The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-01-16
ADMIRAL SIMS
WOULD RECALL
ALL MEDALS
Testifies They Have
Been Only Source of
Trouble in Navy
~ rss Assoe,.-rs --rss

wASHGNGTON. Jan. iG.--Rcar Ad-
miral William $. Sims whose letter TO
Secretary Daniels. recently declining
the distinguished service medal award
ed him. precipitatcd the controversy
honors, was the first witness on tho
list Of those to appear before the SON
ate ub-committee today, according
60 an announcement by Chairman
Hale. II was expected Rear Admiral
sims testimony would take at least
two days and would include a resume
Of the ontiro subject OF the naval cor
duct OF the war.
ON taking the stand Admiral Sims
said he had received a reply to his
letter to Mr.. Daniels c,iticising the
methods Of making the naval awards:
that the reply was personal and sim
p,y said no final action on the awards
had been made.
Admiral Sims said somo newspo-
pes HAD been mistaken IN ascnbing
personal motives tn some Of those
VINO had criticized the awards and in
assuming that advantage was taken
%, the lnClu,ut TO maze "a personal at
tack on the secretary
Mistakes Made.
Nothing could be Iurtncr from the
truth. ne suid adding that he pruu-
shiy the ncury unanimous opinion OF
v.nccra oi the navy, certain mistakes
N.vic maue lu the uwurus whICh M
vowed not only the question OF JUS
u'e, but the morale OF tnc lighting
iutcc.
Admiral Sims said medals were only
IA source Ot trouble aud the service in
general would he glad if Hll could uu
Withdrawn and the government "oall
IL square Tine unfortunate and un-
necessary controversy, he said. had
Ht.sVn because "a puuCy defined py the
secretary had not been written into
iua.rhrtuuH to thu knight medal
award board as he and otner officers
hau urged.
tie naa recommended. he added.
three out OF 10000 Tor medals OF
honor, and an got something elise.
toe only honor medal awarded going
60 Lieutenant IsHHvs. captured uN %
submarine after the sinking OF tho
Transport Pres aent Lincoln.
General decoration ~ officers who
lost thc.r ships WAS without precedent
"a the h.s,ors Dr the world. Admiral
SIMS said. Commanders Iu such
cases earned The medal Of honor or
nothing hc added
lteplNiur 20 senator pitfmanu Hs To-
W I'NI'I NNt com IulhNN'I NI @ HlNhllA
ship might perform O. distinguished
service, the admiral created 10 ripple
ct laughter Dos dr,luIlug that hc would
have awarded u navy cross Co the
hoy who stood ON the burning deck
but not distinguished service medal
Objects Ia Changes.
Aly sole and uhIvf contention is
that the action OF the secretary and
the knight board Boo changing the rec
ommonnuuuu mad" hy commanding
uiicorA was absolutely without Just-
ncauon' continued the admiral.
The immediate superior iu Com-
mHnd ls the only one who knows Nhat
each officer did"
Failure 10 rc,pgniz, this. Admiral
Sims said, has been extremely dv-
structNo 10 tho morale OF the navy,
which BE- already snut To pieces.
Admiral Sims had verbal Tits with
several senators. particularly Sonutor
Pullman, which caused laughter
among tho spectators.
we people who have worked all
our lives Iu the uuNy know that II
morale is not right tho navy is not
right Admiral Sims said. "aud the
Lord knows 1t has never been wurs"
than 10 iH now"
The awarding of some thirty med
uIH OF honor iu connection With the
landing lt Vera cruz. MvNico, when
uuly one ur two bad boon recommend
"d hy DuInmuuiirE officers. hr said.
affected scryic, morale
Lacks criticism
"Our navy lacks constructive rriti-
Uism from tho public ana uuDrs-
sarly so because our naval officers
ar. forbidden 90 publish ANYTHING
without the permission of and usual
ly censorship hN the department
This is t1 say tho least u singular
regulation 10 ho enforced in u demo-
cratic form ot government and the