Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-08-18
SECRETARY BAKER PUTS TRou-
RLEsoME CIVILIAN oRcANlzA.
TON OUT OF BUSINESS.
NOTHING TO BE ACCEPTED
BY Y. 8. OR PUBLIC
Charge That Navy Department 10
Afraid Of Organized, Labor Brings
Hreak-Sussests to League officers
That They Resign in Interests Of
Nation and Organization.

ident is working on his reply to thu
pope's peace proposals and the arm!
is drilling for its work in the trenches
attention is turned to the lighter side o!
war.
First we have the row between the
Navy League and the Secretary of the
Navy.
Secretary Daniels issued a statement
yesterday to the effect that nobody rep.
resenting the Navy League should bt
allowed in any navy yard or on board
any ship, and warned the contributing
public that the department would moi
permit the acceptance Of anything
whatever from the league as it is a,
present differed and managed.
This is the latest move In the con-
troversy that started with the accusa-
ton that the investigation of the ex-
plosion at the Mare Island navy yard
California; was being blocked by the
navy department because it was afraid
Of labor.
covery of time fuse connected with
the magazine indicated that the ex-
plosion was tie result Of deliberate
criminal plot.
Sees Political Interests.
"It was the leagues opinion" says
a statement issued last night that its
informant had reasonable ground for
regarding with suspicious the navy de-
partment's labor policy as being sub
servient to the political interests of the
titular head Of the navy"
IF the navy leagues accusation had
a basis Of fact" Secretary Daniels stat
ed, II ought TO be in the penitentiary
and the officers concerned in the in
vestigation ought to be courtmartialed."
Mr.. Daniels says he is at aloss TO ex-
plain the attack. His first counter was
to suggest in letter to Colonel Robert
NJ. Thompson. president Of the league.
that:
THE chief service which you and the
other active officials Of the navy
league can render to the navy Is to re-
sign at once and permit tha league to
be directed by those who in crisis
like the present could not permit to
be given to the public a statement
which attempts to discredit the entire
navy department and which will be
read with contempt and disgust by ev-
every honest citizen Of America"
Thompson's Response. :
Thompson, who Is a financier of
prominence, as well as a former Off
Ger of the navy. came back with the
proposal that he would sign II DAN
ieis would do likewise.
The preliminary report on the explo-
sion investigation Is now in the mails
on the way east
That inquiry began July TO-" says
the navy league. 1T has taken Mr.
Daniels forty days to get preliminary
report on the physical. surface facts
of an explosion that caused the death
of five persons, the injury of thirty
one and the destruction of important
government property. 1t will take him
forty days LANCER to establish the sim
pie fact Of the existence or non-exist-
ence Of time fuse"
The navy league is now frankly out
to get the scalp Of Secretary Daniels.
There are lot of important people
connected with the organization.
Eight out Of ten of the leagues
membership. yes, ninety-nine out Of a
hundred" Secretary Daniels remarked
yesterday afternoon, ARE fine, patriot
ic people. The organization is capable
Of performing invaluable service, but
not while II is afflicted with its present
control.
Until these men give way the in
stitution will nave no standing WITH the
department. It's representatives Will not
be permitted on board a single ship;
they cannot give to the navy so much
as a postage stamp" -
Somebody Must Go.
There has been some friction in the
past between the civilian organization
and the navy's head, and 1t is evident
that the peace terms involve the step
ping down Of the rulers Of the defeated
belligerents. Small wars, like the great
war demand the abdication Of little
Hohenzollern. and this goes both ways.
When Secretary Daniels notice to the
the public was read to the navy league
headquarters last night a snort came
back over the wire.
quite savage, isn't he?" said the
league voice. well, Mr.. Daniels does
not happen to be commander in chief
Of the army and navy"
But he does ropren to te Secre-
tary Of the navy" was suggested.
For the present, yes; but wait" :
AS was minated in the beginning,
this is phase Of the lighter side Of
war. Mr.. Daniels political interests"
limited at by the navy league, must
be the first disclosure Of presidential
candidacy.
A navy league that isn't allowed to
set foot on anything naval and that
cannot give even a box Of cigarets to q
sailor remains not much Of q navy
league. but even Liberia declared war
the other day, and 1t is the open season
for government executives. "a
:. 7,
Spiritual Mensreis
The religions In Russia are almost
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