The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-12
N|ElS HAS MADE
NO NEW REGULATIONS
Measurement That Naval Officers Shall
Xoe Astcnsps 20 IHtiueace I'ezts-
latIon OF Long Standing.
UOTEs TAFT AND ROOSEVELT
<tMlcs Statement OF Golfers That lie
p0npciled Rear Admiral E1skc TO
Freak Contract to Write Series of
Naval Magazine Articles.

Z Washington. Jan ll.--Secretary
Which he sent to Chairman Lemuel
3EPadgett. OF the House Committee on
& Naval Affairs replying 10 Inquiries
q Dut TO him by the committee concern
Ing regulations prohibiting naval ofEt
#cers from appearing ia print or on
#4he platform in efforts 20 influence
public opinion and congressional ac.
|4kton On matters OF avail legislation
SSss pefying that ~ himself has Issued
my rev orders on the subject Mr.
DAniels states tn his letter that re-
#&fictfons are embraced in regulations
S0f long standing which have Ueen
unchanged since he became secretary.
md were covered by executive orders
x13wusd by President Roosevelt in 1909
mad President Taft in 1909.
Regulations I'm Question.
The provision in the naval regu-
lneicrs which he refers 20 Is as fol-
1o~g:
No person belonging to the navy
ss0r employed under the Navy Depart
ment shall attempt, directly or midi
NEoctiy. TO influence legislation in re-
EAp&ct to the navy without the express
EaAnthorlty and approval OF the depart
Eamont'
IN. his letter to the committee the
|Roecretary quotes the executive orders
E&k President Roosevelt and President
E4Aft. as well as 1,59o-word extract
E4kcsn a speech delivered By him last
E3uns to The officers Of the Atlantic
$S8&t, outlining his views as 10 the
Eptprer functions OF "a naval officer.
Only In a very few instances, his
EAetts- states has naval officers re-
#4ueeted permission TO violate the let
Ekor and spirit of the regulations and
f&xeSutive orders. ] have Invariably
Etold them 1t WAS not in the spirit OF
E&pr institutions that the power that
<Gieids the sword should attempt TO
EfeN the people OF Congress what leg
E3Gaation should he enacted for the
1nvsl estab lishment I have also
|MxxKed that aside from the expert opin-
- given TO Congress and made pub
IKE tnrough the regular channels, the
SppcGranc OF naval officers as leaders
III Expansion of the navy was not the
wecper function of the service. and
&nch agitation orr their part did not
ia I'm securing the enlargement of
xhN navy. / an happy 10 state that
IN nearly every instance this opinion
M1s approved, even by the few whose
&cal caused them to desire to write
md speak in order 10 influence legis-
t1atfon.
SlanId Not Inh IenCc Legislation.
NOs the navy service as the whole,
The convection is almost unanimous
z1hat naval officers should abstain rom
any Effort 80 influence Legislative ac-
SftO1'e
Mn E@cretary Daniels tonight denied
\ bfataments MAGE in Golfers Weekly
SGhRrFing him with having compelled
y 1saa- Admiral Bradley A. Fiske to
break a cont act which the naval on
ser had wIsh the magazine 10 write
& y series OF articles on naval questions.
According TO Mr. Daniels. Admiral
fisk never asked him for permission
- write these articles, and the sec
xetafy added that he had approved
The decision of the naval intelligence
|xburesu TO permit Admiral Ffske TO
write the articles recently appearing
4 m tfa North American Review.
Under the procedure nov followed,
21he secretary stated, officers desiring
10 publish any articles eH naval sub
s3ects submit their manuscript to the
y 1nfefiigence bureau, which. subject 10
Sfhe approval or vote OF the secretary,
4 Needles whef her the article Is proper
tor publication. Permission - with
e held where an attempt Is r5fetr act
Eonly to influence naval legislation, hut
s8 ~ discuss Irrespective of pending
y 4eetslation, the needs Of the navy