The New York herald., 1921-06-24
DENNY STRIKES AT
SOVIETISM IN NAVY
Disciplines Officers Who
shared Control With En-
listed Men.
APPROVED BY DANIELS
One Crew Permitted to Vote on
Port Where Vessel Was % .
Enter Dry Dock.
APPROVED By DANIELS
Despatch to THE NEW YeRK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
WashingtOn. ID. c.. June %.

Sovietism in the enlisted personnel OF
the army or navy, or any other move
ment which would tend to destroy dis
cipline or lessen the morale of the fight
ing forces of the country, win be frowned
on by both the War and Navy depart
ments. This policy was disclosed follow
ing the action of Secretary of .l1e Navy
DENLY in disciplinirg two officers who
iiad undertaken to share the RESPONSE
bility OF their positions OF command
with the enlisted personnel.
Secretary Denbys action was directed
against Capt. Clark D. Stearns Of the
battleship Michigan, who had counte-
nanced an enlisted mems organization
that had disciplinary objects in view.
and against the commander of another
vessel who had permitted his crew TO
vote on the port where the vessel was to
enter dry dock The name of this Off
Ger was withheld.
Secretary DENLY holds the position
that both actions were subversive of
discipline, while the custom of allowing
the men to vote on the most desirable
port in which to go into dry dock might
entail needless expense in order TO add
TO the social enjoyment of the crew.
Capt. Stearns has been assigned to
shore duty but will not be disciplined
further because of his explanation that
uc Was dCtlu5 WIFI tf1e approval Oh sec
retary Daniels The captain of the YES
gel who allowed his crew to vote on the
port they were to enter was formally
reprimanded.
Both Secretary DENLY and Secretary
OF War Weeks have the interests of the
enlisted personnel Of their services
greatly at heart. This is easily under
stood in the case Of Secretary DENLY.
who has been an enlisted man and
knows the viewpoint of the non-com-
missioned sailor and marine.
But both of them believe discipline is
OF the utmost Importance and that the
country which supports these expensive
establishments wishes them kept at the
highest fighting efficiency. 1t is real
lied that war cannot be conducted by
means OF mass meeting and that
whether rightly selected or not some
one must be in position to give orders.
The excuse admitted in the case of
Capt. Stearns that he was acting with
the approval of the former Secretary,
Daniels, indicates clearly that the pres
ent Administration believes the ten
dency OF the former Administration was
toward Decentralization in this respect.
The determination to keep the mill
tary service free from demoralizing in
fluences was back of the decision which
Secretary of War Weeks made in his
determination OF the dispute between
Gems. Menoher and Mitchell.
1t is understood the same course will
be taken by the War Department at the
Rock Island Arsenal, where a form Of
control by the workers was developed
during the administration OF former
Secretary Of War Newton d. Baker
Secretary DENLY says he knows of no
general movement in the navy person
mel along the lines of control of disci-
pline by the enlisted men. except in the
cases mentioned, and War Department
officials united in saying the army is
generally free from the same influence