Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-12-13
THE rNITEp STATES NAVY


concerned in the conduct OF the ma
tons part in the war. Thus. as one
instance in illustration, Josephus
Daniels, Secretary OF the Navy, has
been able TO bring his annual report
up TO the very close of hostilities, and
10 infuse into that report some of the
warmth of national pride. enthusiasm.
and gratitude that the natural ac-
compartments OF pronounced victory
of right over wrong.
From a historical point of view, the
Secretary's survey of the accomplish
ments of his department, and of the
service rendered by the United States
Navy during.the tremendous struggle,
Will, II is safe TO say, be esteemed far
more highly. because prepared while
Impressions and memories we're still
fresh, than IL would have been If writ
ten after the lapse ora long and cool
ing interval Secretary Daniels
speaks al out the navy now less like
the Official and more like the citizen
and, speaking like the citizen. he is as
sured of an even more sympathetic
audience than usually listens to him.
II is quite proper that he should
emphasize. az the beginning, The ae-
complishment OF the task OF trans
porting. on British and American
ships. more than 100000 men to
France without the loss of an east
bound troopship through enemy ac-
ton: and this fact should lie remem
bered as one of the most important
connected with the participation of the
United States in the war The con-
fiict had reached a crucial point; IL
was vital TO the safety of the allied
cause that the armies commanded by
Marshal Foch should be reinforced.
The Allies appealed to the United
States for man-power. German hopes
OF final triumph lay in the belief that
man-power from America could not be
furnished The Central Empires were
encouraged to fresh effort by this be-
lief Ludendorff had assured them
that it was impossible for the United
States to send any considerable num-
Der of men to France in time to pre-
vent the occupation of Paris and the
domination of the Channel ports. But
the impossible was accomplished, and
the tide of battle was turned.
Mr.. Daniels says that the number
transported in British ships, more
than 100000. constituted service in
valuable and timely, and was typical
of Great Britain's large contribution
of fits great shipping facilities for the
common cause.
The Secretary attributes the success
of his department to the cooperation
of all other departments of the govern
ment in the common undertaking. He
calls il team work" and says that
teamwork has been the navy's
slogan for five years: also that it con-
tinues TO be the war motto of the serv
ice both at home and abroad. APP
parently." he says, there have been
times when a Secretary of the Navy
seemed TO find friction and lack of CO.
operation among the officers around
him. IL that spirit ever existed in the
United States Navy, can state with
confidence and pride that there is now
no vestige of it, and l firmly believe
it will never return"
Where the two great navies of the
allied group were afforded no oppor-
tunity of meeting the enemy fleet as
they would have liked. and where, in
the necessities of the case, they had to
respond to other duties. some of them
unknown in previous wars. there was
prime necessity under both flags, and,
in fact, under all allied flags. for ad-
justment and cooperation. Mr.. DAN
iels refers to this point when he says
that 1.-The outstanding accomplishment
of the navy abroad in this war. out
side of rigorous and valorous service
in the danger zone had been the
character and degree of cooperation
and practical consolidation for the
time being of our services with those
services with which we have been as
sociated The navy has stood out for
unity of command even though this in
some instances involved sacrificing
temporarily something of our iden-
tity." The assignment of vive-Ad-
miral Sims, who was on his way to
London, as head OF the United States
naval establishment in the war zones.
even before the war was declared ex-
istent by Congress. was the first step
toward the cooperation and practical
consolidation of the American and
British sea forces. How well this off,
Ger has managed his part of the un-