The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-12-24
ADMIRAL SIMS IN
DECL|NATION OF
. D. S, SERVICE MEDAL
ARBITRARY ACTION OF
DANIELS RESENTED
Alleged to Have Made Many
Changes in the List Of
Awards For War Service

WASHINGTON. Dec. 23--RumhlinES
Of dissatisfaction within the navy at
the way Secretary Daniels has arranged
the wards Of decorations for war scrv-
ice. came 10 the surface today when II
became known that Admiral Sims for
mer commander ot American naTat
forces IN European waters. had declined
to accept his distinguished service
medal. while the wards remain us a.
present. 49,,
At tho same time the row winch up
to this time has been II Sm"uldcriuB one
gave Indications of showing up III con
creSs. Chairman rage OF 'Ac scn"In
naval committee. asked for 4 report on
tho awarding OF the decorations ana
Secretary Daniels transmitted 1t 10 nm
tonight. Meanwhile Representative
Lutkin, Republican. Massachusetts
member Of the house naval committee
announced that he would ask Inc mouse
TO call for n similar report
Sims Sensational Move.
Coming rs the climax TO puh!Shed
charges that Secretary panlcIS had re-
arranged the whole list OF a"aruS rtt%, ;n,,
ing some officers Ia higher DISTINCTION
than recommended and blue penclllinH
others, publication Of Admiral SlittS
action created new SENSATION III 'r"
navy department and adGcd new Chap-
ter 10 the long contest in which some
naval officers have complained of the
sccretary'S administration OF anairs ahd
others have defended him with equal
viEor. ,or,, g.
a head bv the action of Admiral SIMS
who writing an official communication
10 Secretary Daniels from the naval war
college Mt Newport, l.. l., mas S'I 4us 4
that officers for whom he rcComhlcnut'a
the distinguished service th|u"a n"'Im ,hn
est cf all naval decorations except the
congressional medal OF honor-receireu
by the secretary's revision q decoration
OF lesser value and that other OtaSrrS
whose duties and services Admlral SIMS
considered as of lesser value received
Nv Tho revision, the more valued decura-
ton.
Az the same time. II develops. AdmiraI
Sims sent frankcd copies OF ms ir!.rt
70 many naval officers in washington
Ills action became known first through
them. and later today MIR. DanlctS eaSc
out the letter without com1hehi. To- I-a' i'.t
in the day however. Mr.. Danic!S hau an
asked for by Senator l'aEe ana tonlsht
nftar Transmitting it to the senator
made public copies of It,.
admiral Sims. in his letter. does not
appear to refuse his decoration u''Co"
ditionally. rot-o,
of the navy, since his sensational !aSI
drop Of blood" speech in the Guilu nan
AT london. when he drew the attention
of the foreign offices OF bcrlIn' i1onavt, nevv
and Washington. has figured IN navy
sensations before and has many warm
Daniels Defense
Secretary Daniels report to Chairman
Page Of the senate naval co}nnittee,
outlines the general policy followed by
the secretary In awarding meaais anc
distinctions to naval officers ana enl'st-
Indicating that the entire controversy
that has now come 10 light reVolfes
around the old navy department dlsa-
greament as to which class OF service
shore or sea-is most important Sec
retary Daniels in his report said:
THE value Of the duty on shore was
duly recognized but in my opinion II
should be Of the highest Importance and
responsibility In order that th,s mss guy ~
the same kind of medals as to that
given to officers charged with great re-
sponsibility and at the same time IN
positions Of grave danger In the active
which any particular case had to meet
for an officers on shore duty to be
awarded the medal"
Emphasizing his belief that officers
duties in the North Sea mining squad
ron. tho destroyer force. the convoy and
the armed guard services should be
given preference in the award OF high
hOnOrS over pitlCcTS serving OH SHt1t,
even in positions of great responsibility,
and officers serving with ships in home
waters Secretary Daniels said that the
services rendered by these was rcCoE-
nized by the board of awards in assign
Ing certain medals 10 the officers in
command Of the ships and stations con-
cerned and his plan OF procedure met
my approval.
with this policy in mind. Secretary
Daniels said re had changed. however,
the recommendation of the board of
awards convened under Rear Admiral
Austin NJ. knight. in the case of num-
her of officers serving on shore at home
or in home waters so that such officers
would receive decorations of lesser val
NC than officers serving in the face Of
the enemy overseas.
Secretary Daniels. contrasting tho
relative Importance of duty ashore and
afloat, said:
In my judgment individual duties
ashore are always and necessarily of
secondary Importance 10 duties ailoat."
The secretary compiled his report
December 10. before the Sims letter
reached him.
Roar Admiral Sims letter. In which
he declined the distinguished service
medal conferred on him by the depart
mcnt pending revision IF the seCrc-
tary's list of awards. referred partiCu-
larly to Mr.. Daniels action in changing
recommendations which had bccH made
for decoration TO h" conferred on nf-
ficcrs who were under the admrals
Immediate command during The war.