The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-12-27
Sec. Daniels Calls Board to
Consider the Data and
Make Recommendation
MORE PROTESTS HAVE
BEEN PRESENTED
Admiral Henry B. Wilson
and Rear-Admiral Henry
I. Mayo Write Daniels

- "''iiaiE WIZ ~ ~, DtC. ~ -~-rln IeNls-
ing the lists of naval decorations to be
awarded officers for their services dur
ing the war, the Knight board Secre-
tary Daniels said to-day, will be in
structed to follow in general the same
policy adopted by the secretary in re-
vising the original lists.
At the same time, Mr.. Daniels said,
the board would give full consideration
to the views expressed by Rear Ad-
miral Sims and other high officers who
have objected to the manner in which
the decorations thus far announced
were awarded
The secretary added that he hoped
the new recommendations of the board
could be approved by him without
amendment. The revised report either
viii be sent to President Wilson for
final action, or acted upon by the sec
retary on behalf Of the president,
In discussing his order OF last night
Ireconyening the board to review cases
ALREADY considered and act upon addi-
tional recommendations made recently.
Mr.. Daniels disclosed that Admiral Hen
Iry b. Wilson and Rear Admiral Horny
7. Mayo had written him calling atten-
tion to what they described as inc.
qualities in the awards recently an
nounced.
Admiral Wilson commands the At
lantic fleet and was in charge Of Ameri
can naval forces in French waters dur
ing The war Admiral Mayo command
ed the Atlantic feet during The war
and is now a member of the navy gen
eral board.
The whole subject Of naval deeora
tions viii be investigated by a joint
Senate and House naval subcommittee
when Congress reconyenes, Representa-
tive Lufkin. Republican, Massachusetts,,
said to-day, after a conference with
members Of the Senate naval com
mittee
No resolution authorizing the inves-
tigation is necessary, Mr.. Lufkin said,
Iadding that Secretary Daniels, Rear
Admiral Knight, Rear Admiral Sims
and other officers would be summoned
Officers reported TO have followed
Rear Admiral Sims lead in declining
medals were Vice Admiral Hillary p,
Jones, commander of squadron two Of
the Atlantic fleet, with the battleship
Connecticut as his flagship, and Captain
Raymond ID. Hasbrouck, commanding
officer of the battleship Minnesota.
Captain Hasbrouck, confirming adyiees
from Newport, r. l., to the effect that
he had decided TO take his stand with
Rear Admiral Sims, said that he thor
oughly concurred" with the view Of his
brother officer. that officers who lost
their ships should not be decorated and
declared that, therefore, having lost a
ship himself during the war, he could
not consistently accept the navy cross
for which he was recommended. Vice
Admiral Jones wal recommended for
the distinguished service medal
Secretary Daniels in his order recon
yening the Knight board on jan 8,
said while approving in the main the
recommendation of the board Of
awards, my examination into the sub
ject has convinced me that there are
number of cases requiring further ex-
animation and there have been addi-
tional recommendation since your
board adjourned which require exam
ination by a board of officers The
order was directed to Rear Admiral
Austin Mcknight senior member of the
board
First hint of a disagreement regard
ing the distribution of war honors to
naval officers came with the announce
ment that Rear Admiral Sims, now
head of the Naval War college at New
port, r. T.. had written a letter to Sec
rotary Daniels declining the medal Of
fered him on the ground that recon-
meudations he had made for decora.
tions for officers on his staff had been
'disregarded and that the secretary by
failing to follow the recommendations
of commanding officers and awarding
decorations to suit himself had caused
widespread injustice and a weakening
of morale among naval officers,
Rear Admiral Sims submitted list
of 10 officers who served under him
abroad. recommending all for the dis
tinguished service medal After the
Knight board, with Secretary Daniels,
reviewed the cases, l3 of the recommen-
dations were reduced to navy crosses.
This action formed the basis for the
Sims letter. Following publication OF
Rear Admiral Sims statement, Secre-
tary Daniels was called upon by the
Senate naval affairs committee for
detailed report on the subject. A large
force OF clerks is now busy preparing
the report