Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-10-26
DANIELS CHALLENGES
LANE LETTER CHARGE
wholly Wrong Impression OF
Important Historical Facts
Given in Book"

Washington, Oct. 2B.--Decnhrlhs
wholly wrong impression" or impor-
tant historical facts had been given IN
one OF the recently published letters OF
Franklin X Lane, Secretary OF the IN
terror under President Wilson, 10
sephus Daniels, who sat In the wilson
Cabinet az Secretary OF tho Navy. toie-'
graphcd tho Associated Pres" last
night n story OF the evonts which ne
said had led up 20 the adoption OF the
convoy system OF protecting Ameri-
can ships enrly In 1917.
Mr.. Daniels message, sent from
High Point, ~. C.. made particular ref
erence TO u statement In one or the
f.ano lettere, saying that at Cabinet
meeting on February 25. 1911 Dan
iels said we must not convoy that II
would be dangerous" The letter also
attributed TO President Wilson sug
gestion that "this country was not
willing that we should take any risks
OF war"
Fortunately, kept n diary in those
davs." said Mr.. Daniels telegram.
Here Is exactly what happened at
that Cabinet meeting In February. be-
fore we had entered the war:
"Preaident SV1lson turned 20 me and
asked: 'Dnniee why have tho British
not conveyed their shipe2'
"In reply | informed him that tho
policy OF the Briteh Admiralty was
againa, the convoy. Tint after long OK
! perience IN the war the merchant cap
alns preferred to take their chances
sailing slngly than IN convoy forma
tion, ana that they regarded It more
dangerous I'm U-boat zones TO sail in
, company under convoy than for each
merchant chip 10 go on its own.
!. added that some Of our naval oflicere
of high rank held thia eame view. That
wac tho only use | made Of the WORD
! dangerous.
The President replied that he bc
= lievcd the British Admiralty wa
= wrong and those American naval of
ncers who agreed with them were als'
wrong, and that the British OuRh
long ago to have their shipe conveyed
"a few weeks later, think tho las
a, day OF March, 1917, or about that date
when, before the United States en-
tered the war. in giving Admiral Sim'
instructions | told him that Prcsiden
Wilt,n had long believed that th'
Allies ought to uso tho convoy and dc
not agree with our own naval officers
who took tho Same position that th'
British Admiralty and the other Allie
had practiced Shortly after his mr.
r rival In London Admiral Sims pre-
scented President Wilson's views on III
] convoy to Admiral Jelllcoe, and
short time thereafter tho convoy ays
TEN was put In practice with Roo'
r rosultE.
our navy placed gun crews on mer
chant ships before tho United State
entored tho war. The navy also fur
rashod q Runner'B crow FOR such Rhipi
X II was dangerous and tho hardest sor
v OF servlcc. Neither before war wa
! declared nor during tho war did hes
Nv tate TO adopt and carry out an
policy. no matter how dangerous. tina
" promised protection. and tho story G
" how tho navy. dared perila and DANCE
!, proves this statement.
The American Navy Furnished IN
no larger part of the convoy that pre-
,o tected the large amount OF shippin
~ that passed Gibraltar and It convoye
NJ all its own ships across tho Atlant.
k after we entered the war. In fac
re but for the service rendered by tn
H. American Navy. the convoy systei
,g could not have accomplished the rC
OF suits which made II successful.
1T owed adoption chiefly TO Pres
as dent Wilson, who, while Observin
by strict neutrality while that was II
a national policy. began effective pr,
ly paredness before We entered the we
lg and prosecuted It vigorously wit
n force TO the utmost"