The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-28

Secretary DANIELS of the Navy
found himself called upon to be the
judge In a question almost as delicate
as that Of SOLOMON and the babies
and, while using no such coup de the
atre as the King employed, JosEPHUs
arrived at a decision which will be
popularity applauded.
Should Commander Towers, the
flight commander Of the little NC sea-
plane feet his own particular ma
chine out Of the flying, continue the
trip from the Azores toward Lisbon in
the surviving plane and as the rank
ing officer Of the NC-4's commanding
officer? Or should Lieutenant-Com-
mander READ, who had piloted the
boat from Rockaway to Its triumphant
descent in the water off Horta. be al
lowed to 60 on not only as the cap
tain Of his plane but without the pres
ence Of the commanding officer of
what had been a feet of three and is
now a fleet of one?
The case for Towers had strong
points. Here was a man who had
borne large measure Of the respon-
sibility for the movements of the three
planes in their voyages from Rocka-
way to Halifax and thence to Trepas-
sey. He was unfortunate on the next
leg, being forced down in the fog and
his machine so disabled on reaching
the sea that 1t would fly no more. 1t
was then that he and his men showed
that the seaplanes were real boats as
we'll rs real ships, the NC-3 going to
Ponta Delgada on her own power. All
In all, TOWERS made a record that any
naval officer might envy. Yet, through
unfortunate circumstance, he found
himself in the Azores like an admiral
without a flagship.
Now an admiral whose flagship was
lost would take another ship and
make of 1t his flagship. This probably
was what was in the mind OF Rear
Admiral JACKSON, in Ponta Delgada,
and Rear-Admiral KNArP, In London.
when they approved Commander Tow
ERs's application to accompany Lieu
tenant Commander READ in the NC4
as fight commander. 1t was, from
the strictly naval point OF view, the
obvious course. But Secretary
DANIELS seems to have looked above
and beyond the ordinary official status
Of the case. He perhaps found two
common sense reasons for ordering
READ to go on without TOWERS.
In the first place, the oversee flight
was an adventure for the honor,
glory and improvement of the United
States Navy. There appeared to be
no doubt about READS individual
capability; the 1910 miles from New
foundland to Fayal vouched for 1t.
Would he not, starting from Ponta
Delgada toward Lisbon, with TowERs
beside him, be to some extent men
tally handicapped by his superior Off.
GERS presence? In such a situa ton
even silence might say too much
Was 1t not better, rather than to
hazard READS failure through lack OF
confidence or responsibility, to leave
TOWERS behind7 Mr.. DANIELS evi.
IDENTIFY thought so.
The second factor is the element OF
sportsmanship. READ having sailed
the "hoodoo plane" through many diff
ficulties to a victory which has re
fected immense credit upon our navy
and upon American craftsmanship
would 1t have been fair to have de
prived him, toward the close Of the
contest, Of his chance to win an un
divided crown? These jousts with
gravity and the winds in the lists Of
the sky are one man battles for the
most part. They are won through
the pride, the daring and the skill Of
the individual. So, when Mr.. DAN
IELs was asked to send one hero will
the other, Sportsmanship must hav,
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