Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-02-08
BY
FOREIGN POWERS
OBJECTED To BY
NAVY CH|EFTAIN
Secretary Daniels Says He
Opposed Their Acceptance
by Americans, While Ad-
niral Sims Favored PIan,
HAS CHANGED MIND
REGARDING SEA DOG
Would Not Now Recommend
That Naval Commanders
Rank Be Made Perma-
nent Tells Committee,


Icy MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEAsEp wREl
Washington, Feb, 7,--Conclud-
ing his testimony before the senate
subcommittee investigating naval
decoration awards, Secretary Dam
lcls disclosed n difference between
himself and Rear Admiral Sims
during the war on the acceptance
Cf foreign honors and decorations
Nv American naval officers, The
admiral. who favored such deco
rations while Mr.. Daniels opposed
them, will again be before the COM
7 ittec Tuesday.
After committee members read
Mr.. Daniels commendatory state
ments he made in recommending
Admiral Sims be made a permanent
admiral for his war services, Sec
retary Daniels declared he would
not now make such a recommend :
alton as developments had caused
him to change his mind. lie clted
What he characterized rs Admiral
Sims efforts to magnify achieve
ments of the British army and
raw and to minimize results OBJ
tanned bv the United States in 1u-
dicious statements contained in a
series of articles by Admiral Sims
regarding the navy's part in the
war, including a "gratnitous re-
Election on the Irish race" and the
officers action in giving out OFF,
cial instructions of a highly confi-
Genital nature as having led to a
change in his views on promotion
for the admiral.
Mr.. Daniels said he had waived
regulations requiring officers to
submit articles to the department
before publication because "he
wished to show Admiral Sims every
consideration and courtesy" and
expected the articles to be con-
fined to Americas naval war activ-
tiles
"I am very sorry now that gave
Rear Admiral Sims this latitude, y
the secretary said.
Chairman Hale placed in the rec-
ord a letter from C, V. Cusaehs,
formerly a lieutenant commander
in the navy and assistant naval at
tache to Spain, during part of the
war. Cusachs said he was recalled
after Ambassador Willard had
cabled the state department that
a. Mr.. Urgoiti, owner of a Madrid
newspaper, had informed the am
bassador that Cusachs had told him
the United States contemplated es-
tablishing naval bases in Spain. the
ambassadors message adding, ne
said, that Cusachs' indiseretion is
fatal to our interests" The Span
ish editor, Cusachs said, in a letter
to him later denied he had ever
made the statement attributed to
him by Ambassador Willard. The
ambassadors behavior in telling
him goodbye, the former officer
wrote, was "a piece of hypocritical
acting."
Senator Pittman. democrat Of
Nevada, protested against intro
duction of the Cusachs' statement
as not pertinent, but Chairman
Hale replied that Ambassador Will
lard would be given an opportunity
to defend himself if he desired.
Secretary Daniels had no com
ment, he said Cusachs and Rear
Admiral Decker. his chief, had
both been recalled because they
were unable to get along with the
ambassador and that such action
was ordinary naval policy in the
case of attaches.
Debate on the peace treaty of
the navy's conduct of the war Of
Admiral Sims literary ability and
many other subjects consumed
much of the committees time,
while Chairman Hale made inef-
fectual efforts to get the hearing
hack on the subjects of decorations.
Secretary Daniels said that q
medal had been conferred on
Thomas A. Edison in recognition of
the service he rendered as head of
the naval consulting board. but that
the inventor had refused il after
the controversy over naval awards
had arisen. saying he had served
for love of country and wanted no
reward or decoration. Mr.. Edison,
Mr. Daniels said, had given his
whole time, most of it on naval
vessels, to study nti-submarine
devices.
Chairman Hale read letter
from Mr.. Edison saying the latter
had devoted himself to perfecting
q listening device (which would
enable detection of the direction of
torpedoes."
There isn't any honor the navy
could give to Mr.. Edison" said the
secretary. His own accomplish
ments and record gave something