The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-10-01


"We ask the question in all sincerity We
believe that by and large our naval officers
and men are just about as fine bunch as
ever went down to the in ships.
'But that something is wrong, somewhere,
is obvious"
c UGH was the beginning of an editorial in
- this newspaper year and half ago
when explosions aboard the battleship Mis-
sissippi cost the lives of forty EIGHT men and,
but for sheer luck, might have cost dozens
more.
And such was the substance of query by
this paper the year before when eleven de
stroyers piled up on the rocks of Point Honda,
seven as total wrecks, with twenty three lives
sacrificed.
We repeat the question today, following
the sinking of the SOL off Block Island carry
ing thirty-three men to their doom; the wreck
of the Shenandoah with thirteen killed, and
all but fatal flight of the PN-9 No. l out
toward Hawaii
Now the New York World joins in and ed
itorially suggests an answer. Says the World
1T is time, certainly, for shake-up in
the Navy. With the sinking of the Sol the Navy
has now lost twelve vessels during the Hard
ing and Coolidge Adminstrations. That is a
peace time 4osSe 1nore than twice as many
vessels the Ne - lost in the whole course
of the war with GSnany.
eve lost, while the war was being fought,
a total of five ships These were the
war losses of navy whose every ship had
been ordered into active service and exposed
to the danger of both mine and submarine.
Compare this record with the record Of the
last four and half years of peace.
'On March %, 1921, the naval tug Cones
toga disappeared in the Pacific. On Aug. 81,
1923, the training ship Gopher was sunk in the
St Lawrence Gulf. On Sept. 3, 1923, seven de-
stroyers ran on the rocks off Honda Point Cal.
On Oct 20, 1923, the submarine O-5 was sunk
in collision off the Panama Canal. On Jan.
30, 1925, the submarine S-48 went aground N
Jaffrey Point, N. H. Now, on clear night at
sea and in home waters, the S-51 goes down
in a collision.
During this same period, since March,
1921, according to the best records available,
the total loss of France in naval ships has been
one battleship and one hospital ship; the total
loss of Britain, the submarine L-24; the total
loss of Spain, the transport Espana No. 8; the
total loss of Japan, one cruiser one service ship
and two submarines; the total loss of Greece.
loss of Italy, one submarine sunk off the Sicil-
ian coast.
"Of one disaster at sea, as of one train
wreck, it can be said: Here is the hand of fate.
Of series of disasters, as of series of train
wrecks, it must be said Here is demoraliza-
ton.
'FThere is in all navies, as in all other
organizations, state of morale which be-
gins at the top and sits down to the bottom.
And at the top, in this case is Secretary Of
the Navy whose record has proved him neither
fortunate nor wise; whose capacity for service
to the American people, dwindling for months,
is definitely ended. Secretary Wilbur has for
feited the confidence of the public.
ellis resignation is in order"
''That something is wrong is obvious"
we said. Discipline seems shot to pieces
throughout our entire national defense. There
appears to be in more places than one an alb
sence of that strong, brainy vigorous leader
ship that commands admiration and respect
and makes every man leap to his post with a
song on his lips and pride in his soul.
Wilbur alone cannot be blamed for this.
Some of the worst of our peacetime naval dis
asters happened when DENLY, of Teapot Dome
fame, was Secretary Of the Navy. That Incl
dent-the oil scandal-though it had nothing
to do with navigation, did not improve the
morale of the Navy any, if anybody should
happen to ask. And the lor drawn-out and
not yet ended aircraft scandal with Army and
Navy officers poking out their tongues at each
other and saying names, has left discipline in
the Army, Navy and air force at a mighty low
ebb.
There should be shake-up all the way
through. And the President as commander-in-
chief of ALL is the man who should undertake
the job.
THOSE who have faced the ire of bill