The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-03
A Sham Raffle2

This fight between the Navy League and Presi-
dent Hoover is beginning to look like a sham battle,
in which only certain peace organizations may get
hurt.
The participants would have the public believe
that the fight is over a great issue. We are inclined to
doubt it. There is at least an even chance that the
affair will end with a personal apology by the head
of the Navy League to the President, and that the
President then will proceed, as he has done in the
past, to approve a naval budget larger than any in
the world.
If there is an issue involved, how does it happen
that the President, instead of fighting it out on the
basis of facts regarding the navy, insisted Monday
night on Manipulating a commission-to-force-an-
Apology
Assume, as is probable, that the ultra-respectable
and usually patrioteering Navy League induces its
head, Mr. Gardner, to apologize for the charge that
Mr.. Hoover displays "abysmal ignorance" how will
that settle any naval issue?
If there is an issue of real naval reduction in
volved, how does it happen that President Hoover al
lows his subordinate, Navy Secretary Francis Adams,
to use the typical Navy League propaganda in at
lacking the farms reduction efforts of the World
Peace Foundations?
Apparently about the only person convinced by
the censorship methods of the President that a grave
issue is involved is DR.. Libby, executive secretary OF
the National Council Tor Prevention of War. Consid-
ering the fact that the President is responsible for
the kind of navy which the Libby organization OPP
poses, Mr.. Libby's sudden conversion to the Hoover
tactics is amusing. Listen to Mr.. Libby:
This is the showdown. Unless the country backs
up the President, America will be treated to a mad
Won Tirpitz program, with another and more devas-
tating World war The National Council for Pre-
vention of War is with and will stay with the Presi-
dent in his determination to resist and eliminate the
attempted dictatorship, direct or indirect, by a sub
ordinate branch of the executive department of the
United States government"
If he means the Navy League, DR.. Libby forgets
that it is a private organization with free speech
rights in law and justice, the same as any private
peace organization. We have praised Mr.. Libby when
he had the courage to attack public officials sincerely,
but it is rather surprising to find that he supports the
President in trying to silence another propaganda on
the other side of the fence.
We believe Mr.. Libby would be on more logical
ground if he were seeking to protect Mr.. Gardiner of
the Navy League with the words of voltaire: 1T dis
agree with everything you say, and will defend with
my life your right to say it." After all, the pacif1sts
are more often in need of free speech than the mill
tarists.
Mr.. Libby's picture of an attempted navy depart
ment dictatorship is hokum. We can respect his sin
cere opposition TO the navy policy. we can not respect
his attempt to place the responsibility for navy policy
On subordinateS who are under absolute command of
the President. Mr.. Hoover is responsible.
If this is the showdown" as Mr.. Libby declares,
how does it happen that the President is trying to
punish Mr.. Gardiner, a private citizen, instead of
the Hoover subordinates, the admirals and Navy Sec
rotary Adams?
1t does not look to us like a Showdown" but a
MISUNDERSTANDING that Mr.. Hoover is very thin
skinned and that Mr.. Libby is more anxious to protect
the President than defend free speech.