Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-04-08
SATURDAY. APRIL 5. 1916.
Admiral Flske Must Answer Secretary
Daniels.


When Secretary Daniels appeared
before the House Committe on Naval
Affairs on Monday be not only inn
peached the yeracity Of Rear Admiral
Bradley A. Fiske but intimated that
the Admiral had used his confidential
position as Aid for Operations in an
attempt to secure the coveted appoint
ment OF commander OF the Atlantic
feet AS Admiral Fiske will retire
from the Navy for age on June Is
after distinguishes and honorable
career. but little time is left himto
clear his reputation Of the aspersions
hat Josephus Daniels has cast upon it
When Admiral Fiske testified before
the committee on March "a. ne stated
that by direction OF Secretary Daniels
he notified the General Board Of the
Navy that It's report woubl not be pub
lished If a recommendation for an in
crease of 1880 enlisted men were not
struck out asked if this statement
were true. Daniels declared to the
committee on Monday Il never told
the General Board to do anything in
my life.
Here is an unavoidable question of
aracity between Secretary Daniels
ond the Admiral. Members OF the
General Board Of the Navy. including
Admiral George Dewey, should be able
10 throw some light upon it. Dsl Ad-
miral Fiske deliver 70 the board mes
sage from the Secretary that its repor
must not contain ne recommendation
for an increase Of 1880 enlisted men
or tho document would not be publish
ed? If Admiral Fiske did bring such a
message, what motive could he have
had for telling the General Board that
he was acting under instructions from
Secretary Daniels if that were not the
case? The Admiral cannot remain ST.
lent under the imputation that he tes-
tilted falsely before the House Naval
Committee on Naval Affairs.
Admiral Badger was to retire from
the command of theAtlantic feet abou
the middle Of september 1914. Score
airy Daniels told the committee on
Monday. Admiral Fiske urged me
dozen times. until it became enbarras.
sing. to appoint him as commander"
When the Secretary, according to his
version of the matter, said that the
appointment ought to so to Admiral
Frank A. Fletcher for his fine work al
Vera Cruz, Fiske declared that Fetch
er would not accept the command n il
were offered 10 him. Mr.. Daniels
male no explanation of this singular
statement Our recollection is that
the candidate who was supposed to he
most in the running was Admiral
Cameron McRae winslow. II had been
the expectation of the navy that he
would succeed Admiral Badger as
commander of the Atlantic fleet
WasAdmiral Fiske who had the ear
of Secretary Daniels and was in daily
communication with him, intriguing to
obtain the honor for himself when
Winslow was in line for it and Fetch
er had earned it by his service at Vera
Cruz? Admiral Fiske urged me a
dozen times, until it became embarrass-
ing, to appoint him as commander"
says Secretary Daniels.
We cannot imagine Admiral Fislse
allowing this charge of uuprofessional
solicitation to go unchallengod. We
use the word charge. for it is no secret
that the relations between Admiral
FisSe ana Secretary Daniels we're un-
pleasantly strained long before the
asked to be relieved as Aid for
Operations. For year they had dis
agreed about many things. and the in
ference IS t'lat Admiral Fiske was not
in position TO ask for the command
of the Atlantic feet Would Secreta-
~ Daniels have the country believe
that AdmiralFiske told the truth about
che navy at the memorable hearing of
the House Committee on Naval Affairs
on December IL, 1914, because in the
previous September he had not receiv-
ed the coveted appointment?
We are bound to say that Secretary
Daniels did everything in his power
when he appeared before the commit
tee last Monday 10 discredit Admiral
Fiske. The latter had said that he
asked TO be relieved as Aid for Opera
tons because he was not in accord
with the Secretary's plans for prepar-
edness, but Mr.. Daniels. sought to CON
Vey the impression that disappointed /
was the cause of the Admit |
rails retirement. The Secretary's hear
ers must, however. have received the
impression that he was using the inlu-
ence Of his high position to get even |
with Admiral Fiske and damage his
reputation as an officer ana nava,
authority