The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-03-26
pId Moro Luck WIn tha warf

Detroit Free Press 0nd.) }, mot even the
war department with all its laundering
was as slow about utilizing its re.
sources as was the navy department"
II had been assumed that the navy's
part In winning the war was accom-
plished with efficiency and dispatch un-
til the charges OF Admiral Sims burst
on the country like a 15-inch shell and
started people wondering WHISTLER tho
war was won in spite OF the navy rather
than because Of II.
But Germany was beaten, anyhow"
Mr.. Average American Is likely to say.
why not be satisfied with thatl Why
try to unearth scandals2" TO this tho
Pittsburgh Press (Ind.) replies:
We are not 90 secure from the pos
sibility OF future war. but that II Ia
the part OF prudence to understand just
where We fell short this time and adopt
precautions to prevent a repetition OF
tho plumbers Of which Admiral Sims
complains"
sibility OF future war but that II 10 tho
part OF prudence to understand Just
where we fell short this time and adopt
precautions to prevent repetition OF
the blunders OF which Admiral Sims
complains"
The substance Of the admlral's COM
plant is that the navy department tried
to direct the strategy OF the campaign
from Washington. and that instead Of
cooperation with the allies in q COM
mon plan against the enemy It pursued
three basic charges" according 70 the
Chicago Daily News Qnd.). are:
THAT during the early period OF the
war the navy department violated fun
damental principles OF warfare and thus
caused needless and costly prolonga-
ton OF the fighting; that the policies
of the department during the last half
OF the war were identical with those
recommended by him and rejected dur
ing the first six months and that the
department either did not have suitable
plans when the nation entered the war
or else did not make use Of them In a
timely manner"
"A painful picture Of confusion and
delay" the News comments, and the
Seattle Times (Ind) puts emphasis on
the admirars opinion that these condi"
O0o. 900 In treasure and 2.5O0.O0O tons Of
shipping" The San Antonio Light
Qnd) thinks all this Sounds bad for
Danlels," and It points especially to the
original policy OF the secretary in keep |
Ing our warships in home waters be- |
cause OF the submarine menace. where I
as:
Tho department should have under
stood enough OF naval stately to know |
that the damage they could inflict on |
this sido OF the ocean was negligible
with what they could do on 7
tho other side. and that the best wny
to keep them from our coast was 10
conduct such forcible offensive against
them that they would have been
obliged to remain on the otherside OF
the Atlantic"
And 1t turned out" adds the Buff
fall, Express lRep.), that after We
sent our patrol boats to those Euro
pean waters, we had no more trouble
from submarines of our own coast"
The Now York Tribune ERep), how
aver, calls attention to Daniels tele-
gram to Sims. saying that the future
40 way be teopardized BY any disin,;,
egration OF our main fighting fleet"
md it thinks this boldly Indicates
hat, instead Of cooperating whole
leartedly for the prompt defeat of a
enemy we were to conserve
,ellum conditions" TN this" thinks
he Tacoma News-Tribune Qnd.), 1.-THE
lavy's head seemed to fear the Eng
ish navy as much a. he feared Ger
many.
However. an the Cleveland Plain
Dealer Qnd. Dem.) remarks. we should
hear the other side before finally con-
lemning the one department Of the
government reputed ready for the Ger
nan peril In 1917"
Admiral Sims Judges the navy by
is failure 70 reach a standard which
as in fact unattainable." says the
springfield Republican Qnd), and al
ows too little for the natural and in
vitable slowness and indecislon of de-
nocracy in the FIRST stages Of n war.
: apt TO shine" The Dayton News
Dem.) reminds us that "the approba-
ion OF the allies followed Americas
avail service" and asks why need
ADMIRAL Sims consider our part so In
ignifcant and poorly conoeived2" II
.ppeal (Dem) that the egotlsm OF the
dmiral has run away with any discre-
lon or Judgment that he may have
diseased, and that the whole discus
Ion has resolved itself into a political
tack upon the present authorities"
the Sims advice had been followed
rom the beginning. this lis quite be-
ond the mind Of man TO say" declares
he Milwaukee Journal (Tnd.) Our ma
al participation In the war" says the
.rizona Republican Qnd. Prog), was
OF vital. The British navy had proved
self 10 be sufficient. There were no
avail operations since some time be-
ore our entrance into the war that
, Om,ii have have given opportunity TO our
do snp no NOR: w toI pTSe .ndIr could th
ar quickly II we had had every Amer
an battleship and cruiser in Euro
can waters from the spring OF 1917"
urther. the New Orleans States Dem)
ttacks Admiral Sims statement that
the navy department had taken his
dvics from the beginning as to con-
oys could have put 1000, 900 men in
rance by March, 1918. before the Ger
ian drive began, forced Germany's
July instead Of Nov. IL,
nd saved 100000 lives and SIS, 900,
% 900 treasure"
IF we had tried 20 do what Admiral
Inns now says he wanted" saws the
tates, we would have put IN France
v March ! an army OF 1000. 900, the
ulk Of II entirely green and only ht
NJ cannon fodder; and II this army had
cen put behind the front TO support
he British and French when the ire
'endous German drive began on March
the chances are that instead Of 300
M allied lives being saved, several