Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-21
SIMS PRAISES NAVY
AND ARMY IN WAR
Admiral Denies There Was Fric-
ton Between Departments.
Co-operated, He $ays
SEES ANOTHER GREAT WAR

Friction between the army and the
navy during the great war was denied
by Rear Admiral William s. Sims to
day before he left Philadesphia for
Newport to return to his duties as
president of the Naval War College.
Admiral Sims departed Immediately
aitel the University Day exercises OF
the University of Pennsylvania at the
Academy of Music this morning, at
which he received the degree of doctor
Of laws.
Throughout the war" said Admiral
Sims. the navy served as part of the
army-an unusual thing in great war.
AND there was harmonious co-opera
'lon from beginning to end. Usually
one branch of the service gets to blanl-
ing the other in the course of war.
But there was nothing of that sort while
the United States navy was serving
the army. 1t was the most complete
CO. ordination l ever heard Of"
Letters Show Harmony
The admiral said that he had sent to
Senator Hale, of the Senate naval
committee, several letters written to
HIM in the spring of 1919 by General
Pershing and others, showing that there
was harmony and understanding be-
tween the army and navy, despite the
reports that Admiral Sims had charged
that the service of supplies had broken
down under war pressure.
When asked about the future of
League Island. Admiral Sims said that
his duties in the navy did not keep him
IN touch with the details of the work at
the navy yard or the appropriations
needed.
As to Hog Island. he said: "It would
be impossible for the navy to use so
great a plant. The navy already has
ample facilities for doing its work"
Fav0rs League of Nations
Admiral Sims expressed himself as
in favor of universal military training
and OF league of nations.
lie said that he would not express
an opinion concerning the conditions of
the, proposed League of Nations now
under consideration in the Senate, then
added:
IF the world had established some
sort of league of nations ten or fifteen
years ago. we might have escaped the
great war Men who make business
OF studying war knew that great con-
met was approaching, and if the ma
uons mad been in a position to meet
ana discuss conditions from time to
time, it might have been possible to
have prevented the disastrous contest,
While believing that league OF ma
tions would do much to prevent future
wars. Admiral Sims thought that this
country should take steps so as to be
prepared if forced Unexpectedly into
another war.
FOresees Another War
When Admiral Sims was asked about
the predictions that have been made
since the signing of the armistice that
another great war would come, he said
Il, too, believe that there will be
another war, and do not wish to see
this country unprepared. as it was when
the struggle in Europe began. 1t 7as
more than a year after we ac+ lily
entered the war before we were =
position to strike or to use any con-
siderable part of the nations strength" "
when will the new war GOMEZ"
he was asked.
That l cannot say" replied the ad.
miral.
He would not discuss the proposed
sale of ships to Great Britain and other
foreign powers. saying that he had not
been informed clearly as to the details of
the proposition. but he added that Great
Britain was ''scrapping and selling
dreadnoughts.