Evening star., 1932-10-02
Washington's Naval
Genius Is Topic
For Navy Day Talks
Secretary Adams Seeks to
Avoid Repetition of
Controversy.
OFFICERS SHARPEN

Mindful of last years controversy,
the naval service was instructed yester-
day to conflne the speeches on this
years Navy day celebration, October q,
to considerations of the naval genius
of George Washington. Secretary Ad-
ans, in communication to all ships
and stations, in the desire to avoid
controversial issues" warned naval
orators to be circumspect
In his message on Navy day, the cab
met officer said:
The general theme of speeches will
be the naval genius of George Wash
ington. Accordingly, and in the desire
to avoid controversial issues, the COM
mittee will supply material for Navy
day addresses to be made under the
cognizance Of commanders afioat and
district commanders, by officers under
their command"
Upham Heads Committee.
Mr.. Adams announced that Rear Ad-
miral Frank B. Upham, chief OF the
Bureau Of Navigation, Navy Depart
ment, will be chairman of the depart
ment's Navy Day Committee. which will
act as the liaison agency between the
department and the United States
George Washington Bicentennial Com
mission. It will be charged with ar
ranging a national radio broadcast,
feature newsreels. posters, speech mate
rial and the furnishing of special ma
terial to force commanders and district
commandantS.
On it's mimeograph machines, the
Navy has already run OIL a Sheaf OF
appropriate addresses, paying tribute 70
the Father of His Country as navai
genius and these are to be memorlzeo
by the orators, who will deliver them
to Navy day audiences. assembled from
one end of the land to the other.
Expenses for travel cannot be met
this wear for those officially participat-
ing on the program of Navy day, Sec
retary Adams informs all ships and
stations He says. 1t is desired to en-
phasize the fact that Navy day IS the
Navys day at home, af1oat and ashore,
for receiving, entertaining and being
inspected by the citizens OF our
country"
The list of Navy day chairmen shows
that for Maryland. Wallis Glffen OF
Baltimore. Md, is serving, while ior
Virginia, Leon T. Seawen OF Norfolk,
Va. is the chairman.
While the popular mind pictures
George Washington as stalWart soldier
and fighter on land, naval authorities
claim him as q genius in their ART,
too. Capt Dudley w. Knox, U. S. N.
retired, in charge Of the Once OF
Naval Records and Library at the Navy
Department, has recently written a
book lauding Washington for his part
in maritime affairs in Colonial times.
Commissioned First Ship.
Naval historians assert that Wash
ington was in reality the father of the
American Navy; that he recognized in
the beginning of the Revolution the
importance Of building and maintain
ing a strong navy to combat England
and that he saw the close connection
between military and naval forces IN
any struggle. They say he commits
stoned the first ship for service during
the war, for the first of his fleet was
the schooner Hannah, commanded by
Capt Nicholson Broughton of Marble
head, Mass. This was the first war
ship regularly commissioned by au-
thority derived from the United Colo
nies, with orders to attack the enemy,
the historians explain, adding that
Washington commissioned other ships
and when his activity was ~accentuated.
letharg1c Congress was reused to ac-
ton. On october S, TITS, Congress in
structed Washington to fit out armed
vessels. The hand of Washington could
be seen in the mastery maneuvers, in
which he kept his army out Of the
clutch of the British by transporting
them across arms of the sea and rivers,
the historians explain.
In his army was a regiment COM
posed of Massachusetts, sailors and
fishermen and these he used to man the
nucleus Of the American Navy. Wash
ington's crossing of the Delaware River,
with his army was not done without
knowledge of naval tactics. say the his
torians. for he not only saved his mill
tary force, but kept the ships out Of
the hands Of the British Vessels played
an important part in the surrender OF
Burgoyne's force at Saratoga and the
French fleet at Yorktown was another
instance of the naval genius Of Wash
ington. The Father of His Country was
first headed toward naval career, until
fate made him the commander in chief
of the Continental Army, they say.