The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-24
CONTROVERSY HAS REACHED CLIMAX BY ADMIRAL s REFUSAL . ID ACCEPT CROSS
Former Naval Commander Springs New Sensation By Charging Daniels With Disregarding Recom-
 mendatiOns
By Associated Press

BY ASoctateo Frets
 Washington. December 23. Rumblings of dissatisfaction within the navy at the way Secretary Daniels has arranged the awards of decorations for war service came to the surface today when it became known that Admiral Sims, former commander of American naval forces in European waters, had declined to accept his distin- guished service medal, while the awards remain as at pres ent.
 At the same time the row which up to this time has been smouldering one, gave indications of showing up in Congress. Chairman Page of the Sem ate naval committee asked for report on the awarding of the decorations and Secretary Daniels transmitted 1t to him tonight.
 Meanwhile Representative Lufkin, re- publican, of Massachusetts. member of the House naval committee, announced that he would ask the House to call for a similar report.
 NEW SENSATION
 Coming as the climax to pub
 Iished charges that Secretary Dan
 feIs had rearranged the whole list
 Nf rfs ru9 9sl s,s nfff
 higher distinction than that rec-
 commended and ..bIue penciiing~
 others, publication of Admiral sims
 action created new scDsation n
 the navy department, and added a
 pew chapter to the long contest in
 which some naval officers have
 complained of the secretnry's ad-
 ministrntion Of affairs and others
 have defended him with equal
 vigor.
 The whole thing has been brought to head by the action of Admiral Sims, who, writing an official com munication to Secretary Daniels from the naval war college at Newport, R. l. has set out that officers for whom he recommended the distinguishc cd ser vice medal-highest of all naval dec- orations except the congressional medal of honor--received by the sec retary's revision decoration of lesser value. and that other officers whose duties and service Admiral Sims con sidered as of lessed value received. by the revision the more valued decora- tions. At the same time, it develops, Admiral Sims sent franked copies of his letter to many naval officers in Wash ington.
 GIVES OUT LETTER
 His action became known first through them, and later today MT. Dan iels gave out the letter without com ment Earlier in the day, however, Mfr. Daniels announced that he, had pre- pared the report asked for by Senator Page and tonight after transmitting 1t to the senator, made public copies of 1t.
 Admiral Sims, in his letter, does not appear to refuse his decoration uncon ditionaliy. He refuses it under the conditions he outlines and he asks for an opportunity to explain the reasons for his original recommendations. Be- sides that, the admiral does not ask that the highest award be taken from any officer upon whom it already has b4en conferred, but he does ask for q re- vision upward of some of the lessor decorations.
 sims, long known as the stormy
 petrel of the navy, since hIs oen-
 satf0nal alnst drop of hloods l. speech in the GuildhaIl At Londsn,
 when he drew the attention of the
 foreign offices of Berlin. Lenden
 and Washington, has Agured fin
 navy sensatfons before and haD
 many warm supporters among the
 officers. sn
 Secretary Daniels report to Chair man Page of the Senate naval com mittee outlines the general policy fol- lowed by the secretary in awAdring medals and distinctions to naval officers and enlisted men.
 Indicating that the entire contro- versy that has now come to light re- wolves around the old navy department disagreement as to which class of ser vice-shore or seals most important, Secretary Daniels in his report said:
 DANIELS REPORT
 ..rhe value of the duty on shorU wss duly recognized but in my opinion fl should be of the highest importance and responsibility in order that this duty should be recognised by the award of the same kind of medals as that given to officers charged with great responsi- bility and at the same time in posttion of grave danger in the active war zone, and this was the standard which any particular case had to meet for an of- ficer on shore duty to be awarded the medal"
 Emphasizing his belief that officers engaged in hazardous and responsible duties in the North sea mining squad ron and destroyer force, the convoy and the armed guard service should be giv- en preference in the award of high hon ors over officers serving on shore, even in positions of great responsibility and officers serving with ships In home va ters, Secretary Daniels said that -the services rendered by these different forces was recognised by the board of awards in assigning certain medals to the officers in command of the ships and stations concerned and this plan of pro- cedure met my approval
 CHANGED RECOMMENDATIONS
 With this policy in mind Secretary Daniels said he had changed. however. the Recommendations of the beard of