Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-04-25

caste have been treated is making Mr..
Daniels one OF the most popular secre-
taries that the navy ever had.
In Washington the other day I inquired
OF an officer who had come into the serv-
Ice from civil life since the war how it was
mat the navy was functioning so effl-
GENTLY. His answer was: We nave a
good administrator in the secretary. He
plays no favorites. He trusts US. He puts
responsibilities upon us and kicks us out
impartially If we fail. We can rely upon
falr treatment, and we are all OH our
%nlettle.'i
From the first Mr.. Daniels ideas seemed
10 nave been To establish an equality Of
opportunity IN the navy and to make it
thereby attractive to the more intelligent
youths of the country. Prior to his adj
mfntstyation enlisted men had occasionally
become officers. but the path of promo
ton was Il difficult one and was barred
by an examination that only those who
mad both an academic and a technical
education could pass. AS there was no
way OF getting this education abroad ship.
the sailors opportunity to obtain a COM
Inission was only theoretical, and the
service had little attraction for the almbi-
ftlous young man. unless he could enter It
by way Of Annapolis.
Now this is changed. There are schools
for the enlisted men on every ship. At
tendance Is compulsory, AID every sailor
who ts willing to study hard enough can
get the education hat Is necessary to OBJ
tain a commission. The officers are the
teachers, and, although some OF them pro-
tested that they did not enter the service
to be p~edagogues, they are commencing to
realize that In l%nstructing others they are
learning much themselves.
Since We entered the var over 1000 men
have been advanced from warrant officers
to commission ed officers and over 1900 en-
listed men have been promoted to warrant
OFFICERS. Upon the recommendation Of the
! secretary. four years g congress passed
O law giving him authority to nominate
annually 100 enlisted sailors under 20 years
or 3 for examination and entry a.
cadets at Annapolis, and last year a.young
man who had entered the academy in this
way was the president Of his elias. In
nus annual report Mr.. Daniels says tina
II 10 MS purpose to extend this principle
further when the var is ended and to
recommend that after passing his en-
trance examination every appointee to the
naval academy should so to sea and serve
! a. least one year as an enlisted man be-
FORE entering Annapolis.
lie says that the American ideal is that
men snail obtain high station by beginning
at the lowest rung in the ladder, and that
they should secure place and position by
first mastering the primary duties.
He has applied this theory IN the case
Oh ms own sons, n OF whom upon the
outbreak of the war enlisted as a private
IN the marine corps, while another. aged
II. IL a q at Annapolis. This cadet, by
the way. in named Worth Bagley Daniels.
after Mrs. Daniels brother, Lieut.. Worth
Bagley. who was the first American naval
officer to be killed In the Spanish
American war. Another brother Of Mrs.
Daniels. Com. David Worth Bagley, ia a
naval officer who narrowly escaped death
last December when the United States
vessel Jacob Jones' was sunk off the
French coast; and It was perhaps because
OF his wife's naval affiliations that the
secretary was first drawn toward his
present position.
In HIS persistent fight against what he
has described AZ the Fetish Of senority''
MI. Daniels has also shown q determine.
ton 20 make merit rather than the acct
dent OF position the determinant OF, high
rank In the avy He has eecured the
FpassAGe ct Law under which Ill promo.
tons above the rank Of lieutenant com.
mardere are the result Of selection ~ .
ooard Of experienced ofeicesS who decide
Uheeher b candidate has given proof Of
AZ aeelity 60 command.
IN schocl for eal1osa, peomotlou from
TIA ranks. ana Tie substitution Of fjtneeg
Tor eenof1ty - Q qualification for ,hieh
position are typecAl 0e The reforms b.,
watch JeeepANA panleAs has democsa4ioo1s
IL aAvy a. Ua1e u sfteisaG Me q
49, ~