New-York tribune., 1920-03-19
Sims Demands
Full Inquiry
To Fix Blame
Committee Action Urged to
Determine Responsibility
for Navy Conditions I'm War
That Prompted Charges
He Offers No Remedies
Cross-Examination Is Post.
poned Until Monday on
Request of Pittman

WASHINGTON, March 49, Rear
Admiral Sims, concluding his direct
testimony to-day before the Senate
committee hearing his indictment Of
the Navy Departments conduct Of the
war. said that responsibility for con-
ditions which prompted his charges
against the administration Of the de-
rartmenr could be determined only
by q full investigation by the COM
mittec.
For that reason. Admiral Sims said,
ne had no well founded" recommen-
dations to make as to remedies.
Until further investigation disclosed
whether the errors and mistakes he
has charged were cue to faulty or
ganization or inefficient personnel, he
added, he would not attempt to for
mulate remedial proposals.
Cross examination of Admiral Sims
was postponed until Monday on re-
quest OF Senator'S Pittman, Nevada,
and Trammell. Florida, Democratic
members of the committee. Senator
Pittman, who has not been able to
attend many Of the sessions of the
investigating committee during Ad-
mirel Sims's direct statement, said he
had requested the postponementt that he
might have time to read the testimony
preparatory to a cross-examination of
the officer.
c,,$ 7t1ya
known and generally accepted prin-
ciples of warfare such as have been
shown by my testimony is in itself
to suggest the remedy which is obvi-
ously to avoid such violations in the
future" said Admiral Sims in closing
mis- statement. Previously he had en-
phasized his assertion that he did not
desire that any of his testimony be
understood as charging responsibility
for the conditions he criticized to any
individual The investigation had not
proceeded far enough, he said, and his
own knowledge of conditions in the
department during the war was too
limited to warrant any such accusa-
tion, he dec 'ared.
Admiral Sims laid before the COM
mittee thirteen specific counts in his
.ndictment charging mistakes and
costly delays. They were:
"ln spite Of the fact that war had
been going on for nearly three years,
and our entry into it had been i'm
tninent at least from February 2, 1917,
the vessels of the navy were not ready
Tor wa. service when the United States
entered.
"The first few months after America
nnteYpd oil Col
ones for the whole Allied cause, due to
the success of enemy submarines
This criticA, situation was made
clear to the Navy Department a few
days after America entered the war,
and repeatedly thereafter by cables and
vices to the government from the
American Ambassador in London end
by Mr. Hoover.
"The Navy Department supplied me
with no plans or policy covering our
participation in the war for three
months after our entry therein.
War Prolonged by Delays
Having information as to the criti-
cal situation of the Allies, the Navy
Department did not promptly assist
them. and thereby prolonged the war
by delaying the sending of anti-sub-
marine vessels, none reaching Europe
for nearly a month after war was de-
clared and two and half months
elapsing before thirty vessels arrived
"Ihe Navy Department failed TO ap-
preciate the military value of time.
1.-THE Navy Department. violated
fundamental military principles in at
tempting to formulate war plans of
operation without having sufficient
knowledge of the whole situation.
"The departments representative
with the Allied admiralties was not
supported, during the most critical
months of the war. either by adequate
personnel Or by adequate forces that
could have been supplied.
"The Navy Department violated
fundamental military principles in dis
persing forces away from the critical
area in order to meet diversions of the
snemy.
"The Navy Department, in the first
months of the war. attempted the direc-
tion of details, although three thousand
miles distant from the scene of active
operations, where the situation was
changing from day to day.
Military Principles Violated
"Ihe Navy Department. in not clear
ly defining the responsibility and dele
eating authority to its representative
IN Europe, failed to follow sound prin-
clples, common alike to the business
and military professions.
:, The Navy Department, by control
ing the operations and movements of
certain forces within the war area,
violated the Fundamental military prin-
clp!e of unity OF command.
Inc Navy Department failed to keep
us representative abroad completely in
formed as to its plans affecting dis
patcn and disposition of forces in the
war zone, and frequently reached deci-
sions IN such matters through informa.
non gained from sources other than it's
Tenresentative IN the war zone"