The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1916-03-30
DANIELS, BoMBAsTIC INCOMPETENT


1t will be the proudest moment Of my life when come
through the Panama canal the bridge Of the batteshp
oregon followed by every ship the United States navy
and to take it to habor the Pacific coast and to
the Columbia.
have come to this coast an educational trip
came 70 look at ports and ascertain conditions
and possibilities that exist here that can 90 before
congress and make intelligent for the
legislation that will be necessary to enable prepare
these ports for the time when the feet of the United
States shall come to the Pacific
Circumstances which Daniels had no control pre-
vented the fleet from coming through the from
ting the Pacific coast ports But Mr. Daniels had the OBJ
portunity to learn his educational trip whether te
eet could visit the Columbia After having had that
opportunity he made his grandoquent promise Its fulfill
ment is still more possible than in 1913 for the
depth of water the bar and has been greatly
increased The work has been done by another
OF the same government of which Mr. Daniels officer
He had the of learning the of that work before
the Pttsburg ordered to Vancouver dsposng
marty OF any doubts which might be raised by the indus
trous knockers.
But after giving the order he on receipt Of
transformation to the effect that the water not deep
enough In view OF the great increase in depth which
been effected in the last three years question naturally
arises If the cruiser Psburg navigate the river in
1916 how could the battleshp feet have done 1913
fore the improvement madef What prompted Mr.
es to make the promise in 1918 and to fall far
living up to its spirit In 1916f
His speech in 1913 hot air. emitted to sjoy'' the
people OF Oregon His trip made to win popularity for
the administration with promises carelessy made in g
norance to whether they could be kept No
susceptible the Immediately surrounding political
duences which antagonsc to bis recognition Of the Co
lumba river q haTbor.
Mr. Daniels conduct in this matter consistent with his
entire secretary of the navy His administration
has been marked by application of political methods and
strac demagogc theories in defiance of all experience and in
disregard of the advice of trained service He
has demorazed the navy has brought to lower stage of
efficiency than has prevailed at time since modern ships
began suppant the old wooden vessels When the facts
proving this have become public spite of his
forts to muzz naval officers he has mpudent denied them
has passed the buck" to his subordnates Henry Reu
terdahl In the Metropolitan says Daniels is navy slang
for lie
writer gives astonishing catalogue of the deln-
by which this country editor and politician has
the navy its present plight The catalogue is
long that it is possible only to give in the barest outline
By his prohibition he indirectly branded naval officers as
drunkards and he pictured the loss of baeship through
drunkenness though in fact accident to modern navy
has been due to that
He has injured morale and discipline by encouraging
listed carry criticism of their superiors to him. At
the time he has treated criticism of the navy cr
of himself and has replied to it by defending himself and
not by correcting conditions
has delayed important by ignoring suppress
sing reports leaving unsigned and keeping in his
session plans of the first Importance Pretending to adj
public discussion he has forbidden it to naval Off
Claiming credit for publishing report of the gen
ea board he suppressed another until driven BY
and the press to divulge ii. III
He recommended construction programme which fell far
expert recommendations He has delayed the build
ing Of dreadnoughs authorized by congress for more than
without consulting technical advisers has cut ST.
100000 from the estimates OF ammunition which sorey
needed
Bv making education on board ship compulsory for enlisted
men, debating what brands Of tobacco they should buy and
by various acts of petty meddng he has made his manage
of the navy the saddes and most expensive joke In the
annals of our history While seeking to democratze
the navy by curryng favor with the enlisted to the de-
of discipline he has become unpopular among
them his picture Missed when shown the
Of ships at Vera Cruz
After reviewing the Atlantic feet he boasted of the navy
hgh of efficiency though eleven days earlier Admiral
Fletcher caalogued long list of shortcomings headed
by Shortage of officers shortage of lack of fast