Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-04-09
WILSON Assi!ER 3. S
WAS PREPARED fofW A
Kcar-Admirh Testiflcs as to Con
dition Of Ships Prior ito
GrcntsStruggie.S =
ANSWERS slNIs,. CRITICISM
SAYS. Fleet Was Ready for Conflict
and Entered Into Prosecution of
War With the Greatest Of Energy
and Enthusiasm.
ifiy Assnc.ated Press. !

!. WASHINGTON. April s.-Thc YES
sssAtsris. on the active. list offs the navy
80 were never better prepared for war
than when the United States joined
no allies and tho. Navy Department
Aid "full and complete" plans to COM
Fat Il German offensive against the
..Soas,s Of the United States. Rear
. Admiral II Is Wilson today told the
Senate committee Investigating the
5Navy Departments conduct of the
world war Replying 10 criticisms In
the letter from Rear admiral Sims
to Secretary Daniels. that caused the
,irvcsiigat!on, ADMIRAL Wilson as
,tserted that from the moment war
:" department as we'll as tho ncct--cn-
tered into the prosecution OF the war
with the greatest energy. and it's ac-
; CON plishmcnts deserve the common
Gation of the nation"
as' Admiral wilson now commander
ln,chief OF the Atlantic Fleet. COM
Ipanded the patrol force that first
Projected waters adjacent 10 the
United States. and later. based on
Brest- France. co-opcratcd in pro-
tectinS allied conveys i'll the war
zone and hunting U-boats.
Within four days after this coun-
= J,I-T- entered the war representatives
!! r6f the allied ad'niraltics were in CON
ference with Secretary Daniels fand
naval officers in Washington, out
lining the means by which the most
effective assistance could be rem
dcred by this country. the witness
= declared. So far as he knew. Admiral
Wilson said every suggestion or
- proposition pu, forward by the al
lied officials was promptly agreed to
and efficiently carried out. The fact
that tho greatctl part of the Ameri-
can army was transported over 1900
miles Of water without a life being
lost through efforts of the enemy
testified to the success OF this CO.
operation, the admiral asserted.
our naval forces from the start
co-op"rdted in a most successful
manner with the naval forces Of cur
.jdssociatcs in mGly portions of the
seas" Admiral, Wilson declared. by
their splendid and efficient work they
" aided il shortening the war and, in
this manner saving untold life and
property
: Mistakes the navy made during tho
war were SO relatively unimportan"
that they were hardly worth con-
siderinr in comparison with it's
achievements. tho witness said.
No nation upon the approach OF
war has had force of battleships
more nearly, prepared for battle than
Was the force 20 which | was at
tachcd and WHICH spch the winter
of l.i6-l7 iuI southern waters" Ad-
miral Wilson testified. Il feel sure
that IL this force had engaged an
'fnemy on it's cruise north in the
s tprinE of 1917, the victory would
have been ours"
q; Morale in the service was high al
that time. the officer said and the
active ncct prepared for any cmcr-
gcncy
- Referring 10 Admiral Sims charge
that an insufficient number of small
vessels "a nrip No
first few months of American par
: iiJItipaticn in he war Admiral Will
son declared that At a conference be-
tween Secretary Daniels and allied
admiralty representatives about
.,,Aprh 10. 1917. the foreign officials
did not express any dire need for
help or great urgency FOR it," and
suggested that the United States
80. lake over the work or patrolling the
waters adjacent 10 this country and
one representative suggested the
United States send 'onA destroyer
abroad In order that the flag may
,.rbe shown TO let il be known the
United States Navy has actually
joined the naval forces Of the al
Admiral Wilson said the only sug-
gesi!on hc wouts MAXI 10 improve
the efficiency OF IT," Savy Department
organization would be 10 grant more
authority and responsibility to the
fNitf OF n"ya! operations. He would
not. lie said have "a naval officer
as Secretary @! the Navy under any
. conditions
:i@t. THE Navy department. would not
be properly administered If a naval
officer wer" secretary" lie declared
The nayys salvation is 10 have a
civilian administrator at the head"
General Strike In Florence.
LONDON. April s.-A general