The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-02-11
Sims DEFENDS
FOREIGN ACTS
Says Representative Byrnes
Misunderstood His State
ments Concerning The
Army

Washington, Feb. 10.-Rear Admiral
Sims, before the senate investigating
committee, denied he told Represen-
tative Byrnes, of South Carolina, that
the armistice was forced on the allies
through failure of the American army
to break through. He also denied he
said the American merchant marine
should not be developed and the seas
should be left to Great Britain
Byrnes however, reiterated all he
had said about his conversation with
Sims and declared he personally re-
ported it to President Wilson
Senator Glass of Virginia, who was
member of the lower house at the
time he, Byrnes, and Representative
Whaley conversed with Sims abroad,
recalled much of the conversation
much as Byrnes reported it, but put
a somewhat different Interpretation
on what Sims told. Glass said he did
not understand that Sims wished to
"discredit the army
Il rather believed he was simply tell
ing us what he had heard and thought
to be true Glass added. Whaley did
not appear because of illness.
Byrnes said he became convinced in
France that the service of supply had
not broken down and there was no
truth in the story that the Americans
failed to break through.
In rebuttal Sims said the American
press had fostered a disproportionate
idea of the part America was playing
in the war. He said visitors usually
imagined the American navy was do
I,oI Ia ,Ior,, troll
duty and We're always shocked to learn
the United States never had more than
seven per cent of the patrol craft.
The admiral said Mr.. Byrnes must
either have misunderstood me or con-
fused the remarks made to him by
the many people he talked to in
Europe He added that he did not at
tempt to correct the idea in the minds
of American visitors that the United
States forces We're winning the war
because this attitude was hurting US
with our allies.
.They knew it was not true and they
knew we knew it was not true Ad-
miral Sims declared.
Il am surprised that I should be
quoted as saying that the merchant
marine should be left to Great Britain
velop a merchant marine" he con-
tinued, because I never held any
opinion on that subject"
Senator Pittman, Democrat. of
Nevada. declared Admiral Sims had
left the same impression in the minds
of former Secretary of the Treasury
Glass and Representative Whaley,
Democrat, of South Carolina, in con-
wit a
that they be called to testify before the
committee.
Il consider these charges very
serious said Senator Pittman, "and
I think Admiral Sims should be given
an opportunity to clear himself.
Chairman Hale announced Senator
Glass and Representative Whaley
would be called before the committee
later in the day.
Reading from a prepared statement
Admiral Sims said he wished it un-
derstood his criticisms were directed
against the following conditions:
THE policy of placing a premium
upon defeat by giving special rewards
to officers who lose ships, provided
their conduct is meritorious in the
hour of defeat.
4sThe changing of relative merit of
service in the matter of rewarding
officers.
Injury to the morale of the service
by rewarding failure instead OF sue
cess in specific instances.
Admiral Sims said his opinions, ex-
pressed in published articles and re-
ferred to efore the committee by Sec
retary Daniels, as to the treatment of
the American sailors by some Irish
people was unchanged. Mr.. Daniels
himself had indicated sympathy with
this attitude, he said, in a letter to a