Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-04-26

Roads where did II 60 f-Granu Meet
might have smashed through German
defenses in spite of he'll ana HeISO-
land"
BY JOSEPHUS DANIELS,
Former Secretary of the Navy.
Copyright, 1921, by John F. Ollie.
Copyright by National Newspaper Serv-
ice. Copyright in Great Britain, Canada
4 and throughout France. All rights re-
served, including translation into foreign
languages, including the scandinavian
InauthOrized reprinting for any purpose
forbidden.
ARTICLE 13.
Everybody in Santiago knew that
the Atlantic feet, under Admiral
Henry T. Mayo, was engaged in
target practice and maneuvers in
Guantanamo bay. The battleships
could be seen easily enough from
the hills, and the sound of their guns
could be heard in the city.
That is to say everybody knew the
fleet was there on Feb. 3, 1917. On
Feb. 5 few knew where it was. The
Atlantic fleet had vanished.
From that time on, until the war
ended, the Atlantic feet and all other
ships of the United States Navy
moved with a mystery and secretive-
eAness which was designed to keep the
J. semy guessing.
&AH the world knows now that the
szsfttish fleet had two main rendezvous
n-T- HuTo
and the other in the Firth Of Forth, on
the east coast of Scotland. These our
squadron on service in the North sea
war zone shared with the British.
FEW KNOW
THE SECRET.
But the secret rendezvous Of the At
lantic fleet are known to few persons
outside the navy. We never spoke OF them
By name at Washington, while the war
lasted. Base /" and Base ?" were the
official and sufficient designations. Pos
sfbly the Germans learned where they
were; II so, the knowledge did them little
good. These picked rendezvous were
chosen because they combined the two
features of abundant space and depth for
the dreadnaught and Lesser shfpss Gnd
an adaptability for defensive purposes
Wllcn IdQe IueL0 pIaNLACdAlg AAA APAt5 AZ
bic to U-boats.
Nor was It from any exaggerated sense
Of alarm that these precautions were
taken as soon as diplomatic relations
were served. Germany's declaration OF
U-boat warfare had been aimed at US
as well as at other nations, and she
might, as she had before, strike with
out warning.
In the fan Of 1915 the U-53 had crossed
Nar Of III
4 ish vessels Just off our coast. We had
an idea this was done as a sort OF dem
onstration Of its possibility in which
Germany thought we might be inter
ested.
RAIDERS BUSY
ALONG COAST.
At no great distance from Cuba Ger
man raiders were sinking allied vessels
In the Atlantic Only TWO weeks before
we sent Bernstorff home the Hudson
Maru. a japanese steamer had put into
Pernambuco. Brazil. in possession or
German prize crew. ana carrying 2T3
survivors OF some half dozen ships which
had been sunk.
Although at the time We did not know
the identity OF this daring and success
full raider, we learned later that it was
no less a ship than the famous Moewe
which had captured twenty six prizes on
that voyage. sinking all but the Hudson
Maru and the Yarrowdale. On the latter
they carried 400 passengers, including
about sixty American sailors, back TO
Germany.
Rumors were rife Of U-boat bases and
U-boat activities in West Indian waters.
It was no time for taking chances. We
had not forgotten how in the first weeks
of the war the British cruisers Cressy,
Aboukir and Hogue had been sunk In the
North Sea.
I have told elsewhere in these articles
how the feet went on war basis the day
BernstorI was dismissed.
DEFENSE PLAN
IN OPERATION.
At the very moment when the President
was delivering his message to Congress
and the German ambassador was receiv-
ing his passports, Admiral Mayo was put
ting into effect the plan for defense Of
the feet in Guantanamo Bay.
At As that afternoon Admiral Mayo
received my order to mobilize naval COM
b. munications, in order to place all COM
munications on a war basis.
At 1918 that night he received the
alnav availability order, and the various
force commanders began work at once
~NAA ACPSAeSs ShV"AHS lue cOuuitIOu
Of every vessel and its readines. for war
These reports were submitted to Admiral
Mayo the next day. and transmitted i'm
mediately to the Navy Department
Naturally enough, knowing what had
happened in Washington, and receiving
the mobilization and availabl orders.
Admiral Mayo's mind turned to what
hould be the next step.
Guantanamo Bay was exposed and
asily accessible. Everybody knew that
he Atlantic feet was there. Germany
Knew It.
Guantanamo bay was no place to
linger.
conclusion at the same time
The old adage about a parallelism of
thought between great intellects may ap-
ply. Or perhaps you believe in teIepathy
Continued on Page NineO