The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-01-04

Congress and the people gain puzzled and disturb
ed by the course pursued by Mr. Daniels. Secretary Of
the Navy IN contradiction Of the policy Of President VIII
and the advice of the experts of the navy Mr. Dan
el's course can hardly Be dgnifed as policy" it
is inconsistent and changeabe but from al that can be-
learned from his most recent utterance the Secretary
of the Navy is embarlOng upon that unless
rule viii bring embarrassment to the United States With
utter disregard TO the effect his action may have upon the
situation and with sensationalism and
boastfulness highly offensive to the navy, Mr. Daniels
has outlined his personal idea to COnges If he were
suffering from an acute attack of swell head Mr. Daniels
could have been more reckless than when he recently
told Congress that he swept aside the advice Of his
pers and acted solely upon his intelligence in plan
ming for the extension Of the navy.
If Mr.. Daniels and his personal vanity were the only
comment Every one knows that whenever Mr.. Daniels
leaves the navy alone is efficient and that whenever he
Intermediates with its operations its neffciency is
uerd according to the degree of that interference At
the beginning of the war Mr. Daniels attempted to set
aside the necessary procedure for the efficient conduct Of
The navy as whole was compelled to act as if there had
been Secretary in other words the trained officers
Of the navy necessarily conducted its operations Whether
President Wilson wisely put stopper Mr. Daniels in
reference with efficiency or whether Mr. Daniels
merely overwhelmed by the magnitude Of events does not
matter The fact remains that the United States navy
glOriOusy efficient during the war; in spite Of the
Secretary Of the Navy.
Now, that stern necessity does not drive Mr. Daniels
becomes active again. and it is not too much to say that
every of his recent uterances has been either mis-
chievous foolish or mixture of both. All patriotic
citizens wish to see an increase in the navy and they
not disagree with Mr. Daniels that point But pat
roc citizen wishes to hear any language at this time
at any time which in its manifestation of dis
trust of and latent enmty to of the nations
that have fought side by side with the United States
against Germany Yet Mr. Daniels is so lacking in dis
erection that he directs his utterances along those lines
time when President Wilson is stranng every to
show the allies that the United States sympathzes with
them and anxious to have the mall adjust their inter-
ess to the welfare and peace Of the world It
is unnecessary to speak plainly. Every American
except Josephus Daniels the mischief that
ed by such remarks he has made not the editor Of
respectable newspaper in North Carolina but Secretary
Of the Navy
Not content with embarrassing the President Mr. Dan
els goes out of his way humate and repudiate the
tried and experienced officers Of the navy who have
fully considered the whole subject of naval increase and
reported comprehensive and wel-rounded plan When
members of the Congress committee reminded Secretary
Daniels that his absurd recommendations were at variance
with the recommendations of his boards Of experts Mr..
Daniels ippanty replied that he never permitted his
per to determine panshat he preferred his own udg
ment Inasmuch he has demonstrated during the entire
term that he combines incurable ignorance with stub
born belief in his own spewisdom it may be imagined
what harm might be done to the navy and the country
if his suggestions adopted He sometimes sets forth
sensible IDEAS usually adapted borrowed entirely from
reports made by naval officers who do not receive the
credit These ideas are credited by the public to Mr.
Daniels, who has thus acquired with persons repu
tation for sagacty which is far above his deserts
1t is unfortunate that the navy should be subjected
the whms Of Josephus Daniels at this critical hour when
President Wilson is not here TO put check upon his Sec
rotary Of the Navy.--WashngtOn Post.
If the present severe cold snap continues many days
step will have be taken to stop skating and coast
ing on the paved streets of the ctv The heavily load