The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-05-14
CHARGE Of SIMS
D|SREGARDS FACTS
DANIELS DECLARES
Statistics and Reasoning Ad-
duced Are Fantastic and
Fully Refuted by Admira'S
Own Testimony.

WASHINGTON, May 1A--Rcar Ad-
/, mral Sims 'falacious and baseless"
assertion that navy department delays
prolonged the war four months un-
necessarily was practically the only
charge Of untavorahle results from the
| many alleged sins Of omission and
commission" tho officer had ascribed
TO the department Secretary Daniels
told the senate naval investigating
committee today, 1t was fully refuted.
ne added, by the admiraIs own testi-
mony.
The charge of the prolongation OF
the war WAS a definite and serious
one said the secretary. 1t was made
| with reckless disregard OF the facts
and the reasoning and statistics ad-
duced In its support are those which
one might expect to find in the fam
| tastic tales of a Baron MunChausen.'
Admiral Sims based his estimate Of
an average loss for the allies of 5000
men a day, said Mr. Daniels
The loss of 3, 900 men day for four
months falls far short OF half mil
lion, but OF course half a million sounds
more impressive than the figure which
arithmetic the secretary said.
The admiral based the charge ON the
assumption that had there been mil
lion American soldiers in France by
March, 1918, the war would have ended
four months sooner, Mr.. Daniels said,
and completed the reasoning by assum-
ing that the tonnage losses Of 1917 pre-
vented carrying that number Of troops
overseas by that date and that failure
OF the American navy to cooperate
heartily in the first months OF the
war resulted in the heavy tonnage
losses.
1T is not necessary to wander far
into the realm OF statistics or technical
questions to show the absolute fallacy
of Admiral Sims claim" Mr. Daniels
said HE informed the committee that
the net tonnage available for the allies
May /. 1917, was 27000,000 tons. 1t Is
a matter of common knowledge that
on May /. 1918, the tonnage was less
than on May /, 1917. Testimony given
by Admiral Sims would indicate that
the net loss during the year was about
1000 900 tons. This is probably a suf-
| ficiently close estimate for practical
purposes. Now then, owing to the ton
mage losses OF 1917 and the early part
OF 1918, the net tonnage available TO
the allies had been reduced from a.
900 900 on May |, 1917, TO 10000. 600 on
May l. 1918, Yet II is admitted by Ad
miral Sims that in the spring Of 1918
American troops were transported to
| France at the rate Of nearly 100000
month, or more than ten times the
! rate to which he said transportation
I had been restricted in 1917 because Of
| the destruction OF tonnage. This simple
tact refutes absolutely Admiral Sims
kstatemeut that the tonnage losses Of
4 jgl7 made It impossible to transport
any considerable American army and
made 1t necessary to limit the num-
| Der OF American troops that could be
sent abroad during the first year TO
an average OF approximately $4,000 men
| per month.
There never was time, the witness
said, when tonnage was not available
| to carry troops and supplies to France
as fast as they could he landed and
| transported to the front, although II
was only by extreme eXertlons that
| this was done during the rush OF troops
in April" ALLEGATION OF ships to the
United States by the allies was always
the dominant factor Mr.. Daniels de-
clared.
"As a matter Of fact the American
army materially shortened the war,
said Secretary Daniels. ut got to the
| front as soon as 1t was humanity posi-.
Bile, not by chance, but as result OF
careful plans involving complete coop
| Grafton between the army and navy
carefully carried out.
Mr. Daniels quoted Field Marshal
| Haig as saying that the British armies
were unable to inervene until nearly
two years had elapsed in sufficient
strength adequately 10 assist the allies
| The war was over 10 months after the
| United States entered, he said, adding
| that mo one can deny that within 10
! months after our entry the American
army was in sufficient strength 'ado-
quately TO assist the allies.
! In this connection he asked the com
mittce to consider that American troop.
! and supplies had to be transported
across 1900 miles of sea while Great
Britain was within sound Of the guns.
| Mr.. Daniels quoted from the test-
lmony of Admirals Rodman and Wilson,
| Rear Admirals Nihlack. Mexican.
! Strauss, Fletcher and Badger and Capt
! pratt to show that all Of these officers
refused to support Admiral Sims charge
! OF prolongation Of the war.