The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-02-04
DANIELSEXPLAINSNAVAL WAR
Secretary of Navy Tells of Per-
sonaI Feeling Between Sims
and Admiral Wilson
COMMENTS ON SHORE DUTY
ADMIRAL Sims Was Probably In
fIuenced in His Recommends
tiOns by Own Service.

Washington Feb 3.-Personal diff
ss~eDres developing between Rear Ad-
--~aI William 5. Sims and Admiral
f,r~v g. Wilson former commander of
H.s American naval forces off the
,-7ncl coast, were followed by the
emission Of Admiral Wilson's name
fr5m the list Of officers recommended
f7~ metals by Admiral Sims the senate
r0u.mt.teo investigating naval decora-
lions was told today by Secretary Dan
IDS.
While admiral Sims recommended
>5tn- officers who served we'll in min
ar posts for distinguished service med
s.s and every other flag officer under
his command for the same honor" said
Mr. Daniels, "he omitted that distin-
-t,bed admiral who commanded all
Nerican naval forces off the French
.o7st. Rear Admiral Wilson, now COM
mqnder in chief of the Atlantic fleet.
When the history Of the war is
written Admiral Wilson's service will
stand as high as that of Sims, Mayo
Benson or ROdman."
When it was decided to appoint Ad-
mjral Wilson, commander in chief OF
t.e Atlantic fleet, Secretary Daniels
said. Admiral Sims wrote a letter of
protest. CharacteriZing the contempla-
ted appointment as a very grave mis-
take indeed" the letter called Secretary
Daniels attention to the trouble Ad-
miral Wilson gave me in the discharge
uf my duties"
L attempted to correct it by personal
Iotters." Admiral Sims letter said.
ADMIRAL Wilson criticized not only
This organization but me personally, in
Guiding that most destructive of all
IL,
Only a One Man Job.
Secretary Daniels appeared before
the committee to answer criticisms of
\dmiraI Sims and other officers of
the manner in which naval decorations
we're awarded. Referring to Sims cri-
icism that his recommendation of g
distinguished service medal for COM
mander J. c. Babcock, his chief Of staff
and his everything had not been fol-
lowed Secretary Daniels said:
II had thought Commander Bah
cock the everything" of the navy a
cross the sea. / certainly would have
-ent MIN to represent the navy instead
If Admiral Sims. I do not believe in
having two supermen to do one-man
job"
If ADMIRAL Sims had told the men
m our vessels operating in the war
zone that they were not really fighting
md that their ships were only motor
t0rrios"' he would have had a revolt
in his own command. The crews of
our destroyers and patrol craft con-
>antly hunting and often attacking
submarines thought they were fight
nG. The armed guards on American
merchant vessels which repelled nu-
morous attacks thought they were fight
inc when they kept their guns firing
l. Il III i 4
jhom. The crews of the staunch little
>ub-chasers had an idea they were
5ichtiuC-and fighting pretty we'll
when they led the attack on Durazzo,
cleared mines from the path of the big
warships and under heavy fire from
HE Austrian forces, sent down two
submarines
Sims Admits Fighting.
Secretary Daniels said a document is
sued from Admiral Sims own head
ruarters in London entitled a summary
of activities of United States naval
forces. operating in European waters.
rantained accounts of over 256 attacks
by United States naval vessels. He
added that the records of the armed
-uard section contained accounts of 227
.ncounters between American mer-
rhantmen and German submarines. In
1870 cases the attacks were successfully
c0mbatted.
When Secretary Daniels finished
~aading the statement, Chairman Hale
annoUnccd that the committee adjourn
until Friday to give the members an
opportunity to carefully study the sec
rotarTs statement Mr.. Daniels will
again appear before the committee
Friday.
Taking up the contentious of Rear
\DTn1p0l William Sims in the matter
II naval medal awards point by point,
secretary Daniels in his appearance
'oday before The scnate investigating
Subcommittee" took direct and emphatic
.~sue with - admiral. Flanked by
luminous records from the navy de-
'Irtment, the secretary went into de-
'4il in explaining changes he made in
"nfcrrinG decorations rs rccOmmen-
.tod by the commanding officers of the
navy and by the knight board of medal
wards
Tho navy secretary outlined to the
.ommittee the two chief differences
aatwaon his views and the. views held
aE \dmiral Sims in the awarding of
"."li Is. These We're a variance as to
H'" Importance of service at sea COM
.a"al with service on shore and diff
.'tuuraS on the question of whether "a
A>. 1gushed service medal should be
awarded under any circumstances to
commander Of a ship sunk or serious
Damaged by enemy submarines or
ain.s.
Asserting that Admiral Sims. while
M shore duty both in the Spanish
N"rir7U and world war, demonstrate
"hjIltH oC a high order" Secretary
@h"'s ~lid, the position of Rear Ad-
'..'' Sims in placing shore duty
'|n seq duty in the danger zone is,
aouht, Influenced by his own re-
Figures We're presented by Mr.
"N''S showing that during the last