Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-12-24
ADMIRAL SIMS
Continued from Page Onel

Secretary Daniels report to Chair
man Page. Of the Senate naval COM
! mittee, outlines the general policy
followed by the secretary In award
ins medals and distinctions to naval
ohscsrs and enlisted men.
Indicating that the entire contro-
| versy that has now come to light re-
wolves around the old navy depart
ment disagreement as to which class
Of service-shore or seals most i'm
portant, Secretary Daniels in his re-
port. said:
"The value of duty on shore was
duly recognized, but in my opinion =
should be Of the highest importance
and responsibility in order that this
duty should be recognized by the
award Of the same kind Of medals As
that given to oficeds charged with
great responsibility and at the same
time in positions of grave danger in
the active war zone, and this was the
standard which any particular cas-
had to meet for an officer on shore
duty to be awarded the medal
Emphasizing his belief that officers
engaged In hazardous and responsi
Bile duties in the north sea mining
squadron, the destroyer force. the
convoy and the armed guard services
should be given preference in the
award of high honors over officers
serving with ships in home waters.
Secretary Daniels said that ''the
services rendered by the different
| forces was recognized by the board OF
| awards in assigning certain medals
| to the officers in command Of the
| ships and stations concerned and this
plan of procedure met my approval"
With his policy in mind. Secretary
| Daniels said he had changed. now
ever, the recommendation of the
board of awards convened under
Rear Admiral Austin NJ. Knight in
| the case of a number of officers
serving on shore at home or in home
waters so that such officers would re-
ceive decorations of lesser value than
officers serving in the face Of the
| enemy overseas.
In contrast to Admiral Sims state
rnent that the commanding officers Df
ships sunk by enemy submarines
should not receive decorations, Mr..
Daniels in his report said:
| 'In addition to the recognition OF
the service rendered by the officers
and men of the forces above men
toned, there was also, of coacs, tie
case of particular individuals whose
conduct was outstanding and who
should be singled out for special
recognition. 1t was my opinion that
the distinguished service medal
should be awarded to those officers in
command Of ships of the navy which
were sunk by submarine attack and
whose known conduct was meritorious
in such case. I required all these
cases to be carefully investigated
and as a result Of this every officer
reported meritorious in command OF
such u ship was awarded a distin-
guished service medal"
Commenting on the fact that the
Knight board ordinarily recommend
ed eight officers and men who
served in the armed guards on boara
merchant ships for decorations. the
secretary said that in view Of the
hazardous nature of such duty and
after careful investigating he had
increased the number of decorations
awarded in such cases to So navy
crosses and two distinguished service
medals.
Secretary Daniels, contrasting the
relative importance of duty ashore
and afloat. said:
I'm my judgment individual duties
ashore are always and necessarily OF
secondary importance to duties
afloat"
Admiral Sims, in his letter to the
secretary:
"All Individual duties afloat are
necessarily of secondary Importance
in comparison with the vital i'm
portance Of directing all operations,
both ashore and afioat, insuch a
manner as to insure the success Of
the whole
1T is realized" said the naval sec
rotary. in concluding his report.
that where there have been so manv
occasions of performance of meri-
torious service by the 100000 officers
and men in the navy in the great
war there may easily be differences
of opinion in regard to the compre-
hensive merits of any particular
cases. but. under the law and acting
by authority of the President, it is
the secretary of the navy's duty to
make the final decision in such
cases. 1t is believed that the mo-
tives and policies as above outlined
have been entirely in keeping with
the letter and spirit of the law which
established these medals and deco
rations will be given due considera-
ton in future action with regard y
additional decorations. for there is no
limit or time prescribed when these
honors may be awarded. In view of
delayed reports and lack of data other
awards will be made, but in every
case the principles above set forth
will guide executive action"
The secretary compiled his report
Dec 10. before the Sims letter reach
ed him.
Rear Admiral Sims letter. in which
he declined the distinguished service
medal conferred on him by the de-
partment, pending revision of the
secretary's list of awards. referred
particularly to Mr.. Daniels action in
changing recommendations, which
had been made for decorations to be
conferred on officers who were under
the admiraIs immediate command
during the war.
Declaring that he felt it his duty
to invite Secretary Daniels attention
I IN OF 20 &c he lot ,f