Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-09
CLUB TOLD BUTLER SPEECH
WOULD NOT BE DISCLOSED
Adams Bases His Withdrawal
of Case on Assurance
Given General.
Contemporary Groups Head
and Resolution Had Plan
ned Secrecy.

Maj. Gen. Smedley D. Buffers letter
to Secretary of the Navy Adams, ex-
pressing regret for embarrassment
caused the United States by his re-
marks before the Contemporary Club
of Philadelphia, and Secretary Adams
replay, reprimanding the Marine oficer,
follows:
Gen. Buffers letter to Secretary
Adams: Il. In connection with the deci-
general court-martial, 1t Is requested
that consideration be given to the mat
tiers hereinafter set forth.
Held Talk Confidential.
"2. was told by the president of the
Contemporary Club, before which I
spoke on January 10, 1881, that 1 could
speak my inside mind freely and from
his remarks. taken in their entirety,
understood that the club was COM
posed of responsible members of the
community interested in public ques-
tons and that my statements were to
be confined to the limits of the four
walls.
IS. This information Is submitted on
the assumption that it was not in the
departments possession when 1t was
decided to bring me to trial
a. very greatly regret this incl
OcAG oAu Iue 1dCI C1ldG my 1nQlScFeeC
remarks have caused embarrassment to
the Government"
Adams Hats Charges.
In letter entitled "reprimand" Sec
rotary Adams replied: 81. The Navy
Department is in receipt of your letter
of February 8. 1881, in which you ex-
press regret for the character of the
remarks made by you before the Con-
temporary Club Of Philadelphia on jan
uary 10, 1881, and in which you invite
attention to the fact that prior to de-
, livering your extemporaneous talk at
the club you had been assured by the
president of the club that you could
speak your mind freely and that from
his remarks taken in their entirety
you understood that the club was COM
posed of responsible members of the
community, interested in public ques-
tons, and that your statements were to
be confined to the limits of the four
walls.
1T has also just been brought tc
the attention Of the Navy Department
that the membership of the club had
| been instructed accordingly, pursuant
to a resolution previously adopted.
%. You are informed in this con-
nection that the Navy Department
cannot express to clearly its disapproval
Of the conduct of any officer of the
naval establishment in making remarks
which tend to embarasS the interna-
tional relations of the Government.
Warned on Behavior.
"Such action on the part Of ar
officer of your rank and length of serv-
ice merits and receives the unqualified
condemnation of the Navy Department
and for their utterance, which you
admit, you are hereby reprimanded.
"3. In view of your letter expressing
regret, taken in connection with youl
long record of brilliant service, the
| Navy Department feels that it is nc
| longer necessary to resort to proceed
| ings by general court-martial, and ex-
poets that this incident will have g
Salutary effect upon your future con-
duct in matters of this character"
The formal statement by the Navy
Department in announcing withdrawal
of the charges against Butler read:
Record Is Considered.
1.-THE Navy Department has this day
received letter from Maj Gen. Smed-
ley D. Butler, U. s. NJ. c., explaining
the circumstances under which his
speech before the Contemporary Club
of Philadelphia was delivered and also
expressing regret CnaC MS muIScreet
remarks on that occasion should have
caused embarrassment to the Govern
ment.
In view of the statement made by
Gen. Butler in the above mentioned
letter, taken in conjunction with the
outstanding military record of the gen.
eral, the Secretary of the Navy has
decided to withdraw the charges and
specifications recently preferred against
him and to dissolve the general court
martial Gen. Butler will be repri-
manded by the Secretary Of the Navy
Buffers letter to Adams was dated
yesterday and the Secretary's reply was
written on the same day.