Evening star., 1921-07-07
Editorial Digest
The Fleet in the Pacific.

"A few echoes of the violent attack
upon Secretary Daniels when he "di-
vided the feet" can be distinguished
in the comment on Secretary Denby's
action in sending the big oil-burners
into the Pacific. The Chicago Trib-
une independent republican, Is a.
emphatic as ever in defending a pol
icy established since the days OF
Themistocles." and heads its editorial
on the subject, Divided We Fall" but
by far the greater part Of our press
opinion is behind the new Secretary's
policy of Pacific fleet.
"The fleet was divided by Daniels
for political reasons" says the CHI
cago Tribune, "as sop to the Paclnc
coast. Continuation of this division
may be good politics. though we
doubt it: Certainly it is not Hogtn,inr g91d tor
error. Fortunately. 1t is such an error
as may be corrected at any time in
the future before the blow falls"
. The Grand Rapids Press Ondepend-
ent) adds touch of sarcasm to the
Tribune's remarks: FOLLOWING the
footsteps Of that sagaciouS sailorman,
Josephus Daniels. the federal admin
istration announces that it will con-
tiRue the practice of keeping half
the fleet in the Pacific and half in
the Atlantic, so that in case of emer-
gency, divided. we may be conquer.
The Albany Knickerhocker Press
(republican) recalls that Mr.. Dam
iels was scored for his division of the
fleet more severely than TO. anything
else Oh his tour of duty" and. 1t adds,
''he ought to have been" for "if the
feet is not kept together we might
much better have none at ALL
However. these opinions represent
minority sentiment The Indianapo-
lis News independently says: There
never was anything in the criticism
of this policy. for the simple reason
was not 80 much one of dividing the
fleet as of maintaining two fleets.
The policy of former Secretary Dam
iels. and now of Secretary DENLY. is
wise; at least it does not offend
dangerous dispersion of naval
strength"
Comment from the west would
hardly be expected to be unfriendly
to the new move. Perhaps that of the
ent) is typical: "The Pacific is where
our preponderance of naval strength
should be. 1t will require a little
more time to get our minds adjusted
to the situation. but II that part of
that the Navy should never be divid-
ed finally gets it's way 1t Is plain that
its location will be in the Pacific"
The Reno Gazette (repuhlican) is
even more specific when it remarks:
with the concrete fact of a powerful
neither Japan nor any other power
will be likely to fasten covetouS eyes
on the rich American states of Cali
fornia. Oregon and Washington"
good deal of attention. The Detroit
Free Press Undependen) declares
that cit would scarcely have been
possible for Secretary Daniels always
to be wrong" and in this case in
Vision Il" Of the the Navy Nav into m W two T prineipal inc
Parts is concerned" it adds. this is
perhaps not so much result of STRAIT
egic policy as of necessity"
The Richmond News-Leader Gnde-
Daniels: The action Of both Secre-
taries must have been taken at the
instance of the general staff of the
Navy. This does not mean. neces
sarily. that the action has been wise,
but it does mean that it represents
judgment of those experts whom the
government must trust
This "vindicatien" proves to the
Rock Island Argus (democratic) how
SILLY it is that there should have
been an attempt to inject politics
into matters of expediency," and the
Dayton News (democratic) asks. lin
the interest of fair play" If Mr.. Dan
iels is not entitled to some credit for
having worked out the program and
inaugurated it?
A more important angle OF the dis
cussion is that which the Des Moines
Register independent republican,
calls the new world situation" and
our own orientation with regard to
it," which shifting the fleet has sig
nalized." 1t continues: I'VE say. in
effect. and commit ourselves to all it
involves. that henceforth we are fac
ing the east as the place of greatest
strategic Importance and therefore of
greatest political importance"
The Winona (Minn.) Republican
Herald independently sees in the step
basis for the talk Of "a new policy"
contained in a working agreement
between Great Britain and the United
States, for the policing of the waters
of the world" The San Antonio Ex-
press independent democratic) also
mentions well informed observers"
who see in our new activity an indl-
cation Of "a hearty cooperation be
tween British and American fleets IN
the Pacific. such as We had at Manila
in 1898; in Samoa, 1893; In China
1900"
To the Adrian (Mich.) Telegram (in-
dependent), ait shows that IL there Is
any danger, it lies in the Pacific. 1t
shows with equal clearness that no
danger is feared on the Atlantic side.
Furthermore, it is plain that the ad-
ministration intends to keep the At
lantic side safe by remaining on cor
dial terms with the British. The naval
order gives US clear forecast' ana
very favorable one"