The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-05-14
AUDACYOUS METHODS MUST
WIN AGAINST SUBMARINE
SPEECH ON BATTLESHIP
1t Was Delivered Just Before
Departure Of Boats to
Foreign Waters
From Tuesdays Daily.
Associated Press Dispatch.

lAsb0CldI6u fT6SS
Washington, May 11.-President
Wilson's hitherto unpublished story
to the officers of the Atlantic feet,
given in person on the quarterback
of the flagship Pennsylvania on Au-
gust II, 1917, and bidding them ito
throw tradition to the wind, strike
the word prudent from their vocab-
ularies and do the thing that is au-
dacious to the utmost point Of risk
and daring" were made public here
today by ecretary Daniels. Tne Presi-
dent spoke as commander in chief OF
the navy and at a time when the
German submarine menace was I'M
curbed. In leaving the text Of his re-
marks before the senate naval inves-
tigating committee, Secretary Daniels
said they outlined for the navy.
do not stop to think what is pru-
dent for a moment" the president
said. 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 American army, because that
is the kind of folks we are.
Facing New Traditions.
There will have to come new
tradition into a service which does
not do new and audacious and sue
cessful things"
The president also expressed his
dissatisfaction with progress then be-
marine menace.
This is an unprecedented war, and
therefore it is war IN one sense for
amateurs. Nobody ever before con :
Quoted a war like this and therefore
nobody can pretend to De a profes
sional in a war like this. Here are two
great navies. not to speak OF thk 9TH
ers associated with us-our own and
the British, outnumbering by very
great margin the navy to which we
are opposed and yet casting about for
way in which TO use our superiority
and our strength.
Nov, somebody has got to think
this war out; somebody has got to
think out the way not only to fight
the submarine but do something from
what we are doing.
Destroy Hornet Nest.
I'VE are hunting hornets all over
the farm and letting the nest alone
None of us know how to go to the
nest and crush it, and yet l despair
Of hunting for hornets all over the
sea when know where the nest is
and know that the nest is breeding
hornets as fast as I can find them.
am willing for my part and know you
are willing because / know The stuff
you are made OIL am willing to sa
crifice half the navy Great Britain and
we together have to crush that nest
because IL we crush it the war Is won
have come here to say that do not
care where it comes from, / do R1s
care whether it comes from the
youngest officer the oldest but l want
the officers of this navy to have the
distinction of saying how this war is
going to be won."
Raps British Stand.
Gas I have said, gentlemen, l take
1t for granted that nothing that
say here will be repeated and there
fore l am going to say this: Every
time we have suggested anything to
the British admiralty the reply has
come back that virtually amounted to
this, that it had never been done that
way. and I felt like saying, well,
nothing was ever done so systematic
ally as nothing is being done now.
Therefore, l should like to see some
thing unusal happen, something that
was never done before; and inasmuch
as the things that are being done to
you were never done before, don't
Sou ththh ~ ID with "ullS " lily
something that was never done be-
fore against these who are doing them
There is no other way to win, and
the whole principle of this war is the
kind of thing that ought to hearten
and stimulate America America is the
prize amateur nation of the world.
Germany is the prize professional ma
ton OF the world, Now, when it comes
to doing new things and doing them
well, will back the amateur against
the professional every time.
Leave Out Prudence.
please leave out or your vocabul-
airy altogether the word prudent Do
not stop to think ABOUT what is pru.
dent for a moment. Do the thing that
Is audacious to the utmost point OF
risk and daring, because that is ex-
actly the thing that the other, side
does not understand and you will win
by the audacity of method when you
cannot win by circumspection and
prudence"
81 am not discouraged for a mo-
ment, particularly because we have
not even begun and, without saying
anything in disparagement of those
with whom we are associated in the
war, l do expect things to begin
when we begin. If they do not, Amer
lean history will have changed it's
course; the American army and navy
will have changed their character"
Counter Charge BY Daniels.
Washington, May ia counter