The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-01-18
Peculiar Order Said d.
Have Been Given -
High Official. ],
SECRETARY WILL
ANSWER QUESTIONS
Expresses Willingness %:
Appear Before Naval
Affairs COMMITTEES afI
Any Time.

sa-~e @~---@ t-ss es| #N4
washington, Jan. ia cofi1pfetA n,
ssessigation Of the navy department WIN
be made by the senate ~ the reoutt
OF the sensational disclosures MAIDS -
day by Admiral Sims. commanders ~
chief OF the American forces In Eurt~
pean waters. Appearing bekofA tAAa
senate subcommittee, which ID fnqutS-
ing into the award Of naval dAcora II
tons and medals, Admiral Sinpn re&4
the entire text of a letter which he e6ast
ito Secretary of the NAVY Daniels -
January last That portfdn 81 TIM
letter which created a profound G04.s
prise and which is expected To lead t6
the complete investigation referrest xns
tie orders receivd by the admiral 49,
fore he left Washington. aa VI n u h 4
This Is what the letter says on tlI8'
POINT; Sss VA s,ss d + 3 iSs assEass
Brief orders were delivered tosaIa /
verbally in Washington. No formal 49,
structions or statement or the nsvx "A
partment's plans or policy WAr3 1nsl
eeived at that time. though / r6cotsbxs
the following explicit xdnonitien. %
not let the British PULL this wool nN1t
your eyes. 1t Ia none Of our basila4A
pulling their chestnutx out of tha 4ttk
Ne would M saon nsht Inc British AZ
- = ~ sHsk =
- = ~ l. q
that II was high official. q ss sss & III
Commanders in the war zone xhd 6f-
fcials on the scene Of action, ace0F6-
ing to Admiral Sims, were. HAN I.
strung by orders 1000 miles AwaY.
from the navy department.
The orders In many instances could
not even be carried out. the ietter
stated.
when the subcommittee adjourned
developments came thick and fast 6en-
ator Mccormick, Republican. Of Illiaofs.s
and member of the -committe@4
declared that he would seek IN invssti4
CATION of all the navy's activities dns.
ing the war. .ssa
senator Hale. Republics. OF Maine.
the chairman of the subcommittee,
said that the revelations were 81 Suchs
moment that he believed the attentfeN
nf the entire senate should Be called ~
them. Accordingly he sought SenA1'
Page, chairman of the senate nasal
affairs committee and the latter tn1Me-s
diately issued a call for a special meet
ing of that body Monday.
Secretary of the Navy Daniels to9oyS
would not give direct answer 10 -
question as to whether or not he knoSKs
what official of the navy departures;
gave Admiral Sims his instrnctt&4s
with regard to the British.
so far as pulling wool ID e00.s
cerned" said the secretary jocoe6lYsd
The must remember this Is cott14a
country" ssss
The secretary, however. did not Ms~s
tempt to disguise the fact that seftG1s
hostiiities are now on between him -
Admiral Sims. 1t Ia entirely posstAf1s
that attempt may be made t. Aia-s
cipline the naval officer. Conc4rMi1Ga
the revelations today before ms go
ate subcommittee by Admiral ssams ~
Daniels made this statement.
I WILLING TO APPEAR.
II have referred the Communicates
Of Rear-Admiral Sims to the genSf1ta
board OF the navy with dfrectl0na tas
give consideration to II and to all other
communications directed to this depart,
naent concerning the lessons Of thAs
war
The secretary Expressed his viiIina%
ness to appear before the senate nANn4
committee and IL giyn this oppOrtunitys
will answer whatever questions asked
of him, he declared. ss
The connection with the secfetArx'sl
action in referring Admiral Sims' Gems
H,unication to the general board action
by the board Will apparently bring
President Wilson into the controversy.
Ii the board should recommend thAt
Admiral Sims be disciplined the PRESS
dent would have to summon either thNs
court of inquiry or the court-martin1,
whatever the case might be.
The general naval board has the
authority to summon Admiral SaMa
before 1t. to get an explanation o. III
communication to ascertain the fAcea
Recommendations concerning both "a
and its author TO lac secretary EMA
board, it is pointed cut, could rscOm.
Imend that Admiral Sims be dtDean~t