Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-03-11
SIMS CHRGE:S NAVY
 WlTn SACRIFICE oFI
 OVER 50O,Of|0 LIVES:
Lack of Co-Operation in De partment Costly. He
 Says
PROLONGED WAR FOR
 AT LEAST SIX MONTHS
Tells How Daniels First Turned
 Down and Then Adopted His Recommendations for Con VOWS

|
 Washington March To- Rear Ad- miral Sims gave the senate naval investigating committee today what he asserted was indisputed evidence that the navy department fell down during the first six months of the war.
 Numerous messages sent by the admiral to the navy department during the early days of Amerca's participation and other documents were offered as proof that despite the officers urgent and reiterated requests that every available vessel be sent to the critical area of sub marine activities, the department neither followed his recommendation nor informed him of it's plans and policies. Six months after the Unit ed States entered the war. the ad- mral said. the department adopted many of the policies he had urged.
 The lack of whole hearted Ameri- can cooperation with the allies from the start, the admiral said, resulted in prolongation of the war until November IS, when it could have DtclI tHucu LII culS Httbl'Ho oftei' flee of 50O000 lives. expenditure of 15 billion dollars which might have been saved, and gain of 2,500,000 tons of shipping. If the navy de- partment had acted promptly he as- serted, the United States would have had a million instead of 100000 sol diers in France by the time the Germans began the great drive on the western front in March, 1918.
 Explaining that his recommends tons many times were made after conferences with the allied naval commanders. the admiral said, the failure of the department to keep him properly informed as to it's plans and policies was source of great embarrassment to him.
 Instead most of his information regarding American naval plans, he said, was obtained accidentally.
 Sub Safeguards.
 When advised that the convoy | system proposed by the British ad- miralty be put into mediate opera tion, Admiral Sims said he received cablegram from Secretary Daniels stating that Gin regard to convoy consider that American naval vessels having armed guards are safer wher sailing independently" Later, adop- ton of the convoy system, he said indicated the wisdom of his recon mendation.
 Taking up the situation created by the submarine menace. the admiral said, that in June 1917, he told the - department the efforts then being Q made to curb the U-boats were not succeeding and the necessity again . ee all dc. troyers, tugs, yachts and othe, = craft which can reach the critical a area by themselves, or be lowed part way"
 The department in reply, he said : stated that "the department recog. nizes the necessity of sending all q anti-submarine craft which can be spared from home waters into active European waters and when such y craft become available will send y them," and announced "willingness tc . cooperate in every way" and that il s would consider the question of sup l plying additional naval forces other than anti submarine craft whenever :. the advisabilty of so doing is justi- r fled"
 1 That reply, Admiral Sims said l convinced him that the department entirely misunderstood the situation - and caused him to appeal to Am h bassador Page for assistance. In 2 s letter to the ambassador on June 25 : 1917, he made most of the assertions r that brought the present investiga r tion reviewed the entire situation
 quoted from messages exchanged f with the department and closed l. with the statement that "war will b' l. won or lost within the next few y months," for eff the shipping losse!
 continue at the present rate it mus e be lost because the allies canno l. win" The admiral did not say wha g was the result of the letter.