The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-05-27


made by Secretary Daniels, In the
presence of the House naval commit
tee, upon the professional reputation
of Admiral Bradley A Fiske, the Sun
said: "As Admiral Fiske will retire
from the navy for age on June 10 after
q distinguished and honorable career,
but little time Is left him to clear his
reputation Of the aspersions that Jo-
sephus Daniels has cast upon it." Be
tween the admiral and the secretary
there were several questions OF verac-
ity. II the truth was on the side of
the secretary the admiral was not
IAN officer and gentleman; in fact,
he was not credit to the service and
re was unfit to wear the uniform. This
conclusion was inescapable.
In testifying before the House naval
committee on March "a Admiral Fiske
stated that he by direction of Secre-
tary Daniels informed the general
board that one Of its reports would
not be published If recommendation
for an increase Of 1880 enlisted men
were retained. Evading the direct is
sue and plainly implying that the adj
miral had not told the committee the
truth, Secretary Daniels declared: Il
never told the general board to do
onything in my life. " Nothing can be
more damaging to a naval officers
reputation than to charge him. with
unprofesslonal soliciting to obtain
promotion. Admiral Badger was about
to retire as commander of the Atlantic
fleet. At the time Admiral Fiske was
acting as aid for operations to the sec
rotary Of the navy and in daily per.
sonal communication with him. "Ad-
miral Fiske," Secretary Daniels
averred. urged me a dozen times, I'M
til it became embarrassing. to appoint
him commander" 1t was difficult for
the admiral's friends, and their name
Is legion in the navy, to believe this.
According to his own account, Adj
miral Fiske finally retired as aid for
operations, because he was in hope
less disagreement with the secretary
about methods to make the navy eff
cient and ready for the national de-
Tense. But Mr.. Daniels sought to
convince the House naval committee
that the admiral resigned because he
was not appointed commander of the
Atlantic fleet. A minor question of
veracity had to do with the wine mess
order. Secretary Daniels quoting the
admiral as opposing 1t because ma
val officers, II deprived of their wine,
would take to cocaine" Admiral
Fiske rejoined that this was gross
misrepresentation of his position. He
wanted to appear before the naval
committee again in his own defense,
but was not allowed to.
The committee made concession
to Admiral Fiske in the matter OF
the wine mess order: he could file a
letter on the subject which he had
written to the secretary on May "a,
1914. representing, the admiral said,
ninety-flye per cent of the officers of
tho navy. This letter. published on
April 49,. convicted Secretary Daniels
Of reckless II not wanton and malic-
ious mis-quotation. The case in op-
position to the wine mess order was
emo OF common sense and convincing
illustration. Admiral Ffske had been
grossly misrepresented by his super
ipr. But he still had uphill work to
defend his honor. Senator Lodge came
to his rescue and called for the pro-
duction from the department records
of letter which the admiral had writ
ten to the secretary about the neces-
sity Of naval preparedness in Novem-
her, 1914. This bore upon the ques-
ton of whether Admiral Fiske had
told the truth when he stated that he
resigned as aid for operations because
he was not in accord with tho secre.
tary about naval efficiency. In trans.
hitting the letter Mr.. Daniels de.
clared that he had never seen 1t, al
though Admiral Fiske was positive
that he had put 1t in the secretary's
hands and that Mr.. Daniels read Il