Evening star., 1916-08-26
Secretary Daniels Denies the
Charges Made by Repre-
sentative Gardner.
MAKES SPEECH IN MAINE
IN Behalf OF Mr.. WILSON
Declares He Has Done Everything
But Sing Refutation Of Congress
mans Accusations.

M1Lbn1D9E, MO-, august Io.-oocio
tary Of the Navy Daniels delivered here
last night the first Of a series of
speeches he will mako in this state
during the next few days, which mark
his entry Into tho campaign for the
reelection Of President Wilson. While
he touched on other topics to some e1-
tent. Mr.. Daniels devoted himself par
ticularly to answering charges made
by Representative A. P. Gardner OF
Massachusetts. who has been the Sec
retary's chief critic In Congress.
Mr.. Daniels referred to a series OF
thirteen questions regarding the ad-
ministration Of the navy which Mr..
a letter. saying that all Of them had
been asked by Mr.. Gardner and an
swered satisfactorily by the Navy De-
partment many times.
There are doubtless people who are
able to ask more questions than MI.
Gardner" the Secretary said. but ]
doubt II any one has ever asked the
same questions SO many times without
paying the slightest attention to the
answers. I have done everything but
sing them to him, and while. goodness
knows, I am no singer, II l thought
that by so doing l could get him to
quit asking questions long enough to
listen to the answers I would gladly
set them to music"
Reads Letter Relating to Gunnery.
Answering one of Mr.. Gardner's
questions which alleged that twelve
Of the twenty-one battIeships in the
fleet recorded unsatisfactory scores in
the 1914 battle practice. the Secretary
produced a letter from Capt. c. P.
Plunkett. director Of gunnery exercises.
who said Of his twenty years expe-
rience In the navy: Il know OF no
time during that period when the enc
mics of our country had more to fear
from the batteries of our fleet than
they have today"
Capt. Plunkett added that by direc-
ton OF the Secretary the widest pos
sible publicity would be given to the
battle practice next month.
~ do not sympathize with this form
referring to Mr.. Gardner's question.
and believe that II will undermine the
confidence Of the people in the fleet and
the confidence of the fleet people in their
confidence Of the fleet people in their
ships and in the officers who are
charged with the responsibility of the
preparation OF the feet for war.
Useful to Nations Enemies.
Il consider such customs 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"
"On the floor OF Congress-" Mr.. Dam
iels continued, Mr.. Gardner said he
wished he could have the opinion Of the
official observer on our battleships as
to their target practice. I read him
this opinion. These are not my words.
not those Of any politician nor of any
They are uttered with full knowledge
of his responsibility by one Of the
foremost officers of the United States
Navy and an expert on these subjects
Another question dealt with the
type Of torpedoes with which battle
ships were equipped, Mr.. Gardner as
serting that those in use in 1914 had
been declared obsolete by navy ord
nance officials. He asked II the Secre-
tary knew this when he issued his
1914 report.
ready manufacturing long-range tor
pedoes to take their places" Mr.. Dam
iels said. adding that these facts also
had been contained in his own report
and that of the chief or ordnance. to
which Mr.. Gardner referred.
Il am also glad to inform him." he
continued. that since then all the
dreadnaughts in commission have been
equipped with these new torpedoes."