Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-09
WWAS PREPARED
ANDD|D GREAT WORK,
FLETCHER TEST|f|ES
Plans Perfected Two Years Before
War, He Says, Giving Lie
to Sims.
HE RAPS DANIELS FOE
By Associated Press to Every Evening

By Associated Press to Every Evening
Washington. April 9--Two years be-
fore the United States joined the Allies
in the world war the navy general board
prepared n comprehensive plan for war
against central power" of Europe, Rear
Admiral r. +. Fletcher today told the
Senate investigating committee. lie was
replying to Rear Admiral Sims charge
that when the United States entered
the war the Navy Department had no
well considered plans or policies Tor
fighting Germany.
MANY such plans had been made in
the past, Admiral Fletcher SAID but tho
plan referred To " covered every phase of
naval operations under the assumed
conditions of war II dealt with mobili-
zation, organization and composition of
the feet, its disposition and employment
protection of the coasts, bases OF supplies
on the United States coast and In tho
West Indies, routes across the Atlantic
and the enemy's forces and probable
courses of action, he said, and comprised
nearly 300 typewriter pages.
Admiral Fletcher was a member of the
general board during the war but was en-
gagged for tho most part with his duties
as a member of the War Industries Board,
the priorities board and council OF ma
tional defense
Explaining that he wished 10 comment
on certain specific charges made by Ad-
miral Sims before testifying regarding his
duties as a member of these various
boards. the witness FIRST took up Sims
criticism that the navy was not prepared
for war in April 1917.
No navy ever was or ever will be fully
prepared for war in the eyes of every one,
the admiral declared, but the American
navy when il entered the war was ''just as
well prepared as any other navy IN the
world when the great war burst forth
he asserted
Admiral Sims declaration that the
Navy Department should have mme-
diatelv sent all available destroyers and
small craft abroad to fight submarines
sounded plausible and convincing the
witness said, but such course Of acti on
would have left the American coasts and
ports full Of invaluable vessels and cargoes
open TO attack bv German submarines
that had demonstrated in 1916 their
ability TO cross the ocean, menace the
United States coast and return TO Ger
many unaided.
Admiral Fletcher characterized the
work Of the war industries board MS one
Of the great achievements of the war
and declared the members of the board
complimcnted highly the efficiency with
which tho navy department conducted
the business end Of its participation IN
the war
No loss Of shipping or failure Of the
Navy Department to transport troops 10
France prolonged the war for a single day,
the admiral asserted
Admiral SIMS assertion that 'the navy
department is responsible for the loss Of
two and half million tons Of shipping,
the proangation Of the war for four months
5000. .O00, 900 Of debt and the loss of
SOC. 900 lives" was based upon assumption
and had no foundation in fact the
officer declared
The whole conclusion reached in the
accusation is built upon the fiimsy foun-
dation Of hypthetical condition and is
wholly without value he said.