The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1916-04-13
FIsKE WITH THE MUzzLE OFF.

Bradley A. and has set him free to tell what Is the mat
yer with the navy de told the committee in substance that
the lacked the expert directing brains general staff
such enabled Germany great and that
ne had for two endeavored induce Mr. Daniels
make good this deficiency secretary had
fully INSTRUCTED his efforts.
Other criticism of the secretary to the navys
lack of ships ammunition training failure
relate its parts Admiral Fishes criticism is that however
servceabe it may be in these respects navy mind
and will continue thus lacking until it is given general staff
OF experts who will prepare plans and will have
direction Of all the bureaus subject to the authority Of the
secretary
order to supply this deficiency Admiral Fiske with the
aid of Representative Hobso adoption by the
of amendment to the 1915 naval bill establishing Office
Of chief Of naval operations who under the secretary of the
shall be responsible for the readiness of the navy for
and charged with its general direction To assist this officer
be assigned less than fifteen officers Of the
marine corps Through efforts of Mr. Daniels this amend
men stricken in the house point of order and
substitute adopted in the senate restricting the duties of
the chief of operations to direction of the feet and thus
king the plan fall far short of its authors purpose This
to establish general staff such all other naval powers
have which administers the affairs Of the navy
keep the navy in continual preparation for Though he
had emascuated the plan which the work of Others Mr.
Daniels claimed credit for it.
feature of Admiral Fiskes plan the rendering of
quarterly reports plans by the various bureau Chiefs
for the purpose of informing the secretary of the readiness
Of the various bureaus for After beseechng Mr. Dan
es for years sign the authority for putting this
in effect Admiral Fske resigned aid for operations
Office established by Secretary Meyer halfway meas
because it required legislation At the expiration OF
month Mr. Daniels appointed Admiral William S. Benson, of
North Carolina his state to be chief OF naval operations
under the law and signed the report which Admiral
Fise had in vain urged upon him. He however made as ht
tie possible of the authority to create general staff
only instead of fifteen officers to it, OF these
eutenants who do merely clerical work.
although the law requires officers above the rank OF lieutenant
commander the navy major in the marine The
purpose which the Office created has not been served
Admiral Fiske told the house committee.
Admiral Fske told the committee that congress, by limit
ing the authority of the chief of operations to the fleet had
failed to center responsibility for failure to coordinate all
of 1t has not done what other nations do IN etab
fishing general staff for they recognize strategy as spe
caty just much construction, electricity engineer
ing Officers who serviceabe and efficient IN that spe
cialty at college put tentatively the genera
staff and, if they make good, remain there
How important this question shown by these words OF
the Admiral
All over the world especially since 1870, when be-
came aware had been done by Prussia there has
been in naval and military circles increasing reaza
ton of the Importance of continuity and strategy and
that the danger OF not approaching It IS really remen
dous In my humble opinion this particular question
are now actually the most important question be-
fore the country today The national life has hinged on
this particular thing in great countries during
all history The general staff of Prussia brought about
entirely new state of things before the with Aus
tria in 1866 and when the came along they tried
their method and defeated Austria practically In three
weeks.
Not content with blocking the plans of Admiral Fiske
provide the navy with this indispensable requisite to
Mr. Daniels did everything possible to prevent him from Civ
ing publicity the matter The admiral asked to speal
before the of Chicago with the understanding
that newspaper would be present This what Iol
lowed as he related it to the committee:
notified the secretary and he told me that he did not
want to make speeches or write any ARTICLES Tor
newspapers or magazines expostuated and said was
not crcsng policy of the secretary the president
Representative Britten asked Did ne tell you that yo
were not to say that two times two make fourI
EYES, answered the admiral
Mr. Daniels not only muzzled admiral Fske; he also muz
general board of the navy which headed by tina
grzzed veteran Admiral Dewey Secretary Frank
lin D. Roosevelt said year and half ago that the navy
short $4,000 Mr. Daniels denied it. The general boar