Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-23
KNIGHT CONDEMNS
DAN|ELS'S AWARDS
Head of Naval Decorations
Board Takes Issue With
Secretary
HISTORIC PARALLEL FAULTY
Rv tic Associated Press

Washington. Jan. 23.--Rear Ad-
miral Austin NJ. Knight. chairman of
the naval decorations board. took sharp
issue today with Secretary Daniels on
The matter of naval awards.
Testifving before the Senate invcsti.
vatinr committee. Admiral Knight said
ihe board could not agree that officers
who lost their ships through enemy ac-
ton were entitled to htTI DECORATIONS
unless they had engaged tho enemy.
Admiral KNIGHT said ~" cases or OF
aosrs Who lost their vessels through sub
marine attack were not comparable
With those of Lawrence and Perry. as
Mr.. Daniels said in his recent letter 10
Chairman Page. of the Senate naval
committee. Tawrcnce's name was I'M
mortal. the witness declared. because OF
the spirit he showed during the engage.
ment with the enemy. while Perry
name will ever live in history because
of the skill and daring he showed IN
transferring his flag from his SINKING
flagship to the Niagara and then leaulug
his almost defeated fleet to victory
Admiral Knight said a hlgh uocora
ton was not deserved unless the Slnk-
ing was accompanied by offensive action
against the enemy.
No Decoration Asked for Bagiey
Admiral Knight said that in the case
of Commander David W. Rag!ey' sec
retarv Daniels's brother in law. no
decoration was recommended Tor any
circumstance in connection Win tHe
sinking of the destroyer Jacob Jones
because Commander Bagley did not en-
gage the enemy. \ Navy Cross was wa
recommended for the otticer,, ne Salu,
for good seamanship displayed IN taxing
off the crew and passengers OF the tor
pedoed British steamship Drama
Commander Bagley was not recon
mended BY his immediate superior ne
said for any decoration in connection
with the sinking Of the Jacob Jones
Officers whose vessels were torpedocu'
but who, by good scamanship and as
cipline. succeeded in saving their SHIPS.
earned the D. S. NJ. Admiral Knight
declared.
d. 5. NJ. for Ship Savers
'It is true that the board recon
mended awards for several OF the ON
GERS referred to by the secretary as
commanders of ships which were lost
or seriously damaged by enemy Subma-
rines or mines Admiral Knight SAID;
"But in each case there was special
reason. CAPTAIN Vernon. of the Cas-
ain. CAPTAIN Dismukes, of the Mount
Vernon CAPTAIN Chase, of the Mime
sofa, and Captain Graham, OF the Fin :
land. saved their ships by excellent sea =
manship and discipline after the ships
were disabled.
No information was available to guide
the board in making recommendations
for Captain Satterlee, of the Tampa
and Commander Ghent, of the Antilles
nor were any circumstances known that
would Justify such award. Admiral
Knight said. Secretary Daniels award :
Cd n s Ms to both officers. Tho
Tampa and Antilles were torpedoed and
sunk
Commander Foote Only Exception
&. Commander Foote's case is the onl!
one in which the board recommended
! the award of d. S. NJ. for circum
stances connected alone with the actua
loss of ship" Admiral Knight said
"and this recommendation was based
chiefly upon the recommendations OF
Admiral Gleaves and Admiral Mayo.
The award recommended for captain
Christy. the admiral said was baset
not only on his conduct at the time of
the sinking of his ship. the armored
cruiser San Diego. but for his later
service in command of the battleship
Wyoming.
Commander Conn was not recon
mended for award in connection with
the loss of his ship, the yacht Alcedo,
the witness continued, but was recon- =
mended for a Navy Cross under the
general citation given destroyer com =
manders.
Board Had Its Own Policy
Admiral Knight said Secretary
Daniels did not furnish the board with
any policy to guide it in making its
Recommendations and the board did not
ask for one as the members did not con-
slider it necessary The board itself, he
added, worked out a policy based on the
following general principles:
THAT Distinguished Service Medals
be recommended for the following
groups: Flag officers. including bureau
chiefs; chiefs of staff to flag officers.
commanders of battleships in war zone.
commanders of battlcships in home
waters, commanders of mine layers in
the war zone.
Navy CroSseS-Commandcr of de-
stroyers operating in the war zone for
two months or more, commanders of
submarines operating iii the war zone.
commander Of submarine chaSer~
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