the ranks. he
again starred up wrath. this time largely
among naval circles. The navy has not
been noted ~ a democratic institution. The
new rule rhrcatcu~ To- nverturn the ancient
class distinction and n viewed with di~-
favor by many of the officers of this
branch If the service. although u has long
been the practice 70 admit men from the
ranks ~ the army to promotion il they
can win It by acquiring the necessary cdu
cation. Much of the aniagoui~m toward
Daniels which ha~ become aUpar,u' on thc
part ~ q number If naval officer j. at
trhutcd ~ thi- new rule.
But despite Tie many criticisms that
have been hurled NJ HIM. Secretary Daniels
has gone calml, ou M WAY. working ~
hi~ utmost a. uplmuld and Improve the
navy. and his ~uccc~> ~pcak~ for itself.
When b. took charge. there were ~ tycr-
age 1T l>oo men from The ranks III prison.
To-day there are les than 700. During ne
preceding administration there were 10000
dc~crtion~ from the navy. The record
shows 4 reduction ~ ~ per cent w the
number of dc~rrticn- under Secretary
Daniels. Two ut the former PRISON ~hip~a
and two disciplinary barracks have been
restored "a noruEll uses ut the navy nv
hun. Under hI~ predecessor. oulV ~ per
cent Of the men whose terms expired would
rccnli~t. Now - per cent nf them r%crnll~t.
The navy was short 5000 of the lawful
limit Of cnli~iment> when Daniels took
charge. Since then 6.365 men have been
enlisted. To supply more n~ficcr~. the see
retarN also ha~ secured the appointment
Of 53l mid~hipmcn L. Annapolis. hc~idc~
the fifteen men from the ranks who NAV
be appointed each year. II they can stand
the necessary examinations. Two hospital
CORPS training schools also have been g.
tahli~hed by him.
These are only 4 few If the improve
mcntS which have been made M the service
by the Sccrctar, who ha~ called down unou
his head the wrath II the interests with
whose gains h. ha> intcrtcred.