Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-08-26
DANIELS PRAISES
WORK OF SAILORS
Secretary of Navy Shows FaIshey of
Gardeners Attacks on Wilson
administration.

Milbridge, Maine, Aug. 26. - Secre-
tary of the Navy Daniels delivered
here last night the first of a series Of
speeches he will make in this state
during the next few days which mark
his entry into the campaign for the
reelection of President Wilson. While
he touched on other topics to some ek-
tent. Mr.. Daniels devoted himself
particularly to answering charges
made by Representative A. P. Gard
ner of Massachusetts, who has been
the secretarys chief critic in con-
gress.
Mr.. Daniels referred to a series Of
10 questions regarding the admins
tration of the navy which Mr.. Gardner
propounded TO the secretary in let
ter, saying that all of them had been
asked by Mr.. Gardner and answered
satisfactorily by the navy department
many times.
There are doubtless people who
are able to ask more questions than
Mr.. Gardner" the secretary said, but
l doubt if any one has ever asked the
same questions so many times with
out paying the slightest attention to
the answers. I have done everything
but sing them to him, and while good
ness knows L am no singer, IL 1
thought that by SO doing / could get
him to stop asking questions long
enough to listen to the answers, !
would gladly set them to music"
Answering one of Mr.. Gardeners
questions which alleged that IL of the
81 battleships in the feet recorded un-
satisfactory scores in the 1914 battle
practice, the secretary produced let
ter from Captain G. p. Plunkett, di-
rector Of gunnery exercises, who said
of his 20 years experience in the navy:
Il know of no time during that per-
iod when the enemies of our country
had more to fear from the batteries
of our fleet than they have today"
Captain Plunkett added that by di-
rection of the secretary the widest
possible publicity would be given TO
the battle practice results next
Did Not Approve Criticism.
"I do not sympathize with this form
of criticism" the gunnery director
wrote, referring to Mr.. Gardeners
question, land believe that it will
the confidence Of the peo-
pie in the fleet and the confidence of
the fleet people in their ships and in
the officers who are charged with the
OF the preparation of
the feet for war.
Il consider such criticisms and at
tacks on our target practice and the
publication of the facts in connection
herewith have been of the greatest
use to every enemy OF the government,
both in our own country and abroad"
con the floor of congress-" Mr. Dan
iels continued, MT. Gardner said he
wished he could have the opinion OF
the official observer on our battle
ships as to their target practice. Il
read him his opinion. These are not
my words, not those of any politician
nor any civil appointee of a political
party. They are uttered with full
knowledge OF his responsibility by
one OF the foremost officers Of the /
United tSates navy and an expert on
-hesc subjects"
Another question dealt with the |
.ype of torpedoes with which battle
ships were equipped, Mr.. Gardner u.s.
5erting that those in use in 1914 had !
been declared obsolete by navy ord |
1unce officials. He asked IL the secre-
airy knew this when he issued his |
ola report
1--WE not only knew II but were al
'st.S r'H"'ac,Lring long ranbe t,r-
'edres to take -i'eir places" si-. an
s,s said. adding that these IA .tJ also
lad beer cGh;ai ed in his ow1 report
ID that ;ha Cl ief of ordusnee 40
which Mr.. Gardner referred
Il am also glad 10 inform lin" G
ontinued, that since then all Tie 1
II ea'inaughts H. commissiJl have 4
'ecn .uipped with these new or n
'eG0cs"
RefutcS Gardeners Cha.yb;.
T. secretary refuted Mr.. G. rjner's
ssertioTs Tat there had be.l undue
clay In thr @ mpleting of ravS shirs
I V3rious types now under c.nstruc-
ion. Lai,r CO, Gitions ma lie II =. ~
ul. 20 hasten tins work, he said. hu,
- department was doing ~ IN IT'S
over in this regard and had plans
Or the 1917 ships ready before con
ress had passed the appropriation
Ill authorizing their construction