The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-01-23
Taxes
SHARP ISSUE
WITH DANIELS
Says He Cannot Agree to
All High Decorations
Recommended

WARRINGTON. Jan. 2a.--Rear
Admiral Austin NJ. knight. chairman
of the naval decorations board. took
sharp issue today with Secretary
Daniels on the matter Of naval
awards.
Teuifying before the senate IN
vestigatlng mittce, Admiral
knight said tho board could not
sgree that Officers who lost their ship
through enemy action were entitled
to high decorations. unless they had
engaged the enemy.
Admiral Knight said the cases of
officers who lost their vessels through
submarine attacks were not compar-
able with those OF Lawrence and
Perry as Mr.. Daniels said in hls re-
cent letter TO Chairman Page, Of the
senate naval committee.
Had No Policy.
Admiral knight aaid Secretary
Daniels did not furnish the board
with any policy to guide Il In making
Its recommendation and the board
did not ask for one aS the members
did not consider Il necessary. The
board itself, he added. worked out a
policy based on the following general
principles.
That ID. s. Ms. be recommended
for the following groups: Flag ohl-.
GERS. Including bureau chiefs. chiefs
OF stats TO fiaE officers. commanders
OF battleships in war zone. COM
manders OF battleshlps IN home
ms NJ Halga Of Nssa Ia
the war gone.
Navy crosses; Commanders Of de-
Htroyers operating In the war zono
for two months or more; commanders
OF submarine chasors operating IN the
war zone; commanders OF escort craft
operating In tha war zone. command
ers OF transports who made two or
more round trips through TIE war,
zone; aviators, reported a. having
taken an active part IA Offensive OPP
eratons over thes senemy'a lines, and
aides OF flag Officers,
Great variance by commanding OIL
GERS In recommending decorations,
Admiral knight said. greated a aitua-
ton where many officers would have
received the highest award possible
while others performing exactly tho
rar.ie type OF duty, would have re-
eeived no decoration had they been
followed.
Admiral Knight said that IN the
cose Of Commander ID. W. Bagley.
Secretary Daniels brother-in-law, no
decoration was recommended for any
circumstance In connection with tho
sinking Of the destroyer Jacob Jones',
because Commander hagley did NOT
engage the enemy.
Commander Bagley was not recon-
monded by his immediate superior.
he said Tor any decoration In connec-
ton with the sinking uf the Jacob j.
Jones. Officers whose vessels were
torpedoed but who BY good seaman
ship and discipline. succeeded In nav-
ing their ships earned the ~ 3. NJ.
Admiral knight declared.
1T Is true that the board recon-
mended awards for several Of the
Officers referred To by the secretary
as commanders OF ships which were
submarines or minea." Admiral
Knight said.
saved Their Ships.
But In each case there was q
special reason. Captain Vernon OF
tho Caasin, Captain DiHmukea, OF tho
Mount Vernon. Captain Chase OF the
Minnesota and Captain Graham OF
the Finland. saved their ships by ex-
cellent seamanahip and discipline
after the ships were disabled"
"rhe law providing for awards
might not unwiseiy have made a dis
tinctson between service at sea and
service on shore Nv nroyidinE differ
ent types OF award" Admiral Knight
said. In this connection Il may be
noted that the board recommended
every one Of the commanding officers
OF the battleships which served IN tho
war zone for y. :, NJ, whereas the