Evening star., 1920-02-11
SIMS SANDBYRNES
D|FFERAT HEARING
Admiral Says He Told Rep-
resentative Only of Rumors
While in France.

The controversy over naval war dec
orations took a new turn yesterday
before the Senate investigating COM
mittee. the question Of Just what was
said in conversations between Rear
Admiral William s. Sims and a trio of
members of Congress in Paris during
the war. displacing to some extent in
quirX into changes made by Secretary
i'anlels IN decorations recommended by
Admiral Sims.
Secretary Daniels. before the com
mlttee. had referred to a speech in the
HouSe by Representative Byrnes. in
winch the South Carolina representa-
i've asserted that Admiral Sims had
told him the armistice was forced on
the allies by failure of the American
Army to break through the German
INES, the failure being due TO a COL
Iapse OF the American service of sup
ply.
Admiral Sims Denies.
Aamiral Sims yesterday denied that
ne had made such assertions. except
as 10 repeating rumors then current in
france. and. which, he said. he warned
ms visitors not to believe
he denied fatty other statements at
d trlouted to him by Representative
byrnes said to belittle the part of the
american Navy in the war. and as
serted he had not told Byrnes and his
associates that the American mer-
,nd th marine should not be developed
ana the seas be left to Great Britain
AZ the request of Senator Pittman OF
NEVADA. democratic member of the
lnVestigating committee, Chairman
maze asked Representatives Byrnes
anu w haley and Senator Glass to come
oeiore the committee.
Byrnes Refterates.
Representatives Byrnes. the first OF
ene 'nree TO be heard. not only reiter-
added that he had personally reported
MS conversation with Admiral Sims
70 president Wilson before Mr.. Will
son made his first trip to Paris.
nyrnes added tn. he had not reported
aiso sis TO Secretary Daniels. because,
wish TO stir anything up"
Glass View Different.
Senator Glass. who was a member
recalling the conversation with Adj
nllral Sims. much as Byrnes reported
IT, put somewhat different inter-
pretation on what the officer had
SAID. He did not understand Admiral
Slms 10 wish to "discredit the Army"
he said. adding:
rather believed that he was SIM
ply telling US what he had heard and
thought to be true"
Representative Whaley did not ap-
pear because Of illness. He asked to
0e allowed to testify Monday. but
sumption of the investigation.
Wnen Representative Byrnes and
senator Glass were questioned Ad-
mlral Sims listened closely and sub
seduently was returned to the stand
to make brief statement.
Sims Makes Reply.
II you believed the things you
say l told you" he said. turning to
HH,epresentative H,l Byrnes and Senator
in not putting up a howl to get me
out of there. You oughtn't to have
rested until you got me out of there"
You have no quarrel with me-"
said Representative Byrnes, with
some feeling. 7 reported to Presi-
his quarrel. not mine"
In the course Of his testimony Rep
resentative Byrnes said he had been
depressed and disappointed" at what
Admiral Sims had told him in Paris
and found relief from that feeling
only when personal inquiry at Gen.
fershings headquarters and in the
service of supply had convinced him
there had been no breakdown.
Commenting on this statement in
MS rebuttaL Admiral Sims said:
All Americans who visited me
abroad were shocked at what had to
tell them Of the relative amount Of
work done by our forces"
What Shocked Americana.
He added that the American nress
fostered at home a disproportionate
idea Of the part America was playing
In the war. Visitors as a rule, he said.
Imagined the American Navy was do
ing half the anti-submarine patrol
duty and always were "shocked' to
learn that the United States had at
no. time contributed more than about
Z per cent Of the patrol craft.
AS to the rumors heard in France
OF an American Army breakdown. Ad-
miral Sims said reports were current
that withdrawal of allied 1eneral alta n
representatives with the Army had
been followed by . stan breakdown
and collapse of the TRANSPORTATION
system behind the. fighting lines. He
had attributed such reports, he said.
to the usual "jea1ousies between
armies and had warned alf.to whom
ne spoke Of these reports not to be-