Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-01-22

and to inquire into all judicial pro-
cedure of the navy at Newport
While charges of improper methods
of obtaining evidence in such cases
have been in the hands of the navy
department for two months. Mr.. Roose-
welt said the department had withheld
action upon them until the cases OF
several civilians brought to trial up
on evidence furnished by the navy, in
Guiding the Rev. DR.. Kent were dis
posed of in the federal courts. The
board of inquiry, the assistant secre
tary said will proceed at once with
its investigation with full power to
subpoena witnesses and get at all the
facts. Secretary Daniels also declined
to discuss the assertions attributed to
General Wood saying that If anyone
wished to put him on oath and let
him tell what he knows about the navy
he might be called before the commit
tee ana he can explain his expert
knowledge"
Entering general denial of the
Sims charges against the navy de
partment. the naval secretary de-
partment, the naval secretary declared
that the matter has gone so far that
unless at the Senate investigation the
charges are proven to the entire sat =
isfaction of the American people. an
inquiry Will be made by naval
board"
The secretary emphasized that Ad-
mitaI Sims was not Commander-in
chief of the American naval forces
overseas and that throughout the war
he was subordinate to Admiral Mayo
as commander of the Atlantic fleet
and to Admiral Benson. chief OF naval
operations. He said Admiral Sims
duty was to make recommendations
to the department and then to obey
the orders issued after those recon-
mendations were considered.
Mr.. Daniels indicated that there
were frequent clashes between the
department and Admiral Sims be-
cause destroyers were not withdraw
from conveying troop ships and as
signed to duty in the submarine zone
and added that it was the paramount
duty of the navy to protect American
soldiers going overseas.
Declaring that when all the facts were
laid bare the country would be proud
Of the navy's record in the war, Mr.
Daniels said Admiral Sims 'must be re-
quired to establish every criticism he has
made of the department.
When the smoke blows away the
secretary continued, 'I am confident that
the people will see that the naval admin.
istration has been efficient"
Asked whether he contemplated repri.
manding Admiral Sims for criticisms that
might be proven baseless, Mr.. Daniels
said
81 have never employed the old-time
military methods of dealing with criti-
cal naval officers. Perhaps I am wrong
perhaps | am right, but ! have an endur-
ing faith that in the end the great bulk
of the American people always arrive al
a just conclusion in controversies of this
kind"
| During the war, the secretary recalled
! Senators Lodge and Swanson, as mem.
bers of the Senate naval affairs com.
mittee, were invited by him to make a
thorough study of the distribution OF
forces by his department and in speeches
on the Senate floor they expressed theil
conviction, he said, that the department
was doing everything it could do with
the forces available" They assured the
country in those speeches, the secretary
said, that 'all was we'll with the navy