The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-10-26

WHOLLY WRONG,
SAYS DANIELS
Neither Wilson Nor
Himself Opposed
Convoy, He Tells
Associated Press
CBy Associated Press>

WASHINGTON, Oct 25 3so,.r,,,o-
""oly wrong impression" Of import
t1 historical facts had been given in
o.Ne OF the recently published letters of
= Ti@lIhHn n. Lane. secretary of the inter
IloT under President Wilson. Josephus
Da"'elS' who sat in the Wilson cabinet
as secretary Of the navy, teIegraphed
the Associated Press tonight a story of
the events which he said had led I'M
20 the adoption of the CONVOY syster, Of
projecting American ships early in 1917
-hF' bah1els' message, sent from High
tolht, n. G., made particular reference
10 statement in one of the Lane let
ters saying that cabinet meeting on
February 25. 1917, Daniels said we
must not convoy that it would be dan
gerous.' The letter also attributed to
President Wilson a suggestion that this
country was not willing that we should
take any risks Of war;
Fortunately 1 kept a diary in those
days said Mr.. Daniels telegram. Here
Is exactly what happened at that cabinet
meeting in February before we had en-
tered the ~ar-President Wilson turned
10 me ana asked Daniels why have the
6rltish not conveyed their ships?'
IN reply, [ Informed him that the
policy of the British admIraItv vas
against the convoy formation. and that
they regarded ii more dangerous in u
BOAT zones to sail in company under con-
Noy than for each merchant shin to go
on its own. l added that some Of orr
naval officers of high rank held this
same view, That was the only use I
mad@ OF the word dangerous
Thought British Wrong.
II ne president replied that he believed
the British admiralty was wrong and
those American naval officers who had
agreed with them were also wrong, and
that the British ought long ago TO have
conveyed their ships. few weeks later
u think it was the last day Of March,
1917 or about that die when. before
the United States entered the war. in
giving Admiral Sims instructions, l told
nm the president had long believed
that the allies ought to use tho CONVOY
and did not agree with our own naval
officers who took the So me position that
the British admiralty and the other al
lies had practiced. Shortly after his ar
rival in London, Admiral Sims present
cd President Wilson'S views on the con-
voy to Admiral Jellicoe and a short time
thereafter, the convoy system was in
practice with good results"
Accomplishments Prove Claim
Our navy placed gun crews on mer-
chant ships before the United States
entered the war The navy also fur
nished a gunners crew for such ships. 1t
Was dangerous and the hardest sort of
service. Neither before war was de-
clared nor during the war did l hesi-
tate to adopt and carry out my policy |
no matter how dangerous. that prom |
ised protection and the story OF how the
navy dared perils and dangers proves |
this statement.
The American navy furnished the
larger part OF the convoy that protected
larger nj shining that
passed Gibraltar. and it conveyed all it's |
own ships across the Atlantic after we |
entered the war. In fact, but for tho |
service rendered by the American navy |
the convoy system could not have &C |
complished the results which made 1t
successful 1t owed it's adoption chiefly |
to President Wilson, who. while OBJ !
serving strictly neutrality while that was
the national policy, began effective pre- |
paredness before we entered the war and |
prosecuted it vigorously with force TO
the utmost"