Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-11
HALF MILLION LIFE
LOSS CHARGED To
US: NAVY BY SINS
Failure Of Department to
Fully Cooperate in First
SixMonths of War, Proved.
Costly, He Says

WASHINGTON, March lp.-F all
ure of the navy department to fully
cooperate in the war during the first
six months after entry
cost half a million lives, fifteen bill
lions of dollars, 100000 tons of
shipping and prevented a victory
over Germany by July, 1918, Rear
Admiral Sims told the senate inVes-
tigating committee today in present.
ing documentary evidence in support
of his charges of delay against the
department.
The officer read 10 the committee
recommends tions he had made to the
department Immediately upon his ar
rival in London in 1917. a cable
gram sent late in April, 1917, said
that the critical area where the war
would be won or lost was in the
eastern Atlantic at the focus of all
lines of ocean communication to
England and France. Admiral Sims
told the committee that although he
repeatedly CNCly NSoIAOJ
err and small craft that could be sent
to sea be dispatched Immediately to
this area, his recommendation was
not complied with until about six
months later.
other Recommendations
He also recommended, he said, that
two divisions OF American dread
naughts be sent to Brest to guard
against raids in the channel by Ger
man cruiser forces but this recon-
mendation was entirely disregarded.
but said.
Failure of the navy department. to
throw the full force of the navy into
the struggle, he said, resulted 'in
the unnecessary loss of 100000
tons of shipping by submarine at
tack in 1917 and 100000 tons in
1918.
eff the tonnage lost in 1917 had
heen saved by the prompt co-opera-
ton of the Navy he said, f"America
could have had million men in
France at the beginning OF 1918 in
stead of 100000"
Admiral Sims said the German Of
fensive of 1913 was due to the fail
ure of the German submarine CAM
paign and that in all probability it
never would have been undertaken
and the morale off the German people
would have been broken,in the Ameri-
can troops had been more promptly
dispatched to France. lie estimated on
the basis of what happened when the
American forces did arrive that VIC
tory could have been achieved by
1,l1
preserved.
Plans Late
The navy departments first real
decision as to participation in the
war, Admiral Sims said, was cor
tanned in cablegram to him TWEEN
ty-seven days after America entered
the struggle. The message said the
department intended to send thirty
six destroyers, one tender and a
mother ship to the British Isles, and
asked for minute information re-
garding the possibility of obtaining
necessary supplies at Berehaven, tha
probable base.
"All of these plans should have
been worked out lorg before we en-
| tered the war; said Admiral Sims
and should have been placed in ef'
feet, in substance at least, the day
| we entered tn war.
Regarding his estimateS/of allied
| losses, Admiral Sims said
II have made this estimate not be-
cause I assume or pretend that it Is
completed but in order to present to
you some conception of what such a
policy as that of the navy depart
/ ire.t c.yx l. nf &
war, and of such delays and military
| errors as those committed by the de-
partment in this same time, cost the
nation and the allies. I merely wish
TO call your attention, as wildly as
possible, to the fact that the cues
tions under discussions are not pure
ly academic, but have the vastest
| consequences that must inevitably
be suffered unnecessarily if such mis-
takes are committed in time of war
1t is no light matter which cost the
cause for>which we were fighting half
d million lives, fifteen billions of dol
lars and two and half E.illion tons
of shipping
Admiral Sims told the committee
thai the allies barred their war Sc
crets completely to him, although al
utSL lllSy were ISlucldllL " w Do SIhe
yielded only after he strongly i'll
sisted on it.
Asked Aid of Page
i Admiral Sims said that when h
found that his own efforts to i'm
press upon the navy department tn
seriousness of the situation were un
awaiting he invoked the aid of TIL
late Ambassador Page at London
who on April 81. 1917, sent a conf
Dental cablegram to Secretary Lans
ms and President Wilson declaring
that there is reason for the great
est alarm about the issue of the war
caused by the increasing success O
German submarines"
Declaring that British anti-subma
rine forces were entirely unable t
stem the rising tide of sinkings, tn
ambassador urged the imm ediate as
siTnment of every available United
States destroyer and submarin
chaser to British waters.
b Even this request went UNDECIDED
for some months, Admiral Sims said
: The witness read message to tn
department in 1917 saying the Brit
ish government appreciated" wha
down submarines.
incidentally" he added, that i
n case of international politeness
They were thanking us for sending
six destroyers."
Admiral Sims insisted that he hat
been badly handicapped by failur
of the department to keep him in
formed of its plans.