Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-30
ENGINEER IS HEAD
OF NAVY LEAGUE
William n. Gardner Native
OF Boston and Friend Of
Secretary Adams.
william Howard Gardner, president

William HORAId UaI0lnH pTeAlQtIlI
OF the Navy League of the United
States. from whom President Hoover
ogy over publication of the pamphlet
entitled The President ard the Navy
in which the Chief Executive is accused
OF 'abysmal ignorance Of why navies
are maintained and Of how they are
used TO accomplish their major mis-
sion" Is an engineer. as Is Mr.. Hoover.
Mr.. Gardiner was born in Boston.
Mass. near which Secretary Adams
makes his home, and is friend Of the
cabinet officer.
the now famous Navy League state
ment issued over his name. Mr.. Gardi-
ner and his organization today found
itself the center of attraction for news
paper writers and photographers.
Partner Of Doherty.
Mr.. Gardiner is temporarily in Wash
ington, where he IS stopping at the
Hotel Powhatan. His home is at 1893
East F1fty-seventh street. New York
City. He has been associate partner
with Henry L. Doherty, New York pub
lie utilities magnate, and has been
closely identified with that phase of
industry.
The president Of the Navy League is
a chemist, electrical and traction engi-
neer and he concentrated on this &C
tivity from 1900 to 1907. He became
consulting engineer to number of g rs
companies in Boston and in 1907 join
ed Mr.. Doherty's organization in Ne"
York He engaged actively in engi-
neering and in the management ana
financing of public utilities.
Mr.. Gardiner retired from business in
August. 1914. to engage in war work
and later developments brought him
into close contact with the armed forces
of the United States, in which he has
never lost interest.
He is the author of the view that
North America, particularly the United
States. has ceased being virtually self
sufficient and is taking on the char
acter and outlook of a great island,
centrally placed in the oceanic world.
President Since 1928.
Upon this and many similar subjects.
Mr.. Gardner has written articles pub
lished in such journals as the Yale Re-
view, the Atlantic Monthly and tile
North American Review.
He is a member of the Academy OF
Political Science and Of the United
States Naval Institute.
Mr.. Gardiner became vice president
IN 1922, and has been its president
since 1928.
William H. Calvin, secretary OF the
Navy League, explained that the league
gets its funds from membership. There
is SO annual membership, he said,
and a $40 sustaining membership. Con-
tributing members give various amounts
The executive secretary said that many
of the leagues members are well-to-do
Combating the statement that the
league is Just bunch OF naval OIL
GERS" Mr.. Calvin asserted that there
is not one regular active naval officer
in the leagues membership. There are
not over a dozen retired naval officers
on its roster. he asserted. The Off
Ger personnel of the league has never
formed more than / per cent of the
organization, and they are not eligible
to hold Office under the leagues consti-
tuition and 'have not directed, nor
attempted to direct the leagues
policies"
Three Vice Presidents.
Mr.. Calvin has been identified with
the League for IL years, and never to
his knowledge, he said. has a Naval
officer attempted to influence the
Leagues work.
The League has three vice-presidents
Mis-. OdID6S NdiIOll FIdLCi, WIN ID
well known in Washington, promi-
nent socially, and was very active dur
ing the war in charge of the Comforts
Committee of the League, which knit
ted vast numbers of wooden garments
for sailors; Arthur Curtiss James, CT
New York City. and Ogden Mills Reid,
of New York City.
The Leagues vice-president and tres
urer is Nelson Macy, prominent New
York business man. The assistant
treasurer is Dwight N. Burnham, of
Washington
The members of the Leagues Execu-
tive Committee are Col. Henry Brecken-
ridge, of New York, Assistant Secretary
Of War in the Wilson Administration;
Mr. Gardiner, Walter Bruce Howe,
Former Senator James W. Wadsworth,
jr.: T. Douglas Robinson. Assistant
Secretary CT the Navy in the Coolidge
Administration: Mr.. Reid, Mr.. James,
Mr. Macy. Henry Cabot Lodge. grand
son of the late Senator, and N. M.
Hubbard. jr.. of Chicago.
$4,000 Annual Budget.
Mr.. Calvin said that the league had
about 1000 members. 1t is understood
that the leagues annual budget runs
around $4,000.
Mr. Gardiner indicated in his IA