The Washington times., 1931-02-09
ADAMS GIVES
REPR|MAND
FOR TALK
Marine Chief Writes Cabinet
Member He Thought Speech
Was to Be in Confidence

Was to Be in Confidence
CONTINUED From Page ~
the Government" and with
companion letter from Secretary
Of the Navy Adams >condemning
the generals "indiscretion."
Butler Back at Post
General Butler went back to
his post at Quantico today with
a. wide grin on his face and re-
hoisted his commandant'S flag of
two stars which was pulled down
a week ago when he was placed
under military arreSt.~
All over the Capital today the
question was being asked:
who called off the trial?"
1t promises to become almost
AS famous as the question of:
''Who killed Cock Robin?"
Officially. no one will admit
mstigating the negotiations which
led to the abandonment OF the
trial.
Officials Silent
Official silence on this phase of
the matter is deep and impene-
trable. But unofficially, the
credit for calling off what
promised to be the most spec
tacular court martial in the his.
tory Of the Navy is being given
to the State Department and the
italian embassy, neither of which
reliShed the prospect of seeing
General Butler try to prove in
open court that his observations
about the Italian dictator were
true.
There is small doubt that the
state of public opinion was taken
into account in the decision.
kilograms Pour In
For the past week, letters and
kilograms from all parts of the
country have poured into Wash
ington expressing sympathy with
General Butler and criticising the
Administrations decision to put
him on the legal spot for his
remarks. The White House has
received a bushel basket of them.
Senators and Representatives have
, been deluged with them. Butler
himself has received upwards OF
1000 letters, some of them con-
tanning money with which to
prosecute his case.
Embassy Sensitive
The Italian Embassy has been
peculiarly sensitive to this state
OF affairs, and it is significant
thaS the decision to call off the
trial was reached after Mobile
Giacomo de MARITIME, the Italian
ambassador. had long and
earnest conversation with Secre-
tary Of State StimSon.
Friends of General Butler, and
for that matter, number of
those not particularly friendly to
him. have contended from the
start that the courtmartial was
Q mistake.
Overruled by Hoover
Secretary of the Navy Adams,
his immediate chief, was one of
those who believed that the
StimSon apology and a repri-
mand to Butler himself was all
that was very necessary in the
case. He was overruled by Presi-
dent Hoover and Secretary Stim-
son, after the matter had oeen
thoroughly canvaSSed at a Cab
met meeting. Secretary Stimson
was reported to have been eSpe-
cially concerned over the posi-
ton in which General Buffers
remarks had placed the State
Department.
Seldom before in history. it was
pointed out, had the State Depart
ment been compelled to apologize
to a foreign government under
such circumstances.
Secretary Adams insisted that
the courtmartial be open to the
public, which meant that upwards
of so reporters were going to be
dL VIC IAISoANC W 1CPOLU AuAAS w
the world this most remarkable
case
Consequently. an emiSSary of
the Administration approached
General Butler and discussed the
desirability of calling the whole
thing off. Being possessed of a
sense of humor that has, on occa-
sion, got him into "Scads of
trouble" the General consented.
No Apology Contained
His letter to Secretary Adams
did not state that the charge
which he made against MusSolini
was untrue, nor did it contain
any personal apology to II Duce
Adams Makes Statement
Adams announced his decision
in a brief statement to the press
concluding with:
"The Secretary of the Navy
has decided to withdraw the
charges and specifications re.
Gently preferred against him
(Butler). and to dissolve the
general cOurt-martial. General
Butler will be reprimanded by
~k Tia Maui -