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Show j WHAT IS THE NAVY FOR, ; ANYHOW? H j Honr Admiral risko's resignation B ' ' ns "aid for, oporntlons" to tho sotrc-B sotrc-B tnry or tho navy again raises tho in-B in-B 1 foresting question, Is tho United H States navv n fighting machine- or Is H 1 It a mero educational Institution (or 1 ! , tho Improvement of Us personnel? Al-B Al-B ' j though tho ndmlral, who Is ono of tho most distinguished naval experts In the country's sorvlco, Is much too V strict a disciplinarian to talk for ' tho puhllc us to tho reasons which V , prompted him to nsk for another as-S as-S 1 slgnmc.it, it Is well understood that M his retirement from staff duty Is tho M culmination of a long standing dls- ngrcemont with Secretary Daniels ', and that ho represents tho views of tho naval sorvlco as n wholo. Tho difference hetween tho sccre- tary and his professional advisers seems to bo that tho latter bctlovo that efilcleney tin n military organizes organiz-es ( atlon should ho tho primary aim of BB ' tho department, whllo tho secretary S shares with Secretary Ilrynn the Bb vlaw that tho navy Is a convenient BB medium for oxporlmontntlon In vnri B ous forms of humanitarian endeavor B and for tho oxerclso of "practical Ba politics," a form of activity In which BB they nro mot elllclcnt. This radical B differenco was brought Into acuta BB contrust a fow mouths ago, when Ad- BB mlrnl Flsk gavo tho houso tommlttco BB on naval affairs, as he was hound to BB ( do, his unvarnished opinion concern- BH ' ing tho efficiency and preparedness of BB Jl tho navy. It did not pleaso tho sec- B '' rotary to havo tho nation Informed, BBJ on tho authority of an expert of such BBJ high rank, that tho navy was without BBJ , a guiding military policy, and It had BH fallen off In gunnery, was without suf- BBJ llclcnt nicn to man tho ships In caso BBJ I of emergency, and that tho personnel BBJ was Insufficiently drilled. And slnco BBJ thnt testimony was given, It Is said, BBJ . tho recommendations of Admiral BBJ j FIsko for tho Improvement of tho ser- BH vlco havo been studiously Ignored by BH tho sccretnry. BB 1 This conflict of opinion and policy PH j Is 'deeply to bo regretted, for tho ro- BB tlremcut of Admiral FIsko seems to BH Indlcato that ho and thoso who ngrco BH with him regard tho situation hope- BH less so long ns Secretary Daniels BBJ continues to bo entrusted with tho BBJ giuva responsibility of controlling BBJ this most Important weapon of na- BBJ tlonnl defense. Tho public will soon BBJ Icnrn tho truo conditions, howovor, BBJ and President Wilson is llkoly to BBJ coma to an early realization that Sec- BBJ rotary Daniels may be too heavy a BBJ burden to carry In 191G. Fhllndel- BBJ pliln Public Ledger. |