Evening star., 1927-11-03

Many and differing opinions are dis
closed in newspaper comment on the
case of Rear Admiral Magruder, who
was relieved Of his post at Philadel
phia and attached to the Navy Depart
ment at Washington as result Of the
controversy growing out of his pub
lished articles criticizing the depart
ment's organization and methods. Some
observers sharply condemn the de
partment; others feel that naval dis
cipline made what happened to the
admiral inevitable. Views differ also
on the propristy Of Admiral Magru
der's appeal direct to President Cool
idge and as to the Presidents action
in promptly declining to act in the
matter.
Typical Of the division among vari
Gus representative papers are the ex
pressions of the Dayton Daily News
independent Democratic) and the De
troit News independently. AS the Day.
ton News sees it, the question is:
''Can they (such men as Admiral
Magruder) serve their country when
service of their country in their own
minds calls for facts and opinions not
otherwise available only at the cost OF
their own martyrdom?"
Says the Detroit News: "When high
officers Of the services are able to
inject themselves into politics by air.
ing their views for hire in the public
prints a much more Objectionable and
dangerous condition of affairs has
arisen than any which can grow out
of the evils which Admiral Magruder
attributes to the Navy"
The st. Paul Dispatch independently
fQnlC fhQf go dfCnnciff0Y, n criv
pathetic attention to ideas SO sub
m.itted and to act on those ideas that
are approved alone will prevent more
of this unfortunate and unseemly kick
ing over the traces of discipline"
'The administration rather than the
admiral is right as regards the proper
method for a naval officer to use in
making criticisms Of the service, even
IL President Coolidge may have seemed
a trifle brusque in refusing the ad-
miral a personal audience" in the
judgment of the Providence Journal
independently. but that paper con.
cludes that citizens who are q bit
skeptical as to whether the Navy De-
partment is wholly right and Admiral
Magruder entirely wrong will welcome
q congressional inquiry"
-
The Terre Haute Star independent
Republican, feels that the American
people "are not so impressed by the
majesty of departmental discipline as
to condone slap to a tried and capa.
which most people believe were not
exaggerated"
Conceding that "the President was
quite right, as a matter of principle.
in not interfering" the Ann Arbor
Times-News (independenD expresses
regret that "a man like Magruder
with good service record. can find
no way to defend himself when his
head has been Topped off," And the
Portland (Oreg) Journal independently
asks: why not correct the evils
which he brought to public atten-
tion?" The New York Evening World
independently expresses doubt that
''the offense of the admiral deserves
such humiliation as he has received"
The Birmingham News tDemocratic)
advises that the admiral SHOULD be
willing: to take his medicine
without wincing or even attempting
TO evade 1t by dodging the order of
the Secretary Of the Navy"
To the Hartford Times independent
Democratic) 1t seems that "the Presi.
dent properly refused to- Intervene"
and the Nashville Banrer dndepend.,
enO suggests that discipline may be
set down as essential In theory and
perhaps in practice. It may amount
In certain instances to suppression Of
facts" adds that paper. "but its
greater worth is supposed to lie in its
cutting off presumptuous criticism by
the unruly who would abuse their
privileges"
President Coolidge's course. accord
Ing to the Manchester linton (ndepsn-
dent Republican,. puts an effective
Quietus on tnssAdmiral's attempt to