The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-06-27
OUT, DAMNED SPOT" IS.
APPLICABLE TO WEARY
AND WORN DANIELS AND
SIMS NAVAL DISCUSSION

Washington, June 26.-The Sims
Daniels row over the navy's conduct
of the war was revived today with the
publication of a letter from Rear Al
miral Benton c. Decker commandant
of the Seventh Naval District, Florida,
in which he charges that Secretary
Daniels in his testimony before the
senate investigating committee inten.
tionally and deliberately" misrepre-
sented certain acts of Rear Admiral
Sims, Pullman and Fiske.
The letter, dated June Il, and ad
dressed to Chairman Hale of the COM
mittee, was published in the Army
and Navy Register, service maga-
zine.
Admiral Decker said he also sent
copy Of it to Secretary Daniels
Admiral Decker formerly was raya,
attache at Madrid, but was removed
during the war. Secretary Daniels has
stated that his removal followed rep.
reservations from Ambassador Willard
that he was encroaching on diplomatic
functions in his activities there
The admiral declared in his letter
that from my personal knowledge
of Mr.. Daniels character, / am lee
to believe that whatever is cited in
his statements to the discredit of the
officers is so perverted and twisted
as to give the actual facts false
meaning.
1T is probable and more than ike
ly," Admiral Decker's letter said.
that If these officers had bowed
down and served the gods that Mr.
Daniels worshipped they would to.
day have been fattening on the navy
as commanders Of fleets on active
duty or in pleasant Jobs in Wash
ington. To me, as to other high Of
ficers Of the navy it has come that
ii we would bow down and do the
wishes OF Mr.. Daniels, We would re-
ceive the rewards therefor-intimation
that come by circuitous and under
handed sneaking ways, SO that 10
one can take hold Of them.
My explanation of the incidents
set forth by Mr.. Daniels is basec
upon my personal experience with
him. This explanation Is that Mr.
Daniels found these officers would
not follow him to the limit of de-
moralizing and degrading the navy:
that even though they honestly de-
sired the rewards and promotions
of their career, which all honorable
men reasonably desire, they were
not willing to sacrifice their charac.
ter their manhood and their coun-
try And as a result Mr.. Daniels /
determined to break them by the use
of all the power of his high office, |
by the use of the power of ridcule, |
sarcasm and half truths, thai, as =
newspaper man, he has learned how
to use TO skillfully, by the use or
strength Of publicity secured through
his newspaper connections, all the
weapons which Prussianism used 10
destroy its enemies, and autocracy
has used through the ages to main
tain its power
In my opinion all credit is due
10 these men that they have fought
unto the end and upheld the stand
ard of uprightness, loyalty to coun-
try, self sacrifice, hard work and gen.
conduct, attributes that the
deal naval officer has always revered.
Il have no desire in this letter to
bring out my personal experiences
with Mr.. Daniels, but he knows or
them, and he knows, if he con-
linues the difference between righc
and wrong, that he has been dishon.
EST; that he has been autocratic;
hat he has abused his power; that he
mas done all this for unworthy mo-
ives.
I'm any reorganization of he navy
.oday," Admiral Decker continued, "the
navy needs, and the best interests
)f the country demand that there
shall be placed in the navy department
| naval officer big enough and broad
enough and Of sufficient ability TO
maintain the standards Of the navy
against the ehcroachments of the civ
lian secretaries, who seek to make
)f the navy a political organization"
In another letter TO Chairman Hale,
also published in the Army ana
Navy Register, Admiral Decker as.
sails Assistant Secretary Roosevelt for
MS reference to "holier-than-thou''
group of officers at the navy war
college at Newport in a recent com.
to member of congress,
This is the group Of officers" Ad-
niral Decker declared, who have
stood out against the introduction or
politics into the navy and have sac.
'ificed themselves for the good or
he navy and not fattened on it.
These may be the same officers
Who were scornfully referred to as
gold laced gentlemen, when on a
previous occasion MIR. Roosevelt sought
% ingratiate himself with the work