Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-21
Cannot Tarnish Its Glory.


While the incident will be generally
REGARDED as regrcttablc, the public mind
will readily understand the motives that
actIated Admiral SIMS charges against
tbe navy administration during oir war
with Germany. Admiral SIMS had
position of importance and responsibility
jim charge of the operations OF American
war vessels in British waters-and he
did admirable work The results show
this. But Admiral Sims was q suhordl-
nate IN authority, not = chief, and nc WAS
restivr under any kind Of restraint, APP
parentIy. Also, he became mamtostiy
disgrilntled because some oi his recon-
mcndations were not carried out by ms
supcriors at Washington.
With the controversy over the award
of medals and other honArs for distin-
guished services. the public, We take IT,
will not feel very intimately concerned
Admiral Sims made certain recommended
tions Of those whom he believed deserving
Of the honorS. and his list was rather
severely revised by the Naval Board 1T
Washington, whose revision was generally
approved bv Secretary Daniels. The
disappointment of the admiral at this
result was only natural, hut It was IN
discreet in him. TO say the least, to make
fuss over the affair.
But Admiral Sims charges Of mis-
management constitute another and much
more serious matter Fortunately, IN re-
spect Of imparting 3 clear view Of the
line Of disagreement. the admiral makes
the basis Of his criticism plain II IS, in
effect. that the navy management should
have given larger assistance TO the Allies
IN direct operations against the flendlsh
German submarines. which were, at the
time Of our entrance upon the field q war,
causing dreadful havoc among British
merchant shipping, even at the expense
Of reducing the size and power Of our
convovs 10 the many vessels we sent
abroad carving men, munitions and
supplies to the battlehclds IN France.
There is no doubt sound public senti-
nleDt will be against Admiral Sims IN this
feature Of the controversy he has raised
In directly aiding the British navy to
combat the deadly submarines. we did !
all the navy manag cement deemed il safe /
to do without endangering our valuable
and important transport service. The I
great essential was to send capable fight
ing forces. with ample supplies and mu-
nitions. 70 France as soon as possible, and
this We did. The fact that tins task, tre-
mendous IN volume and hcset by con-
tinual dangers. was accomplished with
out the loss of a single ship, without the
loss OF q single life. viii eyer stand forth to
the credit OF the American navy, with
out blernish. without weak spot that
warrants serious criticism. And at the
same time we rendered valuable aid =
the British navy II fighting the deadly
peril Of the German submarine even
though all was not done along this line
that Admiral Sims believes should have
been done.
The record, Therefore, speaks for II
self, and strips Admiral sims criticism Of
any force or standing IN court And i
glorious record II is-the admiration oi
the entire world Il stands to the credit
Of our country. d our people, md Of al
the agencies that had anything 70 do ia
the making Of T. i deprive5 Admrai
Sims Of not tho slightest fraction Of tie
credit that justly goe7 70 him for bis part
in our naval orefatlon. iu foreign waters.
Ia tins splendid rtapter u tmerieau
history there y glory enough tor aH
And 10 carpng criticism, 20 ua4u paril-
san jealousy, VII serve 20 dim rs lrstre.
L Is no wonder Mr. Raymond fo>dick,
representative 81 the ! nl.ed States gov
arnment III thr IS Work q forming he League