New-York tribune., 1908-03-03
SINS CRITIC 0F NAVY.
RESPONSIBLE FOR ROW" :"
Presidents Aid Has a Strenuous
Time Before Senate Committee

,~--,--f--ee on Naval Affairs to-day he gave the
,,--,-,f--s7 70 understand that it could expect
z-,s sensations This was done in a prelim-
-.-~ statement outlining what he had do
- --az-71 criticism which, he said, began be-
=. 7>os ana vas confined 10 official channels
.,,...r nj NIX service has dealt with these crti-
.-~-~ he said and continued
- ,.s-q- ri hen I ,,as thirty-six years old. and
-. am nearly fifty. ! put this in because I
&, pa-stetent-y called a young man / am older
- - Admiral CapPs, who has referred TO me
sz ---ours uaar-
+ze said b. would have Ia 20 into unpleasant
go s.-r as charging officers or inventors
-, s-,s-g made misleading statements. the
,..--- ar Official documents and the refusal
- s---,s-sa- officers 10 accept suggestions OF
ralle
- --sr or Commander Sims To give the
--ss a sensation was Lnmediately upset
=. senator 7Yl73an who suggested thai the wit
- ra s7s--7f~tsrI To coufine MS testimony To
.r.,ss family construction and 70 say nothing
;. .t5s r1nle n criticism made OF personnel, in
o,-771ese organization or other subjects which
= >, be taken az later NJ Sims asked that
% ~ oe-u.rre5 70 continue without Interrupt
-.-- and th- senators should not cross-examine
him until BE- Rad finished his statement in his
sVn way E5s request was ignored
7y7.a- confined 10 criticisms Of construction
Commando Sims protested that the procedure
~ -he committee upset him
You 7-ouId upset the committee If you went
4--7 ali NJ these things at this time" said Sen
so- TilLmau-
Chairman Hale Said the witness was not 70
.gv arr-hing now about resistance 10 criticism
sv naval officers as that was a matter Of
sthcs
Don't You care 70 know if the department
rs resisted criticism asked the commander
No- from yoci." vas the reply
This incident furnished an illustration OF fur
.5sr r-7ceedlngz. NIr. Sims got away from the
rre oe inquiry again ana again. and members
G. The -a-nnittee called him back sharply
-ARMoR BELTS TOO Low"
The -rno- belt on all our battIeships is too
f7v- rz declared. and he charged that the
z-a-srne--s made by Rear AdTnirals Converse
e7s cams were misleading. IF any admiral
should g 0u- Of port without full bunkers-say
IN cruise 70 -he Paciffc-and should meet an
s-er7---av in-rhe West Indies-he would be
cou-- uzrris-ed.~ said Nj Sims There might
fe heavy sea running and the feet not he
aas % Use their guns FOR a week Then the
sb,rs ~-ou-5 need fun 5uniers-~ He said that
- ,7-s re he vessels Of the battIeship feet
should be obtained. and these would show the
water linz Of al tne ships.
-a-ha--s fa- Us 70 get: not for You 70 state,
sad Chairman Hale
Senator Tuman then came 70 the rescue OF
-be vfr-4s--the first friendly word he had re
celvsd All the commander Is trying TO say
t-7er5e---E lI- TiIlman. is that the log books
WIZ bear our hls statements
II SIM said that the French allow for extra
and uzzr-H-iuated weights, and that the Ger
mans lr designing sflll.s figure on a normal me
with h--za-- 1Es-- o. coal he said that WlleT
r. American feet arrived at Rio de Janeiro
II va-=- lines n The Connecticut class We're
eul- -e.- and a half below normal
This Statement stirred up Rear Admiral
Caruz H. read some of Commando Sins's
n9-es n asking q question Of the witness
- newer said that" said Commander sims,
v1.h --.ss at temper
Tt notes 1f the official stenos-dIIler VIII
bear H. ..-- replied Admiral Capps-
aT-- ra-. -r5- together tzo Of my state
-s--z~ -a-.EeF Cornr.ande- Sims and made
-zLs- settlement o-it u Inadvertently, ot
ceurss~
] t1.az II well that yoG modify that state
n@1-." -z-a--al Admiral Cappz. He wanted to
Anew where the witness got mis- information re
gazing --- water line OF the hattleships when
tsg -ez.L Bic Commander Sims said he
caasll,eE me logs
Tzis Information wa misleading. admiral
CzTaz said He asked the witness if he was
i-1-us5 r- regard 10 IL excess stores or am
--ul-tia- carried. Commander Sims said he
kn=" nothing about that
a5-E-a. EarFs continuing his questions Com
1sr6e- sims said DE mad received letter from
94e- 1e=-e~. who said The armor belt was too
eT- -a-z r-onp1ed Admiral Capps to observe
tza- ,hs criticism Of Commander Sims was like
tlzt or many otrerz-based on inaccurate in
Formation and hearsay
CROSS EXAMINED BY CAPPS.
A. me CLOSE OF his criticisms Of the water
--ez wr..- were made ia the most general
'7--z admiral Caaps obtained permission %
c-oss-e=zs-l-- 1I- sims E5e did this chiefly by
faz--E direct issues Esi1h 1ne witness he de-
-e- --=- --. German naval constructors ilsoI@
Or fl- al-ser- ~ boating the water line ana
i1at t-e ..zz NJ "a sa5l, are accurate evidence
I'D -- a-EeI The witness 20 sho@ that vessels
were a-e-z-at- FL FOOT and Z i.aE Oh arrival at
~ 1e asked -aa witness i ~ kne" whether
o. d. bottoms or the ships were fun oI
Hzter. E.a- Fra- a-r.ved At Rio Commander
S--s bad rr Information On tl--s point. 50 Al
I.-s .aHs- declined 10 continue lie said Il
A7- 18Ta.-- thot tlc witness had no data on
4--1a -a .a-e Els ,rltIcts!as
..= should Ike u have the committee
'a- Pes Admiral Goodrich ami officers OF ms
- q. r .-g alt.~ said III Sims,
~ Ea.e specific alluss'u To that officer ln
Z ;=a ...aleat-- said Admiral Capps HIS tone
.@a-e7f-. -lar llr -=i-elic aliueloH" would not
= 1-I ..l-at--r. au4 Chairman Hale hast~ned
SO -af d. s.a--d Isot be necessary for either
ser rs assr.~= hls 3l,i.to--
fle H..s-.-l-~ ar -llIr.- 1s.ruc-->Il and the
5--sf..r n.alrs " l.a. direct aad Ssnterrupted
-aaa.f#a a9'-ts aess theu taken up. Mr.
7"ae @a.. a -rayhie description Of the open