The Washington times., 1920-01-29

10 Keep MIN DusS' anu "hSh h'Sh
busy in their profession they do not
have too much time for outside mat
ters.
In my knocking about In the navy
during the last fifteen years or so
have found few politicians. There
were some. OF course-among the
officers and men both. Admiral
Eyans--"Fighting Bob"-hsd a great
phrase for them when they were on
the unlisted force. Hes poll
tician." he used to say-"in every
body's mess and nobody's watch"
Most officers In the navy are earn
est, hard-working. eager to get ahead.
and more disinterested generally, !
think, than men in civil life ashore.
Among them are so many who have
done great things. In a mechanical
way alone, they have improved and
invented many things which would
have brought them fame and wealth
in the industries ashore, but they
gave these things without cost to the
service. The public does not hear
much about them.
But there was. and IL. another type
in the navy; not many. but they are
there. The idea OF that Iype is not
to find themselves standing some day
on the bridge of u ship fghting their
country's battle. Their idea IL never
to do any fghting whatever II they
can dodge IL. They leave that to the
chaps who know no better. They are
playing the game"
In playing the game the young
officer gets along best by attaching
himself to some one of high rank
who Is also playing the game: IL the
high ranker has powerful propa-
ganda behind him, then all the
better.
when Sims was a young ofaeer we
hnd ofaceTs who saw nothing good
unless IL were British.
Knocking around among our war
ships rarely met officers who
talked politics. but when / did meet
such 1t would always be an officer
who approved British institutions
highly. who seemed to think that the
superiority of English naval and
government matters generally ad-
mitted of no argument.
For myself. / know of no reason
why q man should not be partial to
his own ancestral standards: but IL
that partiality leads to divided
allegiance, then 1t Is time he took
notice of himself. When that par
tiality influences him to cry up every
thing English or Irish or German or
Chinese because it is English or Irish
or German or Chinese, and cry down
everything else, then that man, IL
he is an officer in our service, be-
comes a danger.
He becomes the greatest danger
when he is over strong for any ma
ton which is likely, or even liable.
to become a rival Of our country in
war or trade; because we have only
to read our old histories to yapprc-
ojate anew that in International af-
fairs the friends OF today may be the
bitter enemies of tomorrow. That IS
the case of England and GERMANY
For a hundred years prior to the
last war England and Germany were
much more friendly than the United
States and England are or ever we're.
England was Germany's greatest
hacker in her war against Austria:
her greatest backer In her war
against France; likewise in her
despoilation of Denmark. England
was Germany's greatest backer until
their trade interests clashed; then
from being the finest people In the
world the Germans became over
night the most malevolent.
Trade Mt Stake.
England may or may not be friend
ly today, but SO sure as her trade in
terests and ours begin to CLASH she
will become our enemy: that has been
her past history with every nation
she has ever been friendly with:
and right now our trade interests and
hers are more likely to clash than
those of any two first class powers.
The political type of naval officer
takes to staff life by choice. We
must have staffs; the better the
staffs the better we shall prosecute
our wars, but when we see a young
officer lodging his share of sea
service to put in more time on staff
or other work ashore, he will bear
watching. 1t is only on the deck of
a ship at sea that the naval officer
can train himself properly for what
should be the end and aim OF every
officers life-that is, to some day
fight, to the death IL need be, for the
flag over his head. II he does not
get that training when he Is young
he will never get IL.
The kind of ofncer who passes mp
that most necessary sen service needs
to he watched. The record of Sims
naval life shows q disproportionate
amount nf time spent In stan work
here and particularly abroad, stan
work abroad develops the politician
much more than stnn work here, be-
cause politics In n Aner art with them
than with us.
II II wonderful with what unnni-
nifty the English press are defending
Sims In his attack on Daniels. They
shouIdJ he did good work for England
In the last war. And the organs Of
Great britain over there nre soIIdIy
behind the English press In defend
ing Sims. The other day nm Amer
lean daily notable for its English
sympathIes began nm edItorinli "Sims
the best admiral In our navy
Pretty strong Endorsement, isn't IL.
for n mnB who never held nm nd
mirals command at scnf For n man
who, during the war, never SO much
rs took q cruise to sen In one OF our
shipsf How does that editor know
whcther Sims II the best or the worst
admiral In our navyf
Real Naval Hero silent.
This article Is not protest against
staff officers. During the war we had
staff in France which did great
work. Brest. in 1918, became a larger
and more important naval base than
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