New-York tribune., 1918-01-09
Resignation of Pres;d.,,
Thompson Will Not Chan..
Attitude on Daniel.
Stayton Retained on
Board of Director,
Annual Meeting Is Held !,
Biltmore, With Election
of Officers

session at the Hotel Bilsmore yess..
day, accepted the decision Of its NV.
ident, Colonel Robert N. Thomn,,.
that Ill health compelled him to fo,..
renominat:on for the organtzas;,s.
presidency. it went on record az sian,
ing behind him TO the last in his r.,
trovcrsy with Secretary Of the s,r
Daniels.
Similarly the league a1recd to -.
retirement OF William II. stayton :,
secretary, while setting is zeal Of >,
proval on activities which mad result.
in Secretary Daniels characterizinr Ii.
as unpatriotic. -Mr. Stayton was NAM,
as a member of new board of !
rectors Of the league which was elecs
yesterday. The board will meet tod,
to elect the new officers. Colonel Roo,.
welt and ex-Mayor Mitchell are conss
cred likely candidates. fer the lcayS
presidency. Despite thc opposition q
Secretary Daniels, the league means y
continue to serve the country BY sial
ing the navy by action and construtl
tive criticism"
81 have repeatedly been asked WIZ;
the leagues attitude toward Secretsr
Daniels is to be-" sald Vice Presid.s
Henry Fl. Ward. presiding in the b
sence of Colonel Thompson. II A.
asked whether the fight is to 90 On
Matters of policy can be determined by
the directors only, but personally, fo
your guidance, ! say that if the 'fgk.
is understood to mean the adyancemer.
of what is thought TO be constructiy.
criticism it must go or"
Delegates Cheer Decision
Two hundred delegates from ali
parts of the country cheered this a.
nouncement and appointed commit
tee to buy and present q sutsbk
trophy to Colonel Thompson, whom
they elected unanimously as honorsr
president of the league for life.
II am prevented by illness frs
being with you,' wrote the retire.
president from Florida. "Advaneir.
years and physical iniirmities make i
imperative that surrender the iras.
you have so long given me.
Il regret that Mr. Daniels contnas'
his hostile attitude toward the Nav
League" continued Colonel Thompsa
after referring to his fifteen yea
presidency of the organization "Wn'
out malice am. IN the interest OF ia
American public, the Navy League gay
to the press statement regarding a
explosion of magazine at Mare Is
and. Angered by the spondenr
which followed the issuance of !hs
bulletin, Mr.. Daniels undertook to DE-
prive the men Of the navy of the con
fort garments and recreation GROUND
provided for them through the fore
sight Of the league. He attempted 7
destroy an efficient organization .
nearly 100000 patriotic women II
sought to discredit patriotic soce'
Of high standing and nationwide men
bership which, by working Tor nav
] Sufficient and efficient Tad arouse
his antagonism. But he failed. Tn
net increase of our active member
ship since August Is is l3,l4e.
Urges Support of Wilson
During the coming year. under you
new leader, you Will, as in the pas
Loyalty and patri otically support Pres
dent Wilson and aid IN every way u
your power the prosecution OF the val
against autocracy and tyranny, and
no way can you aid more effective
than by opposing autocracy and tyrst'
ny when they show their hateful heaa'
IN our democracy'
"rhe Nav League is non partisan u
the most rigid sense, said MI wsIu
presiding, while the delegates applaud
ed. "Some incidents in The past 81
months have created in the minds 0
those who i..istrust US "n idea thaI
has not been so. But its officers 81
ways have been strictly conscious
the right. ard am sure there Is y
one who believes that Colonel Ihomp
son would prostitute tue league
party politics" :.
Despite Secretary Daniels's ofae
barring the leagues workers and 'nel
products from the country's navy yafa
concluded Mr.. Ward, such garments
the league was able to supply ~s'
reaching the sailors.
The following board OF directors We
clected:
G. Elder Adams. of New York; E; A; BE-
nett. of New York Woodbury. Blair. .
Washington; D.. Norman Bridge, Of Wv >,
senator ". A. clarS. of/Nontana 49,.
Charles W. Folds, of Illinois: Mrs; Jam'
Carroll Frazer. of West Virginia Csin.' saN ,
Forbes, of Massachus etts j. Burr 9ooon'
Tulsa. Okla. T. T. GaH. OF Washington, i.
Ea-Governor Phillips Lee Go'dsboroaessS Is
Maryland: DR.. David Jayne iiil Oh
York; n. n. Hubbard. jr.. Of Iowa y =
Jenknson. of PeunsyiVsnls: Ropen. ,
Kelley. of New York: w ". hnsa'
Missouri
William S. Lloyd, OF Pennsylyania.;; ynss. ;nsas.
Martindale. Of Indiana; H. Milne Mcinpp r.,
of Illinois: Clarence Ousley. of Texas o. d.
rlond B. Price. of New York ogaene ~ n.
OF New York George X. Sheldon. g. .s-, a.,
York: William H. Stayton. Of pe'a"''
Arthur c. Smith of NehrasNsl. .,.-.,S,
Henry NJ. Robinson. Of Ohio; AisssasII nsn;saI
Van Rensselaer,. OF PenusylF;nia' 1,.srsop ns.yrsa
r. Waldo. of New Orleans. {. W we,sIsj pssj
of Washington Henry II. Ward, o, ~
Island William c. Redfield, of New iu.s
William McAdoo. OK New YORK 's.n,' ,
Ford, of New York Frank B. ros 's ri nhs
Pennsylvania Theodore r. Burton. o, H..
William Livingston. OF Michigan '''
Turner Atterbury. of New York. :, Il
A meeting OF the new boara ~ p;l
,ectors will be held al the Ho'ei =, 4
more tomorrow and officers lo'
ensuing year Will be named.