The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-04-09
Navy GETTING
READY IN 1915,
IS TESTIMONY
Admiral Sims Beliefs Attack
ed From Almost Every
Angle by Admiral Fletcher,
Who Was Displaced at Brest
HAD COMPLETE PLANS
(By Associated Press)

WASHINGTON, April 9.-Two years
before the United States joined the al
lies in the world war the navy general
board prepared a comprehensive plan
for war against a central power" of
Europe, Rear Admiral F. F. Fletcher
today told the Senate investigating
committee.
He was replying to Rear Admiral
Sims charge that when the United
States entered the war the navy de-
partment had no "well considered"
plans or policies for fighting Germany.
Many such plans had been made in
the past, Admiral Fletcher said, but
the plan referred to covered every
phase of navy operations under the as
sumed conditions of war"
Dealt With EfIery Side.
1t dealt with the mobilization, Or
ganization and composition of the fleet,
it's disposition and employment, pro-
lection of the coasts, bases of supplies
on the United States coast and in the
West Indies, routes across the Allan
tic and the enemy's forces, and prob
able courses of action, he said, and
comprised nearly 500 typewriter
pages.
Admiral Fletcher was member of
the general board during the war but
was engaged for the most part with
his duties as member of the war in
dustries board, the priorities board
and the council of National Defense.
Explaining that he wished to COM
ment on certain specific charges
made by Admiral Sims before testify
ing regarding his duties as a member
of these various boards the witness
first took up Sims criticism that the
navy was not prepared for war in
April, 1917.
"On Par With Worlds Best"
mo navy ever was or ever will be
fully prepared for war in the eyes of
everyone" the Admiral declared, "but
the American navy when it entered
the war was just as we'll prepared as
any other navy in the world when the
great war burst forth"
Admiral Sims declaration that the
navy department should have immed-
lately sent all available destroyers and
small craft abroad to fight submarines
sounded plausible and convincing, the
witness said, but such a course of ac-
ton would have left the American
coasts and ports full Of invaluable
vessels and cargoes open to attack by
German submarines that had demon
strated in 1916 their ability to cross
tee ocean, menace the United States
coast and return to Germany unaided
Such an attack, he asserted, would
have caused great alarm in this coun-
| try and have effected sending any
small vessels to the war zone.
Praises Industry Board.
Admiral Fletcher characterized the
work of the war industries board as
one of the great achievements of the
war and declared the members of the
board compliment highly the efficiency
with which the navy department con-
Quoted the business end Of it's par
ticipation in the war.
No loss of shipping or failure of the
navy to transport troops to France,
prolonged the war for a single day the
admiral asserted. Admiral Sims as
sertion that "the navy department is
responsible for the loss of two and a
half million tons of shipping the pro-
longateon of the war for months, fiji
teen billion dollars of debt and the
loss of 100000 lives" was based upon
assumption and had no foundation in
fact, the officer declared.
"The whole conclusion reached in
the accusation Is built upon the flimsy
| VI d Hy ypolucIiCdI COuulllOIl
and is wholly without value" he said.
Congress must increase the pay of
both officers and men if the navy is
to be saved from disaster" Rear Ad-
miral Washington. chief of the bureau
of navigation, declared.
Failure of congress to act, he said,
has resulted in wholesale desertions
of enlisted men and the resignation of
hundreds of officers.
Navy in Bad Way
The result is he declared, that the
navy is in a "bad way" and if con.
ditions continue it not only will be
under manned by 1921, but 90 per
cent Of those on the roster will be in.
experienced boys.
Foreign countries have increased
the pay in their navies. adding: 81
understand the increa ses abroad are
being paid largely with money Dor
rowed from the United States