Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-04-16
BY JOSEPHUs DANIELS.
Former Secretary OF the navy.

Former Secretary Of the navy.
ARTICLE 3.
The Atlantic fleet. under Admiral
Henry r. Mayo, went on war basis
at 2 O'Clock the afternoon of February
3. 1917.
| At the same hour Of the same day
President Wilson delivered his mes
sage to Congress severing relations
with Germany. and the State Depa It
ment handed Bernstorff his passp, :.
! 1 had just finished sending out a
Lime dispatch ordering the mobi-
| lization Of naval communicat lions.
when a summons came to me to attend
! a conference with the President at the
White House. He had finished the de-
| livery of his message and returned to
his official residence.
| My message. which put all our COM
munica tions-radio, telegraph, tele-
phone, mails and signals-on war
basis read as follows:
one Alatl Radicode. Mobilize Naval
Communica tons. SECNAt.
"Secnav" is the code word for Secre-
sputtering out by wireless as l walk ed
over to the White House. I found the
| Secretary Of War had also been sum-
! moned.
Fears German PlOtters.
| The President was anxious concern
| ing the safety of military and naval
property. We knew enough about
| German plotting to feel the very real
, cause for this anxiety. There were
thousands of aliens in the United
! States, none of whom could be in
Serned legally unless or until war was
declared. What might happen under
the provocation to alien sentiment
which had been given in severing re-
| lations with Germany none of us could
| tell; but obviously the situation was
perilous. and demanded taking ex-
! traordinary precautions.
| Orders were Immediately sent to
! every naval and military plant and
station in the United States, Hawaii
Alaska, Guam and the Philippines, to
| bar all visitors and to strengthen
| guards. The guard for the Panama
| canal was doubled.
The publication Of the movement OF
| naval vessels and Of the daily orders
| to naval officers was discontinued. In
| order to prevent Information OF a
| nature useful to the potential enemy
| reaching German ears.
The ships we had maintained along
| the coast to enforce neutrality regula-
| tions were increased in number, and
| this consideration for neutrality now
| became a consideration for our own
|
! established
Wilson Keeps Close Watch.
The President watched every step
| during these days with closest at
tention. He was not satisfied with
general reports on what was being
done.
The Monday following the break in
diplomatic relations he appeared sud
denly in my Office. I was hard at
vlQ orders
told him what / had done. and what
l was doing.
He suggested we go together to the
War Department. The Secretary OF
War was there, and the three or US
spent long, session discussing the
situation.
Some OF the things the President
said to US are indelibly impressed
upon my memory.
He told us the breach in diplomatic
relations did not necessarily mean
war. but it brought us SO close TO
the possibility We must put our house
in order and be ready for any emer-
gency.
He was concerned about the person
mel in our respective departments.
Each of you must surround your
selves with the ablest men you have.
he said. and. turning to me, he asked
whether l felt that my immediate ad-
visers--the chief Of naval operations.
the chiefs of bureaus and the ofncers
| in important commands anoat-Were
the right ones to retain in these posi-
tons.
Get and Keep the Best.
"They are the best in the Navy"
told him.
He asked the same question of Sec
rotary Baker, and he replied that his
men knew their jobs. and were going
ahead with them. Some We're neces1
81 ire mi ~
but to anticipate this, he thought.
would be unwise, occasioning need
less alarm and disturbing morale.
The President listened intently to
us, and reiterated his desire that
only the ablest. most alert and ener.
getic men should be put IN places Oh
responsibility.
Get and keep the best" he said.
as our conference ended.
We continued developing our plans
along the indicated lines. On the sanss
day the order was issued mobilizing
communications I had sent dispatch
recurring every ship Of the three
Ifeets-Atlantic. Pacific and Asiatic-
to report Immediately on its readiness
for war. The condition of the ship.
guns. machinery and personnel, to-
gether with what repairs or additions
might be needed, we're imperative
matters for Information. AS result
of this dispatch we knew very quickly
precisely where we stood. and were
able to meet promptly and effectively
the conditions which required atten-
ton and remedy.
Events Move Rapidly.
After the cabinet meeting Of March
90. when decision was reached that
Congress should be asked to declare
war. things moved with increasing
rapidly.
Admiral Mayo had notified me that
he planned to bring his gunnery ex-
ercises and maneuvers to an end by
Anvil 5, and to start north for home
waters. We were anxious to interfere
as little as possible with the 1mpor-
tant practice work off Cuba. but when
jit was settled beyond reasonable
doubt that we were to become bel
lieeIent, we decided to call the At
f, lantic feet northward at once. SO
Following the March 20 meeting, l dis
! matched an order which headed the
feet for Hampton roads.
Plans to Protect Shipping.
That same afternoon. accompanied
nv Admiral Benson. chief of naval
onerations, I attended meeting OF
| the general board of the Navy, and
asked the board. in the name OF the
/ ~