Arizona republican., 1920-01-18
DANIELS CONDUCT OF NAVY DURING WAR INCOMPETENT IS CLAIMS OF ADMIRAL SIMS
of Navy Departments Representative Went Unheeded He Says Was Told "U. S. Just As Soon Fight England as Germany"
IRepubIIean A. p. Leased WIrel

WASHINGTON. Jan. 17.-InvestigI tion by a senate subcommittee Of awards of naval war decorations took new angle today when Rear AdIni ral William S. Sims, the only witness heard so far, laid before the commit tee a long letter entitled Certain Lesson of the Great War;" written by him to Secretary Daniels and arraign- ing many aspects of the nav depart ment's conduct of the war.
 Lack of full cooperation with the
 commander of American naval forces overseas, the post filled by
 Admiral Sims throughout the war,
 was the general criticism made.
 but the letter contained also a
 statement that just before he left
 for London, Admiral Sims was
 told "not to let the British pull the
 wool over your eyes," and that the
 United States would as soon fight
 the British as the Germans.
 Who issued these orders was not brought out during the hearing, but Admiral Sims said afterwards the statement had been made to him by "a high official"
 To Ask Full Investigation Introduction of the letter prompted Chairman Hale. republican. Maine. to announce that he would ask the full naval committee Monday to authorize his subcommittee to make a wider in Quiry or to appoint another sub-corn- mittee to investigate the conduct Of the war by the navy department
 I na statement relative to Admoral Sims letter. Secretary Daniels said he referred it to the general board with directions to give consideration to it and to all other communications di- rected to the department concerning the lessons of the war"
 The letter declares 1t important as guide in future wars that Ca just estimate be made of the errors Of policy. tactics, strategy and admins tration that were committed by our navy" and adds that it is for that purpose that "the most serious errors" are summarized. Then follows the re cital of the officers assigned to Lon don Ion barely 4s hours notice" in March, 1917, and this statement re- garding his instructions:
 The Instructions
 Brief orders were delivered to me verbally in Washington. No formal instructions or statement of the navy departments plan or policy were re ceived at that time, though l received the following explicit admonitlon !" Don't let the British pull the wool over your eyes. It is none of our business pulling their chestnuts out of the fire. We would as soon fight the British as the Germans
 The letter contained more than 7.0eC words and was written January [.
 Admiral Sims read it today at the request of Chairman Hale. It re- viewed Admiral Sims experience and said that at the time he left for Flu rope, he had no idea that he was to command American naval forces abroad in event of war, then impend ing.
 As soon as he arrived in London, the letter said Admiral Sims realized that the navy department did not coInpre- hend the seriousness of the submarine menace due to the insufficient scope of the American intelligence service.
 Urgent Requests Unheeded
 "A review of the cables sent to the navy department in April 1917." the letter said shows that the situation was very serious and that the enemy was rapidly winning the war by the destruction of merchant shipping. Throughout the following year numer- ous cables and letters of the most UT gent possible character were sent with the object of impressing on the de- partment the vital necessity of our maximum effort being exerted in Flu ropean waters with the least possible delay, but without producing the de- sired result"
 The navy department was repeatedly told, the letter said, that it was @ mat ter of arfthmetica1 calculation to de- termine that the allies must lose the war if the rate Of ship losses con tinued-
 For some reason which has never been explained" Admiral Sims wrote