Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-02
Question of Public Court
Martial to BE Decided Later.
Charges Being Drawn Up.
OFFICER IN NEW YORK
MAY CALL ON DAVIS
Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr., May Be
Summoned as Defense Witness.
Adams at White House.


Smedley D. Butler will be held Monday.
February 16, at the Philadelphia Navy
Yard. This official announcement was
made today at the Navy Department.
The charges and specifications under
which Gen. Butler will be tried are now
being prepared and will be made public,
provided there is no opposition from
Gen Butler, the department said.
Whether or not the court-martial
will be open or closed will be deter
mined later. Rear Admiral Louis r.
De Steiguer, now commandant of the
third naval district, with headquarters
at New York City, Is head of the board
Of inquiry.
Meade in New York.
Rear Admiral David F. Sellers, Judge
advocate general of the Navy, with his
assistants continued today TO draft the
charges and specifications upon which
Gen. Butler will be tried, Lieut. Col.
James Meade, chief of staff at the
Marine Corps base at Quantico, Va,
wAere Gen. Butler is under arrest, was
represented as being in New York City
today, presumably to confer with John
w Davis. 1924 Democratic presidential
eminent attorneys services to head the
defense counsel.
Mai. Gen. Ben H. Fuller, COM
mandant of the Marine Corps, explain
ed that Gen. Butler has not requested
leave of absence to perfect his defense,
but such would be granted, II asked.
Gen. Butler was directed by naval Of
ficials last week to place himself under
arrest at Quantico.
Marine Corps officers said unofficially
that the service is rallying to the de-
tense of the famous general, who is
under fire because of alleged remarks
child with his automobile as a hit
and-run driver. Information from
Quantico is that number of Gen.
Buffers friends have volunteered their
services in his behalf.
Adams at White House. :.
Secretary Adams made the announce
mert today after a visit to the White
House.
He also had conferred with Judge
Advocate General Sellers of the Navy.
Upon leaving the Presidents office he
said he called to talk about naval af-
fairs"
Asked If he had discussed the Butler
court-martial, his reply was that it was
against principles to talk about such
matters"
The naval Secretary walked up from
the Navy Department to the White
House executive Offices, entering and
leaving by side door.
At the Navy Department, Secretary
Adams said charges and specifications
against Butler still were being prepared
by Sellers.
They will be made public, he said.
providing no opposition to such pub
'licity is made by Gen. Butler.
General Orders Cited.
Navy Department legal authorities
see in one of the general orders of the
department prohibition against ut
tering addresses, such as Gen. Butler is
accused of doing, and this section, they
say, may be invoked against him.
General Order No. 46, issued by Sec
rotary DENLY May 20, 1921, said in
part:
THE Navy Department will maintain
no censorship on discussions or articles
on professional subjects by persons b.
longing to the Navy. Nevertheless, uTl-
restricted utterance or of publication of
fact and opinion may divulge informa-
tlon which 1t Is not advisable to make
public, and may constitute an offenSa
against military discipline, as conduct
prejudicial to good order and discipline.
For information and guidance of
the naval service this order enumerates
some of the limitations which come
und:r the naval regulation:
"a. Articles bearing on the foreign
policies Of the Government.
"b. Articles offensive to foreign gov
ernments.
&C. Open discussion of war plans,
proposed or approved strategic and tao
tical plans, or of new developments In
naval material not yet made public
ANY communication intended for the
public should be composed only after
mature reflection in spirit of good
faith and good temper and in a seemly
and proper manner"
Vanderbilt May Testify.
No official reason was given for Sc
lection of Philadelphia as the court
martial scene. The opinion was ex-
pressed at the Navy, however. that 1t
was due to the city's Availability
especially inasmuch as it was there
that Butler made the speech which has
led to his latest difficulty. Some of his
hearers on that occasion may be sub
poenaed.
The prospect that Cornelius Wander
bilt, jr., might be a witness for Butler
grew Vanderbilt at Phoenix: Ariz., said
he might have "a good many things to
say regarding the case at the proper
time.
In some quarters Vanderbilt is cred
tied with having supplied the material
for Gen. Buffers Philadelphia speech,
in which he is reported to have told a
story that Premier MusSolini was a
hit-and-run driver
Meanwhile, referring to the Butler
Mussolini incident again in the Senate,
Senator Helm asserted. THE hope of
the world is for somebody in the United
States to tell Mussolini where to get
off,"
The Alabama Democrat said he was
sick and tired of this red-handed
tyrant."
VANDERBILT MAY TALK.