The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1920-05-14
DANIELS CALLS
SIMS |NCAP ABLE
Secretary Says Admiral Lacked
Vision to See Task.
ACCEPTED THE BRITISH VIEW
Calls Him Observation-Disclosures He
BeiittIed the U. S. Navy and Cow
eted Foreign Decorations
Nays Record Untouched.

Washington, May IL. - Secretary
Daniels, before the senate investigat-
ing committee, made his long-awaited
reply to the criticism of Rear Admiral
Sims of the navy's part in the war.
The naval secretary let go a broad
side which includes charges that Sims
lacked vision, belittled the work of the
American navy in contrast to the Brit
ish, coveted British decorations and
aSpired to become an honorary men,
Der of the British admiralty.
The testimony of other officers in
possession of first-hand knowledge,
Secretary Daniels testified, SHOULD be
accepted by all open-minded men as
an absolute REPUTATION of practically
all of Admiral Sims charges"
Sims, Secretary Daniels told the COM
mittee, did not measure up to ex-
pectations in various ways, of which
he mentioned six. as follows:
Accepted British Views"
"He lacked vision to.see that great
and new project to bar the submarines
from their hunting grounds should be
promptly adopted and carried out, no
matter what the cost Or how radical
the departure from what ultra-prudent
men regarded as impracticable.
HE seemed to accept the views of
the British admiralty as superior to
anything that would come from Amer
lea and urged those views even when
the navy department proposed plans
that proved more effective.
''In public speeches and other ways
he gave a maximum of credit to Brit
ish effort and minimized what his
country was doing.
WANTED British Honors."
'He coveted British decorations and
seemed to place higher value on hon.
OrS given abroad than on honors that
could be conferred by the American
government.
"He aSpired to become member
of the British admiralty and wrote
complainingly when the American gov
eminent declined to permit him to
accept such a tender by the king Of
England.
"He placed protection of merchant
shipping as the main operation of our
forces abroad, failing to appreciate
that the protection of transports car
rying troops to France was the para
mount naval duty until felt impelled
to cable him peremptorily that such
was our main mission"
Regrets Promoting Sims.
Secretary Daniels testified that had
he known that in October, 1918, Sims
had made statements rejecting upon
the contributions of the United States
army and navy to winning the war to
members of congress visiting abroad,
he would never have recommended his
promotion.
eff 1 had known that he proposed,
under the permission granted him, to
tell the story of what the navy had
done overseas, to denounce the Irish
people as he did in his article in the
Worlds Work, the permission would
not have been granted he said.
The investigating committee, Secre-
tary Daniels said, had been "wearied
and the public nauseated with an abor-
tive attempt to ferret out the mole
hills of mistakes and exaggerate them
into mountains, to make a noble and
notable accomplishment appear as the
dim and fading background of front
ispiece of comparatively unimpOrtant
errors of judgment"
"The navy's record in the war
stands untouched today and for all
time, despite criticisms from within or
without" he said.
Sims Violated Trust.
The portion of admiral Sims cele-
brated letter that shocked the public
more than any other Mr.. Daniels said,
was the statement that he had been
told at the navy department mot to
let the British pull the wool over your
eyes. We would as soon fight them
as the Germans"
sT must confess that it shocked me-"
declared the secretary, '..for in all my
years of association with NOfficerS Of
the navy this was the first time I had |
ever known one to make public any |
confidential conversation with a srl- |
perior officer. did not believe it was |
possible for an officer of our navy to |
do such a thing.
"The people could not understand |
how any patriotic American who put |
the good of his country first could pos |
sibly spread broadcast statement |
which reflected upon his own govern |
ment and might tend to disturb the |
cordial relations with friendly pow