Evening star., 1920-02-07
Secretary Daniels Testifies
That Orders Were Given to
Notify Foreign Powers.
EXECUTIVE ACTED
AFTER LAWS PASSAGE
Sims Had Accepted Medal From
King When Advised of Mr..
Wilson's Views.

AFTER congress passed law per-
mitting American officers to accent
decorations from foreign govern
ments. President Wilson directed the
State Department TO inform all Euro
pean governments that the United
States did not wish any awards made
Secretary Daniels disclosed today be
fore the Senate committee investi-
! eating naval awards.
| Before the President acted. Mr.
/ Daniels said. Rear Admiral Sims had
! been informed by the Navy Depart
ment of the passage of the law and
had accepted decoration from the
King of England and had authorized
Admiral Rodman, then commanding
! the American battle division with the
| British grand fleet, and Rear Admiral
/ Strauss. directing the laying Of the
| North Sea mine barrage, to accept
/ decorations.
! Admiral Sims was informed by Sec
retary Daniels of the Presidents ac-
/ tion the Secretary continued. and he
wrote asking whether he should re-
| turn the medal to the king. Mr.. Dan
/ iels said he replied that in view OF
the action taken, presumably before
President Wilson's request reached
the king. there was nothing that could
| be done and, of course. the ecorations
already accepted could not be re-
turned.
Included Navy and Marines.
Provision for American military
forces to accept foreign decorations
! was contained in an Army bill passed
by Congress. Mr.. Daniels continued.
! and this was construed to include men
serving in the naval service and the
Marine Corps.
Il had not kept track of the Army
bill and did not know it authorised
men in the military service to accept
! foreign decorations" said the Secre-
| tary.
1T seems. however, that the chief
{ of the bureau of navigation had sent
| a telegram stating the substance OF
/ that bill to Admiral Sims on July Is!
! 1918. On July 81 l sent the following
confidential telegram to Vice Admiral
| Sims:
THE State Department has heen di-
! European governments that this gov
! ernment does not desire any decors-
tions conferred upon American officers
either Army or Navy. 1t is desired
that this fact be held in confidence in
difference to feeling of allied govern
! ments, but this government does not
wish such decorations as press reports
say were conferred upon Rodman,
! Strauss, Bliss and PerShing. Your
action in declining to accept approved
Admiral Sims uerty.
| Five days later. said the Secretary.
Admiral Sims replied that he was
placed in a very embarrassing position.
as he had accepted the British Order
of Grand Commander of st. Michael
and st. George, and had approved the
acceptance of other honors by Rear
Admiral Rodman and other officers.
The department Is mistaken in as
Stunning that l declined the decoration
Admiral Sims wrote. Il could not have
done SO, as il was not offered TO me
until it was handed to me by the king
himself, who stated that he desired to
show the appreciation of the British
circumstances described above, the
medal be returned to the king"
Secretary Daniels replied that in
view of the action taken. presumably
reached the king. there was moth
ing that could be done. and. "i
course. the decorations already ac-
cepted could not be returned, He ox-
pressed the hope at the time. he said.
that no other foreign decorations
would be given except such as might
be awarded for courageous conduct in
battle.
Attitude Of Admiral Rodman.
The attitude of Admiral Eodmal
concerning the honorary decoration
conferred upon him by the King OF
Secretary of the Navy in August, 1918,
said Secretary Daniels.
Admiral Rodman's letter said
''On Saturday. July 20, the press an
Admiral Strauss and ! had been award
ed honors by the king. and later in the
day Admiral Beatty confirmed it BY
sending me congratulatory signal Oh
receiving the Il c. B.; this was my first
intimaton of any kind that any such
thing was contempla ted. My first i'm
pulse and intention were to decline.
feeling that such things were ill advised
and so expressed myself. but knowing
that leg6lation was pending or had
honors from allied governments, aud
naturally assuming that 10 such steps
would be taken without consultation
with our government. and not wishing
to give offense by declining. consulted
Vice Admiral Sims. force commando.
by telegraph. asking if were authorized
10 accept. to which received an affirm
ative reply.
Nevertheless / made it known that
I could not submit to the usual cere-
mony or take any oath, or do any
thing else that would reflect on my
American citizenship, in consequence
of which the insignia was simply pre-
sented to me in it's case, and was con-
sidered purely honorary.
Under these circumstances. and =
after deep consideration. ] very re-
luctantly decided to accept for no
other reason than that | did not wish
to give offense to the British gov
ernment. which holds such matters in
high esteem"
Followed Rodman Course.
Admiral Strauss. who directed the
laying of the North sea mine barrage.
followed the same course taken by
Admiral Rodman, said Secretary Dam
iels. In a report to the department
regarding his attitude, he said:
Il had learned that the decoration
which the British government sought
to confer on me was the Order of
X. c. NJ. G. I explained to Vice Ad
miral Brock, chief of staff and senior &
naval officer present, that / was un-
a Bile to accept this decoration with
out the authority of my government
and my receipt of il from the king
must not constitute an acceptance.
"Vice Admiral Brock replied that
this was thoroughly understood and
acceded to. 1t had been explained
to me that the decoration for my
self and other United States naval
officers would not be conferred in the
regular manner. This was carried
out. and instead of pinping the deco
ration on or placing the ribbon around
the neck of the recipient ss Is the
custom when regularly conferred. it
was handed to me in ar ;nclosed box
by the king.
The departments Instruction -
as to what disppSILs-