The Washington times., 1917-03-25
MEN AT THE HEAD
OF ARMY AND NAVY
A List of the Officers Who viii
Lead Forces At Home
or Abroad.

!. forth a new group OF army and navy
E commanders who have distinguished
themselves in lighting for their coun
try. The same will be true OF a wal
with Germany.
The men who are now in positions
of high command In the army and
navy are not necessarily those who
may achieve lasting fame in war
with Germany, but they are at least
the men under whom the land and
naval forces OF the United States will
enter such war. The beginning will
be made under their command. They
are at this time the men upon whom
the country must rely for efficient
work.
War with Germany may easily bring
TO the front with dramatic suddenness
other men who will reap the big
laurels, just as every past war In the
history Of this country has done But
at this time there are certain men
who, by virtue OF the army and navy
commands which they hold, must be
reckoned with to put a big war ma
chine into operation.
l. The navy, as the first line of de-
tense Of the United States, will be
| oPOh WOTk IN Lle
war. as, In fact, IL has already been
called upon to furnish men for the
armament of merchant ships. While
Josephus Daniels is Secretary of the
Navy and, as such, is in authority
over all OF its operations, the high
| ofhcers under him, who are men of
| technical and scientific training, are
those upon whom will fall the actual
work Of directing the NAVY in war and
providing for its maintenance at a
high point of efficiency.
Commands In Atlantic.
The chief man at the fighting front
will be Admiral Henry T Mayo, COM
mande--in-chief Of the&tlantic feet.
This big fighting machine includes
practically all Of the newest and most
powerful war vessels in the navy.
There are several so-called fleets in
the navy, but that under Admiral
Mayo is the only one known as the
battle feet. 1t represents at least
rs per cent of the lighting power of
the navy and first took its name as
the battle feet when President Roose- |
welt sent II upon a memorable cruise |
around the world.
Admiral Mayo Is looked upon by |
his associates as q man OF vigor, de- |
termination, and high executive abil- |
ity. He will be remembered in recent |
events as, the officer who demanded /
salute for the American flag at
Tampico, when the Nexicans under
President Huerta, insulted II, and
who would probably have obtained
such apology IL he had not been in
terferred with by William J. Bryan.
who was then Secretary of State.
He was made commander-in-chiefo of
the Atlantic feet despite the fact that
the Government at the time OF the
Tampico incident, was not willing to
follow his lead.
Would Cooperate.
Under Admiral Mayo the Atlantic
fleet will be called upon. in the event
Of extensive naval warfare. to CO.
operate with the British and French
fleets for the purpose OF keeping open
to commerce the transatlantic high
way. All submarine patrol operations
viii be under the general direction
OF Admiral Mayo, and IL there is a ,
big clash of naval forces involving
the United States battle fleet, Mayo
is now destined to be the man in
of the American ships.
There are two other officers whom ,
the fortunes OF war may call upon to
play an important part in the opera s
lions OF the battle fleet aside from ,
those rear admirals who now COM ,
nand divisions of ba:tIeships under :
Mayo. These officers are :
Rear Admiral Albert Gleaves, who is :
N command of the destroyer fiotilla. I.
md Rear Admiral Albert w. Grant. {
who commands the submarine fiotilla
Both are officers of much sea expert :
'nce and are accounted as experts
n their respective fields. The de-
Itroyers will play a prominent part :
n patroling the steamship lanes and l
n hunting submarines.
Until the United States is able to v
fleet OF submarine chasers
{ will have to rely upon the de- b
troyers almost entirely for opera a
Ions against German undersea boats. II
The American submarines will find b
heir chief usefulness in protecting s
important ports along the Atlantic Z
eaboard, although some of the q
arger ones will travel with the battle 4
eet wherever that force may be g
perated. r.
vitality Important.
Ashore and at home there are sew y
raj naval officers who hold vitally =
Important posts in waging war u
gainst an enemy. Most important Of "
II there is Admiral William S. Ben ir
on. chief of naval operations, who p
ecomes the head OF the Navy Depart u
tent whenever the Secretary and As
stant Secretary are absent. Admiral l.
enson is in charge of the operations
the fleet and OF the preparation Of
lans for Its employment in war. He "
the first officer to hold tiIis position.
! modern times Admiral Benson's
1ties will be OF peculiar Importance
ecause of the fact that science en- NJ
bles him constantly to keep in COM ~,
lete touch with the warships at sea
ven as recently as the Spanish w
merican war, because of the absence IN IN
wireless. this was not possible. nt
In those days naval commanders bl
ere compelled either to rely upon pc
Lble instructions or upon themselves. 81
oday the feet at sea is always un- tr
,r the direction of q chief at home. IL
dmiral Benson is an officer of wide w
,perience. sound Judgment. technical We
I'LL. and. in addition. Is one of the je
ost popular and democratic officers to
no has ever held a high command
Upon two other officers whose
tiles require their preaence in Wash