Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1916-04-14
Why Secretary Daniels Is vilIifsed

Why Secretary Daniels Is VilIified
Josephus Daniels, secretary of the
navy, is living example of the pow
er of a venal press to vilify to an
extent seldom if ever equaled even in
the heat of a political campaign.
Daniels has not seen fit to reply
to the attacks made upon him, but
recently George Creel, whose reputa-
ton as a writer and fighter for good
government is nation wide, took it up
on himself to analyze the attacks
made upon him and investigate the
motives which inspired them.
His valiant defense of Judge Ben
Lindsey and attacks upon the inter-
ests responsible for the troubles in
Colorado mine fields are still fresh in
the minds of thousands.
ITO wade through the lies that have
been told about Josephus Daniels"
declares Mr.. Creel, ito discover the
truths that have been hidden or dis
torted, is to come to a new loathing
Of the greed that poisons when thwart
ed and to an added contempt for the
public that takes no larger interest
in public servant than to swallow
every SANDER circulated about him.
ASK the average citizen about Jo
sephus Daniels and he'll wag his head
and mouth something about mounte
bank and demagogue. Press him for
details, and he can cite none more
definite than vague congratulations
that Daniels has let the navy run
down and has made us laughing
stock
The Price He Paid.
This derision is the price that Jo-
sephus Daniels has been made to pay
for saving millions of the peoples
money from the traffickers in armor
plate and munitions; for breaking up
the arm chair clique that ruled the
navy for years; for making merit the
test of promotion rather than social
pull for opening the doors of ad-
vancement to the enlisted man. He
has given us navy that, according
to Admiral George Dewey, is not ex
celled, except in size, by the fleet of
any nation in the world Facts and
figures entitle him to rank with the
greatest secretaries of history, and
yet so well have his enemies wrought
that many of the people for whom he
has labored grin at his name.
practically all of this ridicule has
flowed from his abolition of the wine
mess, Back in 1899 Secretary Long
issued an order forbidding the sale
or issue of liquor to enlisted men
on board ship, and all that Mr.. DAN
iels did was to extend the rule to Of
ficers, taking the step upon the official
recommendation of the surgeon gen.
eral of the navy. This policy, that
was to make the United States the
laughing stock of the nations, was
followed within the year by all other
world powers. Russia and France
first, then Lord Charles Beresford
scored the use of liquor in the Brit
ish navy, and after that Emperor Will
helm, addressing the German naval
cadets, uttered these words:
How He Has Earned Hatred.
"'The next war and the next sea
battle demand sound nerves Of you.
Nerves will decide. These become
undermined through alcohol. = y The
nation which consumes the least al
cohol wins, and that should be you,
my gentlemen. And through you an
example should be given the crews.
And in consequence of this 1 expect
of you that you take heed there
to, and provide that indulgence in al
cohol be not counted as belonging to
your privileges
"In the Hearst papers, most active
in ridiculing the grape Juice order,
pages are devoted to proving that all
of the great businesses of the coun-
try are refusing to employ men who
drink. Yet for the foresight that en-
abled Josephus Daniels to point way
to the nations, he is denounced.
"Such attacks, of course, are mere
blinds The real causes of the cam
paign of hatred against Secretary
Daniels are not to be found on the
surface, but deep down in the mud
of human greed The powder trust
hates him because he is manufacture
ing smokeless powder for "a cents
a pound as against the SO to 50 cents
that used to be paid to the monopoly.
In 1915 alone $1,115,793' was saved,
and this year the capacity is doubled.
The projectile makers hate him be-
cause he cut out $1,077,210 on one
bid alone, and is asking Congress for
money to build his own plant. The
grafters hate him because his econo-
mics have effected reduction of fif-
teen odd millions on public work at
shore stations. The armor plate
monopoly hates him because he made
them lop off $1,11O,OS4 that was head
ed for it's pockets, and has caused a
bill to be introduced for a govern
ment plant where armor can be manu-