The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-06-27

ROW RENEWED
C0mmandant of Seventh Naval
District, Florida, Bitter In
Charges Against Secretary


Washington, June 2e.-The Sims
Daniels row over the navy's conduct
of the war revived today with the
publication of a letter from Rear Ad-
miral Benton Decker, commandant OF
the seventh naval district, Florida, in
which he charges that Secretary Dam
iels in his testimony before the SEN
ate investigating committee, 'inten-
tionally and deliberately misrepre-
sented certain acts of Rear Admirals
Sims. Fullam and Fiske.
The letter. dated June II and adj
dressed to Chairman Hale of the COM
mittee was published in the Army and
Navy Register, a service magazine.
Admiral Decker said he also had sent
a copy of it to Secretary Daniels.
Admiral Decker was former naval at
tache at Madrid but was removed dur
ing the war. Secretary Daniels has
stated his removal followed represen-
tations from Ambassador Willard to
the state department that he was en-
croaching on diplomatic functions in
his activities there.
The admiral declared in his letter
that from my personal knowledge OF
Mr.. Daniels character, am led to
believe that whatever is cited in his
statements 10 the discredit of the Off
GERS is so perverted and twisted as
TO give the actual facts a false mean
ing
''It is probable and more than likely,
Admiral Decker's letter said. that if
these officers had served the gods
that Mr.. Daniels worshipped they
would today have been fattening on
the navy as commanders of fleets on
active duty or in pleasant jobs in
Washington To me, as to other high
officers of the navy it has come that
if we would bow down and do the
wishes of Mr.. Daniels. we would re-
ceive therefor-intimation that come
by circuitous routes and underhanded
sneaking ways, so that no one can
take hold of them.
sMy explanation of the incidents set
forth by Mr.. Daniels is based
upon my personal experience with
him. This explanation is that Mr..
Daniels found these officers would not
follow him to the limit OF demoraliz-
ing and degrading the navy: that,
even though they honestly desired the
rewards and promotions of their ca
reer W0lcn all IOHOTdDle IleIl IcdSOi-
able desire, they w4re not willing
to sacrifice their character, their man
hood and their country. And as a
result Mr.. Daniels determined to break
them by the use of all the power of
his high office. by the use of the
power of ridicule, sarcasm and half
truths. that as a newspaper man he
has learned how to use so skilfully:
by the use of the strength OF pub
licity secured through his newspaper
all the weapons which
Prussianism used to destroy its enc
mics, and autocracy has used through
the ages to maintain its power.
Tn my opinion all credit is due to
these men that they have fought unto
the end and upheld the standard of
uprightness, loyalty to country, self
sacrifice, hard work and gentlemanly
conduct, attributes that the ideal
naval officer has always revered.
Il have no desire in this letter to
bring out my personal experiences
with Mr.. Daniels, but he knows of
them and he knows, if he ksows the
difference between right and wrong,
that he has been dishonest; that he
has been autocratic; that he has
abused his power: that he has done all
this for unworthy motives