The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-07-15
PROTEST BY
SMITH AND DIAL
FOR NAVY YARD
Senior Senator Sends Radio
gram to Secretary DENLY in
Japan Asking Suspenion of
Order Until His Return

Washington, July 11.-Senator
E. D. Smith called at the navy de-
partment the first thing this morn
ing and registered with Acting
Secretary Roosevelt a vigorous
protest against the order Of yes
terday practically closing the
Charleston yard.
The senator dweit upon the fact
that by this surprising step the de-
partment leaves a coast line Of g.
900 miles without a navy yard
while within 700 miles from Hamp-
ton Roads north there are five
yards. He spoke of the fact that
Secretary DENLY had several times
assured him that he knew of no in
tention to close the Charleston
yard.
The Acting Secretary fatty said
they didn't have the money to keep
the yard epen," Senator Smith
stated after the interview, and
added that be regretted having to
take this action of yesterday. Mr..
Roosevelt declared that the order
was issued upon the mature and
unanimous advise of his advisory
council.
81 replied" continued Senator
Smith, "that this advice was con-
trary to the opinion of every ad-
miral that had ever been at the
yard and I recalled the report Of
the Helm board Not being able
to induce the acting secretary to
suspend or modify his order, told
him that / wished to send cable
to Secretary DENLY and was prom
ised that the message would be
transmitted by naval radio
This is the text of the radiogratn
which Senator Smith then delivered
to the department for transmission
by radio to Secretary DENLY in
Japan:
"Charleston Navy yard ordered
closed. Five yards north Of Hat
.teras continued. Charleston only
yard south of Hatteras. Can't you
suspend order pending your return
for further investigation?
(Signed} "E. D. Smith,
United States Senator" :"
! Senator Smith has been busily
enlisting the interest Of other SEN
tators in the situation, particularly
of the members of the navy COM
naittee who have been strong for
the maintenance Of adequate naval
facilities in the country at large.
He has received a good deal of en-
couragement from these conversa-
tions. 1t is plain that the commit
itee was not aware of any such
shortage of appropriations as would
necessitate the closing of any of the
existing. navy yards and Senator
Smith is Informed that there is a
! great deal more money available
| now for yard maintenance than
!; there has been in any of the pre-
war years.
! Senator n. B. Dial also called on
Acting Secretary Roosevelt today
l:and asked that the closing order
be suspended, but obtained no more
satisfaction than did Senator Smith.
! The next move which Senator Elal
| intends to make is to call on Pres
ident Harding and urge the presi-
dent to have the order held up un-
( til Secretary Denby's return. This
afternoon Senator Dial addressed
the following letter to Acting Sec
/ ,-ofary Roosevelt.
My Dear Mr.. Secretary:
Since my conversation with you
| this morning relative to your or
! ders of Yesterday, closing up the
! Charleston, S. c., navy yard, ]
! deem it proper to again call to your
attention certain matters in con-
] nection with this yard which may
not have come to your knowl-
edge heretofore.
! This yard was established many
years ago, and due to the fact 1t
]. is the only navy yard or station on
/ the Atlantic coast south Of Hat
teras it must necessarily occupy a
most important strategic position:
/, This was clearly shown during the
world war when the port of
Charleston was largely used for the
sending out and the docking OF
ships for military purposes.
"There is no question whatever
in my mind that, properly equipped
and maintained, this yard would
undoubtedly prove one of the most
useful and important in the United
| States. As stated, there are no
yards south of it on the Atlantic
coast and FIVE larger ones north
| of it. This situation must itself be
obvious to you. hence l deem 1t
unnecessary to dwell more at length
] on the necessity of keeping this
yard in commission.
please permit me to say, how
ever, that aside from strategic as
/ poets there are other features
i which make this yard an ideal one.
Among these are the good climate
i at Charleston, the excellent railroad
and other business facilities enjoy
ed by the employees of the yard and
esay access by water.
May 1 not ask you to rescind
your order of yesterday and con-
tinue the operation Of this inn
portant navy yard?
With high personal regards, l
am,
Yours truly,
IN. 8. Dial"
Both of the South Carolina sem
ators are receiving large numbers