Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-20
ADMIRAL DEWEY
DEFENDS DANIELS
Says American Navy Is All
Right, and SO Is
Secretary.
NO DISQUALIFICATION THERE
Ships. Officers and Men Up to
Standard, Hero of Manila
Bay Declares.
O DECENTRALIZATION THERE
ny GEORGE CRI;I:L.


For two years and more tho United
States Navy has been tho subject OF
discussion rs bitter ~ II IS confused.
Tho d,rputcs between pacinsts and
mllitar!sts, between Democrats and
Republicans. have resulted In Babel.
and out OF II all have come preJud!ccs
that do not care TO bother with facts.
II is a situation packed with menace.
Not only Is Il the case that national
confidence and national sclf-rcspcct arc
being undermined but Ignorance and
hatc make It impossible for wise de-
cisons 10 be rendered. Nothing is
moro Imperative than that such q sit
uation DO ended.
Tho people of tho United States
entitled to the truth. the whole truth
ard nothing but the truth. What IS
Islander and what Is fact? Is tho navy.
~ II stands to-day. asset
liability? Is the navy bill honest and
adequate. dose OF ego wash?
Has Secretary Daniels "dcnoralized"?
In he a faithful public servant. worthy
OF support, Toxic?
These questions may not DO
ewered by any member OF the Wilson
administration. or by any member of
Congress. or by any ofce-sceker or
by magazine experts" writing to suit
editorial prcconcertions Not only is
absolute and exact knowledge re-
qu!rcd. but hc who speaks authori-
tat,vcly must be free from the slight
est suspicion Of political bias or per
sonal prejudice.
Ono man only measures up TO these
specifications. That man is Admiral
Dewey. He has been In the navy Of
the United States since 1885, serving
through two wars Since 1903 ne has
hna 81 10 I'd 7,
ing upon naval defects. naval needs
aud naval plans. SO administration
has power TO hurt him. -" iaw he Is
exempted from the usual retirement
provisions. aud II he does dec!de 10
retire IL Will hc or his own volition
and at full pay. No partisan quarrel
has over had power % drag him from
his height.
LOVED ny THE PEOPLE
As FEW ARE: LOVED
Aside from these qualifications, he -
loved Of the American people as few
men have ever been loved In a day
when there IS much talk OF Amer-
oanism, he stands as ono who has
rskcd hts ITO for It, and who has
devoted that life 70 Giving richer, finer
meanings {" the word.
found him ut Atlantic city. in y
Great WlHNGW'IL room tilSit I''b'H'N "
tho sea. His hair had whitencd, but
otherwise he Is but little changed by
the years that have passed sine" the
wonderful day he returned from
Manila to hear the shouts OF a nation.
The same clear. stcadfast c:;cs, III"
same tremendous simplicity, the same
faith In America'
Speaking slowly. hut never hesitant-
". for three long hours ne considered
the United States Navy, past, present
and future: world war, world peace.
national ideals aud national destiny
Only In his first answers. when an evil
dent indignation grippcd him. did he
depart from the tone OF one trying to
nick his words in the interest ~ un-
Outstanding
"Thc attacks that have been made
upon tho navy" he said. are as false
AS many of them are shameful. II Is
not II junk heap. There is no de-
moralization. Both in material and
personnel we are more efficient to-day
than ever before. Our ships are as
good as any: our officers are as good
as any. and our enlisted men arc the
finest in the world.
.'It is true that we have not enough
ships or enough men. But navies are
not built IN n day. It was between
1905 and 100? that Germany passed us.
and that we commenced 10 lose rank S
a naval power. This is in no sense a
criticism of administrations Congress
after all, expresses public sentiment in
largo degree. and the reason we dropped
was because the people wanted the
drop The recommendations OF tho
general board went unheeded because
they were not backed up by public
opinion. Until 1914 people were think
Ing IN terms Of world peace II is diff
ferent to-day. and 1t is to-day that
should concern us"
Ito walked over to his desk and
taking up copy OF the Senate navy
Bill spread ii before him. For mo-
ment. as II TO measure his words. he
tapped 1t with big. brown forefnger
and then he said:
This Is the best bill ever passed
Ly either house OF any Congress I;
takes the nve-ycar program of the
General board and changes 1t into a
,hrce-year program. 1t Will restore
MS TO second place and enable the
United States to meet on equal terms
any power In the world. save one"
DEFENSE PROVIDED For
Br TERMS OF MEASURE
asked him then for n consideration
of the bill. or. rather. some such
,nulysis as would permit n civilian tic
.o a little thinking for himself Pa
.icntly enough he went over each item
-Four battleships at once, and six
more within three years" Now he was
Hrmly on his own ground. His words
anne like bullets. The great clash
al the mouth of the Skager-Rak gave
! test to every theory AS result
naval authorities are now agreed that
the battleship is still tho principal re-
lance OF naviss. AZ never before, il
is proved that victory or defeat rests
with the Drcadnought.
-Four battle cruisers nj once, and
,wo more within three years. This
d.. Of Ill .ac L.