New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-06
Daniels Statement OF H.
Boat Attack on Trans
ports His Story
Engagement Is Doubted
Dispatch, Later Contradicted,
Questions Narrative of
Battle at Sea
IFrom The Tribune Bureau.l

Washington, July 5.-There was con-
sternation !n the Navy Department and
in the Bureau of Public Information
when it was learned here to-day that
an Associated Press dispatch from
London had been received and printed
in some afternoon newspapers throw
ing doubt on the story that there had
been any naval engagement whatever
between the conveys of the American
evolutionary force and German sub
marines.
Subsequently The Associated Press
distributed to 81 its members instrue-
tions TO "kill" the EARLIER dispatch, and
requested those newspapers which had
printed it to carry the following item;
Washington, July investigation Of
cabled report from the American hotilla
base in the war zone. which said some
naval officers there thought the report or
the encounter with German submarines by
the convoy Of General Pershing's troop
ships WIS inaccurate. convinceS The As
ISOLATED Press that the dispatch was I'M
justified in the light Of the official reports
notilla. and in the light of the official an
nouncement made at the time by Secretary
Daniels. 80, 90.
Admiral Gleavess report. on which Sec
rctary Daniels based his announcement,
told in detail how the troop ships had been
attacked by German submarines IN torce'
once before they reached their rendezvous
and once after they Rad reached It,
Admiral Gleaves reported his gunners
were certain Of having destroyed one sub
ct
Secretary Daniels will investigate the
difference 81 opinion between officers II he
finds that there is one.
Secretary Daniels declared that he
had received the information ne gave
out in an official dispatch from Ad-
r,iral Gleaves, and that he had no
Goubt whatever the engagement had
occurred
Crcel Is Indignant
Georgc Creel. of the Bureau of In
formation. was bitter in his denuncia-
ton of the author Of what he called
tho anonymous" dispatch.
"Why do you not give out the text
Of the dispatch originally received from
the Admiral, as has always been done
he was asked.
"That would disclose to the Germans
exactly the latitude and longitude Of
where the battle took place." he re-
piled. "and would lead to long con-
troversy which would take away from
this glorious event all the glamour
il has possessed
wouldn't the German submarines
which escaped be able to report that to
their government, anyway" he was
q. keG
Eyes. but the report of Admiral
Gleaves goes on to say just how many
miles and in what direction the rem
devious was from the scene of the en-
gaCement," he replied.
Couldn't that be deleted, and the
remainder of the dispatch be given
OUT" the questioner persisted.
"Then would arise q controversy a.
TO why that had been suppressed, and
this same sort of dirty attack would
arise every time anything happened"
Creel Revrote Dispatch
"Did the dispatch from the admiral
actually tell Of an engagement he
was asked.
Certainly. What happened was this:
The dispatch arrived at night. The
Secretary, an officer of the navy and
myself read it over. | then rewrote
the dispatch, celebrating 1t exact
words. The message itself was rather
cryptic, as such cable messages usu-
ally are The product was issued by
/ the Secretary as his statement"
Light was thrown on the muddlee
from another angle when an Official
high in the Navy Department stated as
/ his opinion that the German Admiralty
/ did not know the route of the expe-
/ dictionary force. He pointed out that
had the Germans possessed this lnfor-
nation they would have concentrated a
large number Of submarines at some
point along the route. The attack, II
was stated, was made by a small num-
! Der of submarines. When this high
officer was then asked why Secretary
Daniels's statement had mentioned an
attack ain force" he waved his hands
and referred 10 the five torpedoes.
When asked why Mr.. Daniels's state
mtnt-which il developed was written
and elaborated" by Mr.. Creel-re-
ferred TO the peculiar and disturbing
gignifcance" Of the fact that the fleet
was attacked this side of the rendez-
vous, the official said:
"You write a lot yourself. Suppose
YOU had 20 explain every phrase you
used!"