The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-07
FISKE BARRED FROM
ANSWERING DANIELS
Chairman Padgctt Of House
Committee Refuses Admiral's
Request TO Explain.
ASPE RSIONS ARE DENIED

WASHINGTON, April 6.-The refusal OF
Chairman Padgett Of the House Naval
Affairs Committee TO grant Rear Ad-
,nirai Fisks an opportunity 20 reply to
the testimony Of the Secretary OF the
Navy to-day placed a now aspect upon
the controversy that has arisen between
them.
Admiral Fiske. resenting the Secre-
tary's implication that disappointed am
bit,on provided tho motive for his criti-
cism Of the Navy Departments policy.
wrote a letter to Representative Padgett
asserting that "a serious cloud had
been placed on his own testimony and
asked for M opportunity to explain
In his letter he takes direct issue viii
the Secretary upon questions OF fact.
In reply Mr.. radgett said to-day mat
the hearings had been closed and that
ne saw no occasion for %reorening them
for tho consideration of the matters
which constitute the points at issue be-
tween Admiral Fiske and Secretary
Danicls.
Mr. PadGett's Attitude.
There Is no public interest 10 be
subserved." he says, by such All in-
vestigation al to the matters of rccol-
@ lection of what was said relative to the
transactions Of the past
II was asserted by Secretary Daniels
thai Admiral Ffske predicted that naval
officers would take to cocaine as n result
Of tho wine mess order: that he was
disappointed because he was not APP
pointed commander in chief of the At
Santic fleet. and that he saw no hope OF
preparedness In the navy unless men
whose fathers and grandfathers had
been In the service were at the head
OF II.
Tho refusal Of Chairman Padgett TO
grant Admiral Fiske "A further hearing
. aroused the ire OF Representative
Britten Of Illinois. who takes the ground
that Mr.. Padgett exceeded his author
ity. Mr.. Britten says he will demand
hal the question be referred to the
committee itself for decision.
Admiral Fiske says IN his letter
referring to my testimony given be-
fore the Naval Committee on March %
n ~. to the testimony given on April
. BY the Hon. Secretary of the Navy
to editorials In this mornings issue
of the New York World. sun and
Herald, ] beg leave to request your at
tention TO tho fact that the testimony
OF the Secretary has cast a serious cloud
on mine
For this reason l respectfully request
permission 10 appear before the commit
tee to explain certain occurrences con-
corning which ! fear hat the Secretary's
memory has led him to do me great
injustice.
According to all the papers that I
have sem hos Secretary said that | told
him that II naval officers were de-
prived Of their wine they would take
cocaine, 1t Is true that I tried to yer
suade the Secretary not TO prohibit wine
and beer: spirituous liquors had been
forbidden by law for nifty years.
MY arguments were expressed In a
closely t~ypewritten letter to him. -four
pages long. dated May -. 1914. and
covered my points. u would be nee
essary to read this entire letter to ge,
\ correct idea of what l told the Sccre-
tary. I should Like to show "a copy OF
the letter TO the committee.
In the matter of desiring to be com
niander in chief OF the Atlantic fleet, I
did make application for the command.
such an application was perfectly
proper. Us I had served successfully IN
of three divisions al different
times ana waS then aid for operations.
which. MANY officers thought a NOR,
important position.
Il wish All opportunity. however, L.
convince the committee that / did not
tel the Secr eldry mat Fletcher diI
not want the command. the Secretary 5
memoir leads him into error there"
What | did tell the Secretary was
that Fletcher had told me some tim
before that he thought the natural thing
TO do when mira Badger gave W
the command MAS TO give 1t 10 the, max.
Fletcher aid for operations. and thei
make Fletcher commander in chici
when ! rctircd-Fletchor bcine eighteen
months younger than | and my junior
In rank.
II find the following entry Ia my diary
on the date Of April 80. 1914
Secretary Of Navy. In actordanc,
with my request, tclecraphed Fletcher
asking him If he would like to change
places with me
Fletcher WAS then in Mexico. a.
command OF the First division, wh!cl
a commanded 4. year and u hall
before. and Admiral WiDslow, my junior
also a candidate for the position of o
mander In chief. vas also in Mexico. fl
mma Of the special service squad.
ron
The Ancestral Record.