Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-05-11
DANIELS, IN BITTER
 ATTACK, PLAYS SIMS
 RECORD DURING WAR
(Continued from page 1N.

N uePai tiielI disposition O1
 shlps and its other official actions
 as loyal officer accepts the decis. ions of his superiors, even though
 ne might personally hold other views. : The investigating committee, See fetary Daniels said, had been wear. Ted and the public nauseated wher
 abortlve attempt to ferret out the
 mole hills of mistakes and exagerats them into mountains, to make a noble and notable accomplishment appear as the dim and fading background ot la 1rontlsplece of comparatively un- important errors of judgment" .. Achievements Great.
 "The navy's record in the war stands untouched today and for all tune despite criticisms from within or without" he said.
 No such troop movement over so great an expanse of water had ever been attempted as the transporting of Americas legions to France. Sec fetary Daniels declared, adding that m comparison to that essential to "lnnlng the war, nothing else count ca. It was well and expeditiously done. That fact alone is answer to most of the criticisms heard by vour committee.
 The only man injured in public es- teem by his charges is Admiral Sims himself" said Secretary Daniels.
 The evidence has only one effect and that has been a feeling of deen regret at the necessity of withdraw ing approval from Admiral Sims and replacing it with deep and lasting dlsapproval. The navy and it's ser wee in the world war stand without trace of the mud with which few have sought to bespatter it."
 50 far as his own acts were con- cerned," Secretary Daniels said, Che would be willing to let the case rest. But the Judgment and ability of the eleven other members of the general booard had been brought under public criticism by one of their own num- Der, he said, and these officers respecting a tradition that naval of- ficers should never enter into pub lie disputes among themselves re- garding purely naval matters, looked to the civilian secretary to defend them.
 There were twelve of these high ranking officers charged with great responsibility" said Secretary Dan lels. You have heard eleven. One is the author of these criticisms. The twelfth, Admiral Gleaves, who was in charge of the troop ships that carried our soldiers to France, is commander in chief of the Asiatic fleet and I do not feel justified in ordering him from his distant station to testify The ten who have testified have ably and flatly denied the correctness or justice of the criticisms"
 Verdict 10 to 1.
 "In considering the criticisms of one of the eleven officers referred to, l think it surprising and grati- flying that the verdict of these off, cers is tten to one as to the correct ness of what we did. Had there been during the war a serious difference of opinion among those charged with determining our military action, it would of course have been my duty to have decided between them. I have been fortunate that no such condition arose, for that is heavy responsi- bifity for any civilian, untrained in technical warfare to undertake.
 What l feel is needed from me is, not a defense, but resume of what has already been testified to, that the public may clearly understand that the defense has already been ably and fully made by the highest officers of the navy, together with some statements of what the navy actually did during the war. You have heard long statements of what ,% 3C do will be heightened by the facts of some of the great things it did do."
 The portion of Admiral Sims cele- brated letter that shocked the public more than any other, MT. Daniels said, was the statement that he had been told at the navy department mot to let the British pull the wool over your eyes. We would as soon fight them as the Germans" "I must confess that it shocked me-" said the secretary, "for in all my years of association with officers of the navy this was the first time I have ever known one to make public any con- fidential conversation with superb or officer. I did not believe it was possible for an officer of our navy to do such thing. The people could not understand how any patriotic American who put the good of his country first, could possibly spread broadcast a statement which reflected upon his own government and might tend to disturb the cordial relations with a friendly power, and violate the confidence reposed in him, and publish statement which he evil dently believed would damage fel- low officer and cast doubt upon the navy's wholehearted espousal of the Allied cause"
 Secretary Daniels assailed the man ner in which the Sims letter was made public, declaring that Admiral Sims read it during the investigation of naval awards although it had noth- ing to do with the subject under con- 
 Sims Pro-British.
 "He could not have chosen a more and well planned man. ner of getting publicity" said MT. If, as he said, he had writ ten it only fro naval officers, noth- ing would have been easier than for him to have told Chairman Hale that he had written letter to Secretary Daniels bearing on totally differ snt subject, for naval use only to make public which would be viola tion of naval traditions and to have begged to be excused from reading it. But he had it in his pocket, evil dently awaiting opportunity which the hearing afforded him, to give his charges the widest possible public ty." :,
 Had any one in authority in the navy department entertained a pre- iudice against Great Britain. Secre- ;ary Daniels said, Admiral Sims ,,ov1J not hovo hann sent tO London