The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-04
PLENTY OF PRECEDENTS


 shore service.
 PLENTY OF PRECEDENTS
 Tn support of his contention that d com mander of ship sunk, or damaged by submarine attack, was entitled to a med- al if he showed proper qualifications, bat submarine. Secretary Daniels cited numerous examples in American naval history, and also pointed to instances of such awards by the French government during the world war. American naval history, he told the committee, was filled with precedents upholding his action in awarding the distinguished service med als to commanders of ships sunk by submarines or mines.
 Tn the stiletto attack of submarine warfare, said Mir. Daniels, ''ti is not a fact that the man strikes or is struck that tests true mettIe and true. naval leadership. The question is: Does he play the part of the man, with chivalry and thought only of others. and of his ooun- try? And has he by prepara ton and fore sight done all that is possible to meet any and every emergency? And has, he by preparation and foresight done all that is possible to meet any and every emergency? And when he faces a court of his brother officers, do they find that he has measured up in the terrible ordeal to the high naval traditions? Admirals Mayo and Gleaves and Vice Admiral Grant recommended commanding officers under them for distinguished service medals. who displayed these high quali- ties when their ships. struck by mines or torpedoes, were sunk or damaged. The board of awards approved their recom- mendations. The greatest thing that a man ever does in this world is to turn a stumbling block into a stepping stone. If medals are not given for this sort of noble courage and coolness and direction in supreme danger. what on earth are they designed for?"
 NO DISTINCTION MADE
 Referring to Admal Sims statement that he had not recommended any en- listed men for medals because we had nothing to give them," the Secretary called the committees attention to the act creating the awards which he saie made no distinction between an admiral captain and enlisted man.
 "It is the service he renders, the serv- ice in peril, and not his rank that counts he said. There are occasions when g ship, is threatened with destruction and when, for the moment. it's safety and protection depends on an enlisted man and he is then in a position of great re sponsibility,' and if he performs his du ties at that moment with courage ane devotion, he is fully entitled to the recog milton of his conduct by the distinguished service medal.
 Referring to the bestowal of that meda on Admiral Benson, because of his serv ices as chief of naval operations Mir Daniels declared he would give the sam' medal that goes to that great and dis tinguished officer 10 the humhles sailol lad. who when p\ ced in a position O great responsibility. in a time that tested the stun of which a man is made, me the demands of those duties. and placed his. life in jeopardy in order that his shiE and the lives of others might be pre- served
 With that in mind. he ordered fur !, ther study of navy records when h l found that only 119 enlisted men of tn 1 500, 900 in the navy during the war hal 1 been recommended for any high honor explained. As the result of this study as yet incomplete, he said IS additiona 1 enlisted men were awarded the dis tinguished service medal and 6S nor
 men were put on the list for nav, l crosses
 INSULT TO MEN l Emphatic denial was made by tn secretary of Admiral Sims statemen i that the policy followed in awardinI medals had "shot to pieces" the navy l morale.
 'It is an insult to the splendid me ! of the navy to say that the morale O | the service could be seriously impaire ! by any question of awards to individ l uals." the secretary said on that poin "They are made of sterner stuff tha to be rattled by matter so unimport ant in comparison with their devotio to. their duties. Their loyalty is in n sense dependent upon medals
 Explaining Admiral Sims mention o a message from the secretary askin what recommendation had been mad for "Bagley tMr Daniels brother-in 1 law)" and other officers of the Jaco Jones. and other destroyers that wer attacked MT. Daniels said that the not | was written late one afternoon afte all officers in charge of reports ha left the department and written a the easiest way of getting the informa tion. There was not at that time an never has been. MT. Daniels declared any question of favoritism or relation ship in the matter of his relations wit Commander Bagley.
 1 Mir Daniels said he had no criticisr l of the work of the board of award, headed by Rear Admiral Austin \ l Knight. and that it's mmendation 1 were faithfully made on the basis 0 | the neagre information in its posses al