Evening star., 1927-10-27
PRESIDENT SHUNS
INTERFERING IN
MAGRUDER CASE
Confers With Wilbur and In
dicates He win Not See
Admiral Before Nov. 5.
APPEAL r OFFICER
GIVEN TO EXECUTIVE
Commander-in-Chief Seen as OPP
posing Undue Publicity of
Controversy.
By J. RUSSELL YOUNG.

President Coolidge has no intention
of complying with the appeal Of Rear
Admiral Magruder for a revocation of
the order of the Secretary of the
Navy detaching him from his COM
mand of the fourth naval district, ac-
cording to indications at the White
House today. Neither is it thought
likely that the President will grant
the admiral an audience, at least not
in advance of the time set for him to
report to the Secretary of the Navy.
Mr.. Coolidge was represented by one
of his intimates as feeling that the
Magruder case already had been given
undue notoriety, and that regardless
of any personal feelings he may have
or opinions he may entertain, he GER
tainly has no desire to assist in focus
ing the public's attention to what ap-
pears now to be a fight between the
admiral and the Navy Department.
Wilbur Confers With President.
These impressions were gained fol-
lowing a long conference between the
President and Secretary of the Navy
Wilbur. 1t was said afterward that
Admiral Magruder's appeal. which
to the President through the Secre-
tary of the Navy, was formally LAID
before the President by Mr.. Wilbur
and was discussed, hut ii was an
nounced that the contents would not
be made public at this time.
During this conference President
Coolidge and the head of the Navy
Department are known to have talked
at some length about the various
phases presented in the MaSruder
case. and that the President made
known to his Secretary what he de-
sired the latter to do in disposlng OF
the ease.
Following this conference Secretary
Wilbur was not inclined to be talka-
tive. lie admitted that he brought the
adnlira1's letterSto the President, ana
that he made some comment TO the
latter upon it, but he would not ven-
f,Ira ain opinion as to what the Presl-
dent proposed doing. He did say tnat
it was not his personal Intention TO
receive the admiral before November
5. the time set in the order issued ny
him detaching Admiral Magruder from
his command and directing niin " ie
port to the department.
Wilbur Is Emphatic.
Secretary Wilbur spoke with CON
side,-abie emphasis in announcing tnat
he world not receive Admiral Ma
rrr,der before that date. and this was
taken by those who heard him as De-
ing strong hint that this was one
of the decisions reached during ms CON
ference with the President: was
taken also to imply that the Presl'
aant certainly would do nothing re-
garding Admiral Magruder IN the
meantime.
ssociates of Mr.. Coolidge felt con-
fident today that regardless OF what
his personal opinions may be or the
magazine articles and subsequent IN.
terviews attributed to Admiral Ma
gruder, in which he is accused by the
Secretary of the Navy or crlticlslng
the naval establishment, the President
will back up the Secretary OF the Navy
in the latter's punishment of this Of
ficer and that he will do nothing to
contribute to the publicity of the case
or TO what his intimates referred to as
''helping to make a martyr" out OF
the naval officer.
Loyalty Is Questioned.
Without considering the possibility
of there being any merit in the claims
made by Admiral Magruder in his re-
cent magazine article that the Navy is
wasting public money because 1t Is
overorganized and is otherwise uneco-
nomical, the President is known to be
bitterly opposed to officers of the
Army and Navy indulging in public
criticism of their respective depart
ments. He not only frowns upon such
tactics, but is represented as question
ing them as being loyal.
This attitude of the President was
made very plain only a week or so
ago when he recalled Maj. Gen. c. r.
Sunmerall, chief of staff of the Army.
from a Western trip because of his al
legged criticism of the Army housing
conditions and is known 10 have Sc
verely rebuked him when he discussed
the matter with him later 1t is point
ed out, however, that the cases of
Gen. Summerall and Admiral AIagru-
der are not parallel. At least they
differ TO the extent that Gen. Sum
neral was not finding fault with the
administration of the military estab-
lishment, but was complaining of GER
tain Army conditions. 1t was the
opinion at the White House that Gen.
Summerall was probably prompted by
a desire to influence an increase in
appropriations for the Army. In the
case of Admiral Magruder, his criti-
cism is looked upon as direct charge
against the Navy Department.
Economy May Affect View.
The opinion has been advanced that
because of President Cooiidges pro-
nounced views on economy in govern.
mental expenses. he might look upoI.
Admiral Magruder's criticism of the
Navy for what he claims to be a
waste of money in a more favorable
light. However, those close To the
President have reason 20 know that
he has thoroughly inquired into the
charges of waste made ny the admiral
ana that his information has been
sufficient to satisfy him and to cause
him TO give his. fullest support to
Secretary Wilbur in his handling of
this case. Moreover, the President is
known to have remarked that he
would have been more Impressed with
Admiral Magruders ,.harges had the
latter offered some remedy TO correct
the condition he was publicly crltic1s-
i,4,y "a prQSinaftT has npnn