The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-25

the ultimate verdict of the people of the country with regard to your magnani- nous and unselfish view of public duty and upon winning in the retrospect the same admiration and confidence that have learned to feel for you
 With much regard and very great appreciation of the large services you have rendered. cordially and sincerely yours WOODROW WILSON"
 REPLY TO GOETHALS
 President Wilson's letter to General Goethals follows:
 Your letter of July 20 does you great honor (this was the generals letter of resignation). It is conceived in a fine spirit of public duty, such as 1 have learned to expect of you. This is as you say. a case where the service of the public Is the only thing to be considered. Personal feelings and personal prefer erces must be resolutely set aside, and we must do the thing that is most serv- iceable It is with that thought in mind that I feel constrained to say that think that you have interpreted your duty rightly.
 NO impartial determination of the questions at issue can now set the ship building programme promptly and ef- fectiyely on it's way to completion and success It Is best that we take the self-forgetting course you suggest and begin again with a fresh sheet of paper begin not the shipbuilding but the fur ther administration of the programme The shipbuilding is happily In large part begun and can now readily be pushed to completion if the air be cleared of the de- bates that have unfortunately dark ened 1t.
 with deep appreciation, therefore, of your generous attitude, and with genuine admiration of what you have been able in short time to accomplish, I accept your resignation, and feel that in doing so I am acting upon your best judgment as well as my own. I hope that you will feel the same undoubting confidence that I feel that the people of the coun- try for whom you have rendered great service, will judge you justly and gener- ously in this. as in other things. and that all personal misunderstandings and misjudgmetns that have been created will pass In a short time entirely away"
 ATTITUDE OF GOETHALS
 General Goethals' letter of July 20 to the President follows:
 I beg to acknowledge your letter of July IS and wish to express my appre- citation of the considerate manner in which you have stated the conclusions which you have reached.
 Tn the project for the rapid emer- gency construction of small ships dated March 20. 1917. and approved by you on April last, 1t was stated that: TO se- cure the speed of production. which is all important, we feel that the task of securing and equipping these ships should be put in the hands of one man. Cen tralized control Is essential for rapid and efficient work
 It was on this understanding on my part that I undertook the work at your request. This understanding was subse- quently confirmed, not only when I took up the matter with the shipping board but at the hearings before the subcom- mittee of the committee on appropria- tions of the United States Senate where 1t was stated that I was to have ab- solute and complete authority for the administration on the construction side that everything the board could do would be done, and that 1t would act on my suggestion and initiative
 These assurances were placed much more clearly before the members of the subcommittee on appropriations of the House.
 RESULTS NEEDED
 The necessity for shipping makes it imperative that results be secured as rapidly as possible. It Is results, by whomsoever obtained, which count after all, and nothing should be allowed to in terfere with the accomplishment of this end. have endeavored to establish har-