The Washington times., 1920-05-12
BRITISH HELPLESS
FROM U-B0AT FEAR
President Scored prudent"
Submarine Policy In Cable
To Sims.
tcentinusd from Fret Pare.l

tcontinued from Firct PAre-l
the submarines. TO every plan looking
toward the great offensive his mind
was closed. /" Daniels said.
Admiral Sims cabled the President
that the proper policy TO pursue was
to adopt the suggestions he had
made to the Navy Department. most
OF which had been decided upon and
put into operation before Admiral
Sims had suggested them" Daniels
continued. "He added that we should
adopt an organization similar 10 the
British squadron, that we should vir-
tually transfer all naval authority TO
his headquarters In London, and that
he should be given a larger stan. He
was careful not TO say. though, that
as fast as American destroyers ar
rived at Queenstown, the critical
area as he described II. British de-
stroyers were withdrawn"
Endeavored 20 MisIea1 Wilson.
Daniels further contended that the
replies given by Sims were based on
information gained In the British gov
ernment departments and from the
British.
sims endeavored to lure the Pres
ident OF the United States into the
feeling that regardless OF future de-
velopments we can always rely os
the support OF the British navy
Daniels continued. He quoted from
Sims report to substantiate his
charge as follows:
depend upon the fact. which ] be-
lieve TO be true. that regardless OF
any future developments. we can al
ways count upon the support OF the
n-as
this by important Government Of
ficials."
HE not only expressed II in q
chiidlike and bland way as his opin'
lon. but also gravely stated thdt he
had been assured this by important
government officials" Daniels said
.sarcasticaliy. 'It would be interest
ing to show what British government
officials assured him"
De.i.atea BY British.
Every schoolboy should know that
such an arrangement Is impracti-
cable" Daniels declared. He said II
Admiral Sims has such assurances,
they should be placed in the archives
of the Sops for the Simple" The
statement only shows how completely
Admiral Sims was under the spell OF
British influence" Daniels said.
This attitude of acceptance OF
everything British undoubtedly ac-
counts for his opposition to the crea-
tion of an independent American
army: and his idea that American
troops sent abroad should be used
as an annex to the British army;
and his quoting of General Bliss as
recommending this policy" Daniels
declared. when General Bliss read
in the published testimony that Ad-
miral Sims had quoted him az sd-
vocating such policy. he wrote at
once to the Secretary OF War let
ter in which, he said he had at no
time made any Recommendation for
the brigadIng of American troops
with the British army but actually
had done the reverse"
The statement made to Congress
man Carlin OF Virginia, by Sims. as
charged by Carlin, that the United
States could depend on Great Brit
ain, "can be attributed to the same
state of mind"
Reads Letter to Page.
Daniels read a letter sent by Ad-
miral Sims to Ambassador Page, in
which Sims urged the teaching of
school children history which would
not cause them to despise other coun-
tries, and incidently referred to the
displeasure Of the President with my
reply to his cablegram." Sims said
in his letter to Page that the reply
did not change his (the Presidents)
opinion at all; and that he regards
me owned by the admiralty, and so
pro British that he considered the ad-
visibility Of replacing me with some
other officer"
f,,x ,.t4
mendations made by Sims. He told
of the recommendation that the
coast of the United States be stripped
OF protection, that destroyers might
be sent to European waters. THE
results, when submarines did later ap-
pear off our coasts. proved the wis
dom of the departments policy Dan
iels declared.
Everyone Wrong Save Sims.
In one OF the letters of Admiral
Sims to the department, read by the
Secretary, he told Of a conversation
he had with Premier Lloyd George,
in which he convinced the premier OF
the futility OF attempting to bottle
up the submarine. "If he convinced
the British prime minister, he failed
utterly when later he undertook, in
a long cablegram, to convince the
President of the United States, who
pressed the plan OF the barrage across
the North sea-" Daniels said. That
he convinced the prime minister Ia
interesting. Everybody was wrong
except Sims and those in the admi,
ralty who opposed any new PLAN .
Daniels referred to the cross-ex'
animation of Sims by the committee
at which time Sims said ii was proper
that the direction OF the naval forces
be placed in the hands OF Italy
France, England, or the United
4 States. What he meant was tt
place II in the hands OF Great Brit
ain" Daniels declared.
Says Sims Did Nothing.
| "If Admiral Sims originated a sin
gle one OF the important policies, ol
hrst suggested one important mea'
sure the United States navy put int
effect during the war, cannot recall
IT," Daniels said.
Taking up another phase Of thu