New-York tribune., 1920-01-20
Navy Secretary Demands
Rear Admiral Prove All
Charges or He Will
Set Up His Own Court
Attack on Benson
Seen in Sims Note
Alleged Breach Between
Roosevelt and Daniels
Shown by Society Item
NeW lcyk Tr,bulie
- nshinDfor RfarraY


"nshinOfon Rin~a.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19.-Both
sides in the Sims Daniels controvers,.
prepared to-day for fight to the
finish.
Challenging the sensational state
ments made by Admiral Sims in the
letter he read before the Senate
Subcommittee on Saturday, Secre-
tary Daniels served notice today
that he would insist on the Admiral
submitting proofs for every charge
made.
The Senate Naval Affairs Com
mlttee, at an executive session this
morning, directed its ub-committee
to undertake the fullest possible in
qury into these charges, but not
until it had completed its probe into
the alleged discrimination in the
award of naval decorations.
Public Must Wait
The effect Of this is to POSTPONE
for at least week the inquiry ir'o
the more serious allegations. In the
mean time the public must wait for
Admiral Sims, who to-day finished
his testimony in regard TO naval
decorations, to tell who it was who
gave him the alleged verbal instruc-
tons on the eve Of his departure
for Europe, to the effect that the
United States was as willing to tigh,
the British as the Germans.
Before hearing OF the full commit
tees decision, Secretary Daniels an
nounced that if the committee did no.
see fit to make the investigation H..
would see to it that naval tribuna.
was created for the purpose. and th:-
Sims was brought before It and re-
quired TO make good his charge
Later. he stated that he would suspend
ali action by the department pending
completion Of the committees 5nquif.
The general board OF the navy. how
ever, which has been asked by Secre-
tary Daniels to review the letter o.
Sims. will continue its work and make
4 report.
Considerable excitement continues io
naval circles over the effect of the Sim.
disclosures. which. it IS generally BE-,
lleved, were aimed by him as much =,
benson. who served as chief Of nAval
I.t,.,
were at the Secretary himself.
New Angle in Argument
Liveliest comment Was occasioned
here over the appearance in the 50
cle,y column of local newspaper thie
morning Of a paragraph 20 the efec'
that Admiral Sims had been the gues
Of honor last night a . dinner given
at the home Of Franklin d. Roosevelt
Assistant Secretary Of the Navy u
the opinion OF many this incidcn. tends
to confirm the report long current IN
naval circles that there Was anything
but harmony in the relations between
Mr.. Daniels and the Assistant Secre-
tary.
SO far "a the alleged "v~,bal .a-
structlons' are concerned, the cor
troversy has already resched Il que
tion Of veracity Secretary Danie.-
such instructions, and Admiral Be
son. who was IN Boston TO-DAY, aas
stated that he can recall 10 such
language used by him in his final COZ
versation with Sims before The latte
took his departure for Eurooe
Secretary Daniels would not di~-
cuss this afternoon whether he oe-
partment was contemplating any
disciplinary measures against Admiral
tion failed to substantiate his CHARGE
In the past. when attacked by Rear
Admiral Bradley Fiske and othe-
naval experts criticising his policy
ho said, he has refused TO accept the
advice of friends urging him 10 take
such measures.
There was widesp spread dsappoin-
mcnt throughout Washington today
over the decision OF the committee 0
dispose Of the question Of naval
decorations before proceeding to in
quire into the more serious alega
tions in the Sims letter OF SATURDAY.
involving, as these charges do. no.
only matters Of naval management
during the war. but the relations DC
tween this country and the Allies ~
we'll.
Reason for Denial
Mr.. Daniels stated this afternoon
that he would not have issued at thu
time his denial Of authorship o. the
alleged verbal instructions but FOR tn.
fact that he had been advised last nigh
by some one high in diplomatic
quarters" that It was imperative %
remove the untavorable impression
caused abroad by the Sims testimony.
Obeying the dictum OF the full nava,
committee, the Subcommittee pro
cecded at noon with its inquiry into
the naval awards. a subject that has
paled into insign i!icance by reason @,
the moro sensational disclosures in th,
Sims letters. The large crowd which
packed the hearing room in anticipa-
tion of further disclosures OF the kline
was plainly disappointed. although toe
sharp clashes between Admiral Sims
and the two Democratic Senator'S or
the suo-c committee succeeded in raa-
inc the hearing a lively ore
Just before the sub committee En-
ished with Sins the witness was drawn
into discussion o: .he various for
eign decorations which had been cor