The Washington times., 1931-11-02
NAVAL CHIEF
TO DEFEND
POLICIES
Statement Issued Yesterday
Believed to Widen Report.
ed Split With President
Continued From Page -

SPECTACULAR 1aSn10n over. charges
by League President william H
Gardner that the Executive was
"abysmally ignorant" about ma.
tional defense affairs.
On every side politicians were
wondering whether Senator
Adams blast against the pacifists
could be interpreted as a definite
break with the President in his
fight with the professional naval
lists.
Generally, the Secretary's &C.
tiOn was regarded IS notice he
would stay on the job and do
his best to maintain what he con-
siders an adequate sea force.
This was In the face Of persistent
reports he and Mr.. Hoover did
not see eye to eye on the subject.
I'd. Silent Till Yesterday
up to yesterday, Secretary
Adams remained studiously silent
about the White House contro.
veisy with the Navy League,
which is going to resolve itself
into Q public hearing to determine
, which is right. He had refused
to comment on the Presidents
slaShing statement charging Gar.
diner with spreading q tissue Of
fslsehoods" about the Administra-
tons naval economy program
and demanding an apology.
ssperSiStent newspaper stories
IIitnoring his possible resignation
seemingly goaded him into action.
Taking leaf from the histories
Of the first two AdamSes, both re-
noWned as uncompro romising fight
ers for their principles, he called
stenographers away from their
Sunday holiday and delivered
himself Of a vigorous onslaught
against all propaganda organ1za-
tiOtls which seek to reduce the size
,0t the Navy.
Il Dug Up From Files
!: His statement had no direct
connection with the Hoover-G Gard
iner controversy. In fact, he
dug into the files to find the
''handout" Of the World Peace
FonAdation (which alleged the
American Navy had spent $685.
97H.5Q5 in 1890 against $242..
sSO,711 by the British fleet. It
Game to newspaper offices over
~ month ago. ..
/, Significantly, though, it came
On the heels Of q statement by
frederick J. Libby, executive
Secretary Of the National Coun-
ell for the Prevention Of War.
which aligned 81 .p..cifiSt or
anizationS with President Hoover
IN his determination to extract
in apology from the Navy League.
sfsSaid Secretary Adams:
'Tt is Q matter Of national
gtcOnCern to the Navy that or.
2 gnnixatiOns within the bOun.
shdafies Of our country, without
4 accuracy which could easily
have been secured, interpret
s'natiOnal defense statistics I'm .
manner insidi0usly inimical to
the United States and in q
Z manner favorable to The ma
tiOnal defense interests Of for
5 eign powers"
:, Consolation for Hoover
= One Of the principal points of
-diEsension between the President
tand Mr.. Gardiner is the manner
lin, which the Navy League has
viewed the Administrators naval
budget for the next fiscal year.
b on the other side Of the fence,
president Hoover was getting con.
ISOLATION out of an editorial in the
Army and Navy Register, a, SER
vice publication, which said:
"The Navy League statement
ls nothing short of an insult to
the President Of the United
: States, who has acted promptly
II and properly with o retort that
lgn&kes Il possible TO have an
Investigation through an instru-
a. 1ty that is intelligent and
impartial characteristics not
repOsing i'm q congressional COM
s'naittee with its partiSanShip and
hapha7ard method, for which
the Navy League head expresses
preference"
The ''inStrumentality' referred
to is the committee of inquiry
Mr.. Hoover has determined to ap-
poi1t. Announcement Of its per.
sonnel probably will come within
"a hours. The Executive had in
his possession today a roster Of
the full 1000 membership Of the
Navy League. from which he in
tends to select some Of the men
who will pass Judgment on his
knowledge Of naval affairs.
=: Another Rap ut League
: Another anti-Navy League state
inent also was forthcoming from
The National Council for Preven-
lion Of War. The organization de-
liVered q second blast which de-
'inanded, among other things,
abolition of battleShipS and sub
marines. recognition of Russia,
drastic revision of debts and rep
hrations, and reputation Of the
ewar guilt" clause Of the Ameri-
can treaty with Germany.
Henry Breckinridge, former
Ytesident of the Navy League, Of
tered the President some Solace in
curt statement. It read:
II desire to dissOciate myself
frOFa 80 much Of the statement