Republican farmer., 1920-02-06
DIRECT AND SHARP } ISSUE IS TAKEN BY ] SECRETARY OF NAVY

Outlines Main. Diff
 ferences in Their
 Views.
 Washington, Feb. 3-Taking up the contentious of Rear Ad- miral William $. Sims in the matter of naval awards, point by point, Secretary Daniels in his appearance today before the Senate Investigating Sub-Com- mlttee, took direct and en- phatic issue with the admiral. Thanked by voluminous records from the navy department the secretary went in detail in explaining changes he made in conferred decorations and recommending by the commanding officers of the navy and by the Knight Board of Medal, Awards.
 The naval secretary outlined to the committee the two chief differences between his views and the views held
 
 medals. These were at variance as to the importance of service st sea com pared with service on shore and diff ferences on the question of whether a Distinguished Service Medal should be awarded under any circumstances to commander. of a ship sunk or seri- ously damaged by enemy submarines or mines.
 Asserting that Admiral Sims while C1,-- American and world war demon strated ability of a high order," Sec retary Daniels said, "The position of Rear Admiral Sims in placing shore duty above sea duty in the dar 'Ar zone is, no doubt, influenced by B own record" ]" Figures were presented by MT. Daniels showing that during the last 25 years Admiral Sims had served about Is years on shore and nine years at sea.
 ''So rarely did he take a sea trip,'' said the secretary, referring to the AdmiraFs work as stcommander of the United States Naval Forces in Euro pean waters, that minis book he tells a story of one of the few times he was afIoat, going with the British ad- niral who had been placed by Rear Admiral Sims in command of the American destroyers based on Queens town"
 As justifying his contention that in dividuaI duties ashore are necessarily of secondary important to duties afloat, MT. Daniels asserted:
 "On shore a man decides import ant questions in the quiet of office surroundings with time to weigh the pros and cons, and if he makes a mistake his error of decision is not immediately followed by disastrous results. At sea, particularly in sub- marine warfare, the commander, like all his men, is in imminent peril o1 death. He must make momentous decisions in the flash of a single mo- ment, often when his ship has beer attacked, and when coolness and boise are necessary to save the lives of scores and hundreds of men. 4 70 mistake in this emergency is fata to an officer in command at sea-
 With this as an impelling reason the secretary said, he disapproved ot the disparity between honors to mer ashore and af1oat as recommended bH the Knight Boa~ and accordingly reduced and elinl4l.ated a number o1 awards for shore service.
 In support of his contention that : commander of a ship sunk or dam aged by submarine attack was enti tied to a medal if he showed prope1 qualifications, even though his shil was unable to combat the submarine Secretary Daniels cited numerous eX amples in American naval history an, also pointed to instances of sucl awards aby the French governmen during the World War. American naval history, he told the commit tee, was filled with precedent up holding his action in awarding tn -... Distinguished Service Medal to com manders of ships sunk by submarin or mines.
 'In the tstiletto attack Of submar inc warfare" said Mir. Daniels, t'it not the fact that man strikes o is struck that tests true mettle an true naval leadership. The questio is: Does he play the part of tn man, with chiyalry and thought oni of others and of his country? An has he by preparation and foresigf done all that is possible to meet an eand every emergency? And when h faces a court of his brother officer do they find that he has measure up in the terrible ordeal to the higi naval traditions? Admirals Mayo an Gleaves and Vice Admiral Grant rec commended commanding officers UT der them for Distinguished Servic Medals who displayed these hig qualities when their ships struck | mines or torpedoes, were sunk ( damaged. The board of awards al proved their recommendations. IT greatest thing that a man ever do, in this world is to turn a stumblir block into a stepping stone. If met 6 als are not given for this sort of nt blef courage and coolness and dire ton in supreme danger, what ( earth are they. designed for?"
 Ref-rr,n3z to Admiral Sims stat ment that he had not recommende any. enlisted men for medals becau! we had nothing to give them,'' Il secretary called the committees a tention to the act creating the awar, which he said made distinctic between an admiral captain and eI listed man.
 sIt is the service he renders, u service in peril. and not his rank tn counts" he added. There are o