Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-05-11
Wilson S War
Message 10.
Navy Is Told.

Washington. May II. - President
Wilson's hitherto unpublished war in
structions to the officers of the At
lantic fleet. given in person on the
quarterback of the flagship Penn
sylvania on August IL. 1917. and bid
ding them throw tradition to the
wind" strike the word prudent from
their vocahularies and do the thing
that is audacious to the utmost point
of risk and daring" were made pub
lie here today by Secretary Daniels.
In laying the text of his remarks
before the senate and naval investi-
eating committee, Secretary Daniels
said they showed the "bold and Wig
orous'' policy the president had out
lined for the navy.
do not stop to think what is pru-
dent for moment" said the presi-
dent. you will win by the audacity
Of method when you cannot win by
circumspection and prudence.
II think that there are willing ears
to hear this in the American navy
and the Aemrican army because that
is the kind of folks we are.
No War for Amateurs
There will have to come new
tradition into service which does
not do new and audacious and sue
cessful things"
The president also expressed his
dissatisfaction with progress being
made toward crushing the subma-
rine campaign.
The British admiralty had met Am
erican suggestions with what amount
ed to statements that "it never had
been done" the president said, add
ling
I And felt like saying well, moth
ing was ever done so Systematically
as nothing is being done now"
In opening his address to the Of
ficers, Mr.. Wilson said:
Admiral Mayo and gentlemen: I
have not come here with malice pre-
pense to make speech, but | have
come here to have look at you and
to say some things that perhaps may
be intimately said and even though
the company is large, said in confi-
dence.
"This Is an Unprecedented war
and, therefore, it is war in one sense
for amateurs. Nobody ever before
conducted war like this and there
fore nobody can pretend to be pro.
! fessional in war like this. Here are
two great navies, not to speak of the
others associated with us--our owl
and the British ontnumbering by {
very great margin the navy to which
we are opposed and yet casting abou
for way in which to use your su
periority and our strength.
U-Boats Greatest Menace
"Now, somebody has got to thinl
this war out. Somebody has got tt
think out the way not only to figh
the submarine but to do something
different from what we are doing.
1--WE are hunting hornets all ovei
the farm and letting the nest alone
None of us know how to go to tn,
nest and crush it and yet l despair
of hunting for hornets all over tn,
sea when l know where the nest Il
land know that the nest is breeding
hornets as fast as l can find them.
am willing for my part and l know
you are willing because l know thu
stuff you are made of--I am wlllinl
to sacrifice half the navy Great Brit
ain and we together have to- crush
that nest, because If we crush it tn,
war is won. have come here to sa,
that l do not care where it conner
from, 1 do not care whether it Gomez
from the youngest officer or the old
est but want the officers of thii
navy to have the distinction of say
! ing how this war is going to be won
II am willing to make any sacri
! flee for that. l am ready to pu
myself at the disposal of any office
in the navy who thinks he know
how to run this war.
: Cast all Traditions
/ "I wish that / could think and hat
| the brains to think in the terms o
the marine warfare. because | wouli
feel then that | was figuring out tn
future history of the political free
dom of mankind. l do not see hoy
any man can look at the flag of tn
United States and fail having hi
mind crowded with "reminiscences o
the number OF unselfish men
who have died under the folds of tina
beautiful emblem. l wonder if mel
who do die under it realize the dis
tinction they have.
"There is distinction in the privi
lege and / for my part am sorry L
play SO peaceful part in the busi
: ness as / myself am obliged TO play
and / conceive Il privilege 10 com
4 and look at you men who have thi
other thing to do and ask you to com
and tell me how this thing cai
be better done; and we will thanI
Cod that we have got men Of orig
linative brains among us.
I'VE have got to throw tradition
to the wind.
"As / have said, gentlemen. l TAX
lii for granted. that nothing that
say here will be repeated and there
fore l am going to say this: Ever
time we have suggested anything Il
the British admiralty the reply ha
come back that virtually amounte'
to this. that it had never been O. n
that way. and / felt like saying wei
! nothing was ever done 50 systemat
icalIy as nothing is being done now
Therefore, i should like 10 see some
Z thing unusual happen, somethin
that was never done before; and in
: asmuch rs the things that are bein
J done to you were never done before
don't you think It Is worth while t
try something that was never don
: before against those who are doin
! them to you2
! Forget all Prudence