New Britain herald., 1920-03-15

garding troop conveys in the code re- ferred 10 but the warning was disre- Garded All the other Allies and the enemy were using new war time codes, he said. while the United States continued to trust invaluable information to q code used for many years.
 Even Pershing Was Ignorant.
 Information regarding conveys bound for France was known in so- cial circles in Paris before even Gen eral Pershing was informed officially, sims asserted. To illustrate the W1de- spread knowledge of the plans for the first conveys departure the admiral testified, that the |. ;. naval attache at Paris obtained his first word that troopships were sailing from a Wom- an whose husband had received the iHforma ton in business message.
 Arrangements Confusing.
 Arrans sements for the early con- VOWS were "confusing" and did not conform to the Allies methods of safeguarding troops in transit Admir- al Sims said and the navy depart ment made no effort to consult hlm and thus avail itself of the experience of the Allies in handling troopShlpS. Recul1ti ms for the conVoyS Were drawn up in the war and navy de- partments and signed by President Wilson. Sccr etaries Baker ana l'ah- iels, General Bliss and Admiral Ben son on May p without reference to him. the admiral stated and ms nrst knowledge of these arrangements came when he received a copy or the regulations nearly five months later.
 AS m illustration Of now com pleteIv I was in the dark, the adHlr- al said. II received information from both the French and British naval authorities concerning the convoy be- fore 1 was officially informed ol IL DH the department.
 Dept. Was Misinformed.
 Referring to d message from Secre- tary Daniels dated June b, l9Ii, marked "vcrv contidential' and con- tainine directions for the protection of the conveys by destroyers, Admlrai Sims said, it would he impossible 10 find q more striking example Of the department's insistence upon making decisions loased upon complete mlslh- formation.'
 ..,The whole scheme of troop con- yoy outlined in this message showed a complete ignorance and dlsfesaro of convoy methods and of war eXper- fence in the submarine danger zone' he continued.
 In response to his protests, the ad- miral said he received a reply that the department recognizes lhe soundnesS of your recommendatlohs but because of the "pres7nt sehSltiEe public opinion considers it essential 6orS corvov already issued be executed oE American destroyers.'' The admiral had recommended, he testified, that the convoys be protected by what over Allied escorts were available. There was no question at any t1me Admiral Sims said, as to whether troons should get the very best pro- lection available.
 .'Throughout the war; he added' l American troops received more pro ] lection than the Allies were able 10 | give their own troops on the hleii seas"
 1 On July f, 1917, Admiral Slms l said he received a cable from Secre- i tarv Daniels congratulatlng hln1 oii 1 the successful escort of the convoy. l No Fault With Commanders. | 1T wish to make it perfectly clear
  1 the commander of the troop conVoEs, ] he said. Such confusion and dlf11cul- 1 ties as arose were due to orders ana i nlans given him by the navy depart 1 ment'
 That the department realized the i inadeuuacN and danger ot the ar' l ransements made for the first con- VOWS was demonstrated the admlfa 1 asserted. by the fact that even pe1ore i the ships sailed he was asked to SUD-
 nit recommendations for future use
 and these recomm endations were alt
 erward adopted in their ent1fetH Later. however, he said, the depart
 ment again complicated matters D.
 buying up all available space m pas l senger ships and sending troop
 abroad without giving allied offlclal | advance notice.
 Admiral Sims expressed complet'
 accord with Secretary Daniels state
 ment in a cable to him that every
 thing is secondary to having a sufh , cient number (of eScOrting destroy
 crS) to insure protection to Amerlcai
 troops'' but declared that the depart
 nlent by going over his head tim
 after time, made it impossible for hin
 to carry out the instructions with en
 tire efficiency. The admiral testified . at length regarding the disagree
 ments With the department on plan , to meet enemy raids on conveys, pos