The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1920-01-20
SIMS CHARGES
TO Be PROBED
Daniels Will Act if the Senate
Quiz Fails.
TAKES SLAP AT ADMIRAL
His Duty Was to Obey Orders, Sec
rotary Says-Declares Navy Did Its
Full Duty.


Washington, Jan. 20-Unless the
senate investigation of Rear Admiral
Sims charges Of failure of the navy
department 20 cooperate fully with
the allies during the war is made to
the entire satisfaction of the Ameri-
can people, an inquiry will be made
by navy board.
Secretary of the Navy Daniels so
announced. He added mo organiza-
ton in the history of the world ever
did a better job than the American
navy"
Almost simultaneously it was an
nounced the full naval committee of
the senate had decided a complete in
vestigation Of Admiral Sims charges
of the navy departments conduct of
the war would be made by the sub
committee which started to investigate
the award of navy decorations
The committee defeated a motion by
Senator Pittman, Democrat, Nevada,
20 have a new subcommittee appoint
ed to inquire into the Sims charges.
They probably will not be taken up
for about ten days. Meanwhile, the
original investigation will be complet-
ed.
While Secretary Daniels refused 10
discuss Admiral Sims letter of criti-
cism of the navy department, he in
dicated the admiral frequently clash
ed with the department through his
insistence more destroyers be with
drawn from troop conveys to augment
the anti-submarine forces in Euro
pean waters.
THE paramount duty Of the Amer
lean navy" Mr.. Daniels asserted, was
to protect the passage Of American
troops to Europe, and the safeguard
ing Of merchant shipping, vital as that
was recognized to be, necessarily was
secondary"
Mr.. Daniels emphasized that, con-
trary to popular impression, Admiral
Sims throughout the war was subor-
dinate to Admiral Mayo, commander
in chief of the Atlantic fleet. He in
dicated that, Oh the question of the
distribution Of destroyer strength as
well as on other questions, Admiral
Sims was overruled by Admiral Mayo,
as well as the navy department.
Every naval order, every document
bearing upon the navy's war activi-
ties" Mr.. Daniels continued, lis open
to the light Of day. The more thor
oughly the entire record is placed be-
fore the people of this country, the
greater the pride they can have in
the achievements of their navy. The
country will be entirely treasured
when matters are brought to show
down."
The secretary said in the first sum-
mer of the war Admiral Sims was as
signed the title of commander of the
United States naval forces in Euro
pean waters, but as matter Of fact,
"his duties were not af1oat."
"The business of Admiral Sims was
to obey ORDERS" asserted the secre-
tary. His duties were to make re-
concentrations, give US all the infor-
nation and all the facts, and then
carry out instructions from the de-
partment.
1.-THE country and the world know
already the job of the navy was very
we'll done. Whether on the 9th Of
June or the 9th Of July, or some
particular date, we should or should
not have sent so many destroyers to a
certain place or whether they could
be made ready at tina. time, or wheth-
er it was important to retain some to
protect our coasts, were, Of course,
matters Of naval strategy. There may
be differences of opinion between ma
val officers as to these matters, but
there is nothing about this big Job
the navy did am no. only willing,
but glad and happy for all the people
in America to know about.
"There wasn't a minute during the
war when we didn't do everything we
possibly could to increase naval effort
and add naval craft 70 fight subma-
rines and protect our troops. We or
dered $50 destroyers, and there wasn't
a minute during the war that work
was not pressed to the full capacity
Of the country. We wanted every
ship in America fit for use. We util-
lied the navy yards, every private
yard-everything was pressed almost
to the breaking poin. to hasten things.
admiral Sims must be required to
establish every criticism he has ma6a