Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-07-23
If importance of Encounters
Was Magnified 1t Was Be-
cause Of Rejoicing Over Ex-
pedition'S Arrival,
REPORT OF ADMIRAL
CANNOT Be PUBLISHED
Might Reveal Naval Code to
Enemy and Would Give
Names of Vessels Which
Conveyed Pershing's Men,


Washington, July 22.--Secretary
Daniels in letter sent the senate and
made public today, explains at length
the information on which he based
his statement of July regarding sub
marine attacks on the American ex-
peditionary force, and reveals that in.
conclusive reports of the encounter
had reached the navy department
five days before the statement was
issued.
The secretary wrote in reply to
Senator Tillman, chairman of the
naval committee, who sent a letter Of
inquiry after resolution had been
introduced in congress requesting
that the department submit the text
of Rear Admiral Gleaves' dispatch on
the subject. Several senators have
charged during debate that the Sec
retary's report was greatly exag-
gerated paraphrase of the official re-
port prepared by the public informa-
ton committee. The resolution of in
quiry was not passed.
Defends Statement.
Mr.. Daniels defends the statement
and assures the naval committee that
the text of the Gleaves dispatch is
subject to it's inspection although il
obviously cannot be made public be-
cause of the names of vessels and
other military information it con-
tains.
Late In tho afternoon of July g."
wrote the secretary, "the welcome
news came that the last ship of the
conveys and transports carrying the
American soldiers and marines to
France had reached its destination in
safety without accident or injury to
men or ships. The navy department
had known for five days prior to their
arrival that two attacks by submarines
had been made and you can well un-
derstand the relief which the news OF
the arrival of the last ship brought.
This relief was, of course, shared by
all others in the department who had
been apprehensive every minute since
June 2S. when Admiral Gleaves, in a
| brief cable. had reported that SUBJ
marines had made attacks upon two
divisions of the transports.
1 GHdSing W NIueTltuHS.
"At once statement was prepared
| and given out that evening which
knew would intensely crafty all
Americans. The message of Rear
Admiral Gleaves, announcing the at
tacks, of course, had not been given
to the public and consequently it had
been spared anxiety. The statemen,
which ! gave to the public conveyed
the feeling of all who had been wait.
ing and hoping for the reassuring tel
egram. The facts were stated not ir
the very words of the Gleaves cable.
gram, for it is the policy of the de-
partment in time of war not to EN-.
ploy the language of message com.
ing In code. otherwise it would be
easy for the enemy to learn the cipher
Moreover, the message of the real
admiral contained the names of the
ships, which for military reasons are
never given out during a war.
Terms Not Important.
''The important part of the state
ment given to the public was that al
our soldiers and marines and ship.
had been conveyed to France in
safety. Two Of the groups arrived
without being attacked and two were
unsuccessfully attacked. If the term,
battle and attacked in force are
open to criticism the fact still remain.
that the rejoicing was warranted. Il
the torpedoes, in either Of the attacks
had sunk American ships, the criti
cism made would not have concerned
itself with the difference between
what might have been called a bat
tie or an encounter or a brush"