Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-12-28
DECORATION LIST
Of NAVY WILL Be
QUICKLY REVISED
Secretary Daniels Thinks He
viii Be Willing to Accept
Report of Board on Subject
Next Time.

\ CATION Of the controversy over awards
of decorations for war service to naval
officers brought TO a head by Admi-
raj William S. Sims recent protest
Eagainst the tentative list issued by the
navy department, Will be made both
/ by congress and by the department
On the heels of Secretary Daniels
! announcement that the navy board,
| headed by Rear Admiral Knight. had
\ been ordered reconVened to review its
findings on recommendations for
other decorations, Representative
! Lufkin, republican, Massachusetts. of
the house naval committee, conferred
with members OF the senate commit ,
4 tee and stated that joint committee
/ would take up the entire question.
when congress reconvened.
| Representative Lufkin said Seer
! tary Daniels. Admiral knight, Admit
| raj Sims and other Officers would be
called before the joint committee
(which does not need special authori-
cation for its inquiry. Changes made
| by Mr.. Daniels in the board list Of
awards as well as the action of the
board in each case, will be examined,
! he said
| The revised report on naval decora-
/ tons TO be made by the Knight board
after survey of all the facts probably
will be accepted, Secretary Daniels
said today The secretary added that
he either would forward the report to
the president or act for the president
in accepting it.
Mr. Daniels disclosed that he had
received letters from Admiral Henry
=. Wilson, commander Of the Atlantic
fleet. and formerly commander "
Brest and Rear Admiral Henry + /
MaYo, who commanded the Atlantic !
| fleet during the war. supporting the (
position taken by Rear Admiral Sims |
and other OFFICERS with regard to the |
decorations. The letters called at |
tention to what the officers described /
as certain INEQUALITIES in the publish |
ed list and recommended that a re- |
view of particular cases be made.
In revising the lists of decorations I
to be awarded naval officers for their
services during the war, the Knight
board said TODAY will be instructed to
follow in general the same policy I
adopted by the secretary in revising
the original lists.
At the same time Mr.. Daniels said
the board would give fun considera
ton to the view expressed by Rear
Admiral Sims and other high officials
who have objected to the manner in !
which the decorations thus far an
nouneed were awarded.
The secretary added that he hoped
the new recommendation of the
board could be approved by him
without amendment. The REVISED re-
port either will be sent to President
Wilson fo~ final action or acted upon
BY the secretary on behalf of the
president.
Makes Letters Public.
The department. made public to-
night COPIES of letters received by Mr.
Daniels from Admirals Jones. Mayo
and Decker and Captain Hasbrouck.
That from Admiral Jones goes at
some length into the service he rem
dered during the war, beginning as
commander of a squadron of the
patrol force. later of q squadron of
the cruiser force. still later as COM
mander of the Newport, News division,
cruiser and transport force, and fin
ally as administrator of harbor float
ing equipment in Hampton Roads dis
trict
at is submitted" the letter said
that if the discharge Of these highly
responsible and largely independent
duties were so successful as to meet
the departments approval. the re-
sDonsible officer should be recognized
and those subordi-
mates whom he recommended as hav-
ing contributed directly to that sue
cess should be recognized, If on the I
contrary the duties outlined above
We're not successfully. carried out to
the satisfaction of the department y,
there should be no award for decora-
TONS"
In view of these considerations Ad-
miral Jones said he felt it my duty
to the dignity and importance of the
plished by them" to request that the
award to him of navy cross be can
celled.
Admiral Mayo's Words.
Admiral MAYO declared ii was evil
dent there had been a 'misconcep-
ton" in considering recommendations
for decorations he made as COM
mander of the fleet. many of which,
he added. were carried out. The let
ter notes that no member Of Admiral
Mayo's staff received decoration
except his chief of staff and asserts .
that an admiral's success rests TO a
large extent upon the Loyalty in !
ftiatve and efficiency of his staff
Failure to recognize adequately the
service of men on such duty. it said.
creates an impression that such duty
is of minor Importance" not conf
such an iTzRression. ii said. ''would
be fatal to the DEVELOPMENT of the =
navy as a fighting machine.
Admiral Mavo renewed his recon- s
and urged that reconsid- |
Grafton be given meritorious cases c
Admiral Decker's letter notes that !
he had been awarded a navy cross t
under the published list in recogni- t
tion of his services at naval attache |
Admiral Decker Complains.
I'm my opinion" it says, "this
award is entirely Inadequate to the
services that were performed by the A
office of the naval attache and those /
who worked with me. The effect of .
this work was to keen Spain from !
the war against US at the .
time of the enemy March offensive of =
1918, also reduction of the subma-
rine activities off the coast of Spain
While 1t NAV be impossible to
prove that the work done did produce
he results claimed | have been as I
sured that this is the case" b
The letter commends the services e
If +, j. Marion W. A. Chadbourne
md Mr.. Howell who were associated
With the writer, and declares Admiral 4
Decker cannot permit them to be
aiken so lightly"
If my estimate is correct" II con-
.inued. my services and the services
If those who worked with me. in
;pite of the opposition of the ambas-
'ador. Is certainly. greater than the
work done by any single battleship in
he war or by any official stationed
IN shore. duty in an ADMINISTRATIVE
Captain Hasbrouck's letter IS a
erse Endorsement of Admiral Sims
position. stating that the writer has
higher regard for Admiral Sims
Jews on matters affecting the morale
# the naval service than those of any
,ther officer" 1t was because of this