Evening star., 1931-11-05
Executive Committee Also
Announces 1t Will Welcome
Impartial" Inquiry.
II VOTE ANNOUNCED
AFTER 3-H0UR SESSION
Organization Head Fails to Apollo.
giZe, Stating He Acted
in Good Faith"

The Executive Committee OF the Nayy
League, by vote OF 7 to /, today up-
held William Howard Gardner. league
president In his attack on President
Hoover and the latter's naval policy.
and announced that the league well
comes any impartial" investigation.
Gardiner failed to apologize to the
President. issuing a brief statement
after the Executive Committee meeting.
In which he said ne wrote the state-
ment regarding the administrator
Navy program "in the best of good
faith"
Breckinridge Votes "No."
Henry Breckenridge. former Assistant
Secretary of War, was the sole
dissenting member of the committee. He
reiterated previous announcement
contending that the language in Gard
iners Navy League pamphlet was "un-
seemly and unjustified."
Following adjournment OF a three
hour session In the Offices o. Chairman
Walter Bruce Howe, the Executive Conn
mittee issued the following statement to
the press:
THE Executive Committee of the
Navy League Of the United States sf-
firms its faith in the statements issued
by the leagues officials and welcomes
any impartial and comprehensive in
vestigation which will throw much need
ed light on the present conduct Of
American naval policy.
To this end the Navy League gladly
offers its records without reservation.
Furthermore, 1t resolves to persue the
purposes and policies for which the
Navy League was founded
Hoover Board Confers.
The vigorous pronouncement can..
just as President Hoover's special board
of inquiry was convening at the Metro
politan Club, short distance down
the street. to consider Gardeners sensa.
tional charges against the adminis-
tratton.
Members of the Navy League Com
Inittee who voted to stand back Of
Gardner In his controversy with Presi-
dent Hoover were: Chairman Howe,
Gardiner, Henry Cabot Lodge, grandson
OF the late Senator from Massachusetts,:
T. Douglas Robinson former Assistant
Secretary OF the Navy: James W.
Wadsworth, jr. former Senator from
New York; Nelson Macy OF New York
and M. M. Hubbard of Chicago Two
members of the Executive Committee
failed to appear today. They were
Ogden Reid and Arthur Curtiss James.
Col. Breckenridge issued the follow
ing dissenting statement:
In voting mo- to the resolution, !
wish to record my deep conviction that
Mr.. Gardeners statement contained un-
seemly and unjustified language con-
cerning the President of the United
States, language that will not serve the
best interest of the Navy or the Navy
League, language that should not be
approved by the Navy League"
GARDENERS Statement.
GARDENERS formal press statement
was as follows:
II wrote the pamphlet published by
the Navy League on October % in the
best of good faith. / wrote 1t in the
hope that it would bring home to my
fellow countrymen and to our selected
representatives in the executives and
legislative branches of our Government
what sincerely believed to be the very
serious condition that confronts our
country"
Dine at Metropolitan Club.
Immediately after adjournment, sew
eral members of the committee went
to the Metropolitan Club for lunch.
In a nearby room the members Of the
Presidents Investigating Board were
holding their organization meeting, ur-
aware as yet OF the leagues action.
Among the Navy League officials who
lunched at the club were Robinson,
Wadsworth and Macy Robinson
laughed when a reporter asked him II
he were going in TO beard the lion II
his den.
The Presidents board could not have
chosen a meeting place with better
safeguards against intrusion. None but
members of the exclusive club may en-
ter its portals unchallenged. News
paper men took up vigil on the street
outside.