South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-05-14
SEC. DANIELS
DENIES RUMOR
ABOUT SIMS
Navy Official Says He Has
Not Issued Disciplinary Or
ders Against Admiral.
By Associated Press

II
WASHINGTON. May lS.-Sec'y y
Daniels told the senate naval inves-
tigating committee Thursday that he
had not signed a cablegram bearing
what purported to be his signature
which was among those read TO the
committee by Rear Admiral Sims
when the investigating began. The
original OF the message, Mr.. Daniels
said. did not show his signature and
he added that his name had been
forged to the copy presented by Ad-
miral Sims.
Stresses Signature.
Mr.. Daniels, declared Admiral
Sims. in his statement had stressed
the words, signed, Daniels" in
commenting on the message. and
had said that its purport had made
him feel like jumping overheard" g"
The cablegram concluded with the
sentence: I'm regard TO conveys. /
consider that American vessels hav-
ing armed guard are safer when sail
ing independently"
The original of the cable was
found at the British embassy
through which il was transmitted
and was signed "A + Carter, by di-
rection Of the chief of naval opera
llOAASt DdlAAtlS AOiA the
tee, presenting photostatic coLies of
the original dispatch. He added that
he had never held the opinion set
forth and knew as soon as Admiral
Sims read the message 10 the COM
mittee that he had not signed IT,
Somebody Guilty.
Somewhere, somebody was guilty
OF signing my name to an official
dispatch with the original here pro-
duced, shows l never signed, -
said Mr.. Daniels, cor Of altering
a despatch by erasing the real sig
nature and substituting Daniels"
knew that If my name appeared on
such a telegram II would be because
somebody had forged my name to
IT"
Admiral Sims owed both the coun-
try and himself an apology for thc
impression conveyed by testimony
based upon false signature, Mr.
Daniels said. and should produce
the rerson who altered the sigma
ture"
Much OF Sec'y Daniels testimony
Thursday was devoted to Admiral
Sims criticisms OF the departments
troop convoy methods. The admiral,
Mr.. Daniels declared. persisted in
regarding cargo ships as more vital
TO the allied cause than troop ships
and took the attitude that the for
mer should be protected If neces-
sary at the cost of transports. This
attitude caused the department
much anxiety" he added, and final
" resulted in "a blunt" admonition
that the protection Of troop ships
was the navy's first mission.
Did Not View.
Mr.. Daniels told the committee
he did not know that Admiral Sims
held such a view until the officer
testified recently before a court Of
inquiry or he would have recalled
the officer from London.
The secretary took exception to
Admiral Sims "attemLt 10 give the
British most of the credit for car
rying American troops overseas apd
protecting them en- route" He de
clared that nearly so per cent of
Perching's soldiers were carried in
American ships and that more than
so per cent OF the protecting forces
were furnished by the United States
navy.
THE British did carry a large
number OF our troops and deserve
credit for It," said Mr.. Daniels. but
II should be remembered that they
were paid for every man they car
ried"
Secy Daniels was told Thursday
of persistent rumors in Washington
that disciplinary measures had been
ordered against Admiral Sims. ef-
fective as soon as the senate in
vestlgation ended. He denier that
he had issued any such orders.