New-York tribune., 1920-01-17

Knight board or Secretary Daniels were
called 1t was indicated that Mr. Dan
ieis would be the last witness called
Opening the hearing. Chairman Hale
said Congress intended that the award
o1 honors won by naval officers and
men IN time of war should be "bevon6
the influence of friendship patronage
or politics. but that there was a feel
ing over the country tnat the intent
OF Congress had been violated.
The purpose of the committees in.
vestlgatlon was summed up by the
chairman as follows:
70 throw the full light of publicity
on any person or persons responsible
Tor lowering the value of naval war
time decorations to the recipients and
thus lowering the morale of the navy
oy allowing friendship or politics to
influence such awards and to obtain
full vlndication of any persons who
might have been placed in a false light
before the public as the result of re-
cent charges
Senator Pittman, Nevada, Democrat.
charged the committee with discourte-
sizes to Secretary Daniels in calling
Admiral Sims, a subordinate officer,
before hearing Secretary Daniels. the
man who is virtually on trial here -
He said Mr.. Daniels was responsible
for the awards and should be heard
first.
Chairman Hale replied that no dis
courtesy was intended to the Secret tary.
but that it was thought best first to
call Admiral Sims, who made the prin-
clpal charges in the controversy
Senator Pittman then demanded a
roll call on formal motion that Sec
retary Daniels be called first, which
was lost by vote of to 2.
motion by Senator Pittman that
Secretary Daniels be called as soon as
Rear Admiral Sims finished his testi-
mony also was defeated.
Denies Personal Attack
On taking the stand Admiral Sims
said he had received a reply to his
letter to Mr.. Daniels criticizing the
methods of making the naval awards;
said no final action on the awards had
been made.
Admiral Sims then read a prepared
statement In which he said some news
papers had been mistaken in ascribing
personal motives to some of those who
had criticized the awards and in as
suming that advantage was taken of
the incident to make a personal attack
on the Secretary.
Nothing could be further from the
truth he said, adding that in "proba-
bly the nearly unanimous opinion of
officers of the navy" certain mistakes
were made in the awards which in
volved not only the question of justice,
but the morale of the fighting force.
Declaring that he had read state
ments in the press that he had recon-
mended every officer on his staff for a
D. S. M, the admiral said he had rec
commended only nineteen officers for
that decoration out of zoe who were on
his staff. He characterized the services
of these officers as of paramount i'm
portance" and reviewed their records
to show why he recommended them for
decoration.
"Whatever of recognition, praise or
credit | may have got out of this
war belongs to the officers of my staff"
he declared. 81 only claim the credit
for building the machine and picking
the right men"
Admiral Sims said medals were only
source Of trouble, and the service in
general would be glad if all could be
withdrawn and the government "call it
square" The "unfortunate and un-
necessary" controversy, he said. had