The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-04-09
|REFUTES SIMS CHARGE
U. S. UNPREPAREDNESS
Navy Planned War on. Cen.
trail Power" Two Years Be-
fore Joining Allies.

Washington. April 1.-Two years be-
fore the United States Joined the allies
In the World war the navy general
board prepared a comprehensive plan
for war against a central power" Of
Europe. Rear Admiral +. #. Fletcher
today told the senate investigating
committee. He was replying to Rear
Admiral Sims charge that when the
United States entered the war the navy
department had not well considered"
plans or policies for fighting Germany.
Many such plans had been made in
the past. Admiral Fletcher said, but
the plan referred to fcovered every
phase OF naval operations under the
assumed conditions oftwar." 1t dealt
with the mobilization, organization and
composition of the fleet. its disposition
ana employment. protection of the
coasts, bases OF supplies on the United
States coast and in the West Indies.
routes across the Atlantic and the
enemy's forces and probable courses of
action. ne said. and comprised nearly
800 typewriter pages.
Admiral Fletcher was, a member OF
the general board during the war but
was engaged for the most part with
his duties as member of the war in
dustries board, the priorlties board and
the council of national defense.
Navy Well Prepared.
explaining that he wished TO COM
ment on certain specific charges made
by Admiral Sims before testifying re-
garding his duties as 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 1t entered
lne 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 imme-
diately sent all available destroyers
and small crafts abroad to fight sub
marines sounded plausible and con-
vincing," the witness said, but sucn
a course of action would have left the
American coasts and ports full of in
valuable vessels and cargoes open to
attack by German submarines that had
demonstrated in 1916 their ability to
cross the ocean, menace the Uniteo
states coast and return to Germany
unaided. Such an attack, he asserted,
would nave caused great alarm in this
country and have affected sending any
small vessels to the war zone.
Great Achievement.
ADMIRAL Fletcher characterized the
work of the war industries board az one
Vi the great achievements of the
war, and declared the members of the
board complimented highly the eff
cheney with which the navy depart
ment conducted the business end Of its
participation in the war
NO loss of shipping or failure OF
the navy to transport troops to France
prolonged the war for a single day.
the admiral asserted. Admiral Sims.
assertion that the navy tdepartmen
IS responsible for the loss of two and
a nan million dollars of debt and the
assumption and had no foundation IN
fact. the officer declared. THE whole
conclusion reached In the accusation
is built upon the fiimsy foundation OF
hypothetical condition and is wholly
without value" he said.