A Body Departs

Secretary of the Navy Denby shut the door behind him and walked out of his office in the Navy Department. Behind him he left only a resignation. Although his resignation had been presented some four weeks in advance, at the time of his departure the President had not yet picked a successor for him. Assistant Secretary Roosevelt temporarily took over his duties.

On the eve of his departure, Mr. Denby attended a farewell dinner given for him by 200 Navy and Marine Officers. He bid them goodbye: "I am trying to die with my face toward the enemy. I am trying to be brave and go through with this. I am leaving in body, but my spirit will always be with the Navy."

In departing he also answered a series of questions, sent to him by Chairman Butler of the House Naval Affairs Committee, concerning the naval reserve oil leases. He brought out that the policy of leasing the naval reserves to prevent loss of the Government oil by seepage into neighboring oil fields had been inaugurated by Secretary Daniels under the Wilson Administration, and that the royalties from the Doheny and Sinclair leases were as large as, or even larger, than those the Government had received from other oil leases.

The only further news with regard to Mr, Denby was that he would probably return to Detroit and might become a candidate for U. S. Senator next Fall. He has also been sworn in again as a reserve Major in the Marine Corps Reserves, a commission he resigned when he became Secretary of the Navy.