Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-05-10

Navy Head Says. Sims Sup
porters Are People With
Grievances"
Washington, May ,10.--secre.ary
Daniels before the senate investigat-
ing committee, today made his long
awaited reply to the criticisms of Rear
Admiral Sims on the navy's part In
the war.
The naval secretary let go broad
side which included charges that Sims
lacked vision. belittlcd the work Of the
american navy in contrast to the Britt
ish, coveted British decorations and
aspired to become an honorary men,
Der of the British admiralty. He de-,
Sims charges were largely people
with grievance"
The testini iony of other officers, in
possession Of right hand knowledge,
Secretary Daniels testified, should be
accepted by all open-minded men rs
an absolute refutation of practically
all Of Admiral Sims charges
Did Not Measure Up.
Sims, Secretary Daniels told the
committee. did not measure up to the
expectations in various ways, Of which
he mentioned six as follows:
"He lacked vision to see that
great and new project to bar the sub
marines from their hunting grounds
should be promptly adopted and car
ried out no matter what The cost or
how radical the departure from what
al prudent men regarded as, inn
practtcable s4Sia n
Kr;,,s, sss, .essp. Of Of
ass.hins s Cone tsSm Amer. r.
s'is:ae x4 hose views even when
the SnagyNdspaf aftnaent proposed /. plans
that PrVNed moro effective,
b. I'm pnblie sRaec hes aHd other ways
hasyaxs timurnn ef ntsdit o. Brit
ss III IS e q .,, 1e tni stl1 mis- ' his
....EEae coveted British decorsi onss
seemed to place a higher V4IIs on
punors given abroad than on honors
that could be conferred " the Amer
isan government. .a - Z.
Wanted TO, Join British. s "
In HE aspired to. become a member
Of the British admiralty and wrote
complainingly when the American
government declined to permit him
to accepl such a tender by the king
OF England. 4
ne placed protection of merchant
shipping as the main operation of our
that the protection Of transports car
rying troops to France was the para
mount naval duty until 1 felt impelled
to cable him peremptorily that such
was our main mission
Secretary Danlels testified that had
he known that in October, 1918, Sims
had made statements reflecting upon
~, a a..
army and navy to winning the war TO
members of congress visiting abroad,
he would never have recommended
his promotion.
'.He had not then attacked the
Irish people," Secretary Daniels testi-
fled. Il thought then he had only de-
Tended American sailors, a proper
thing to do, when attacked unjustly
by what he. termed a lawless element
in Cork If had known that he pro-
posed, under the permission granted
him to tell the story of what the navy
> mad done overseas, Ito denounce the
Irish people yas he did in his article
in The Worlds Work. the permission
would not have been granted"
Offered No Criticism.
Secretary Daniels said he had meter
publicly or privately criticised Admi.
raj Sims for lack of early vision in
connection with. the North Sea mine
bayrage project "or his other mistakes
or wrong views Admiral Mayo sue.
ceeded in convincing the British ad
.,niralty. Of the. soundness Of the bar.
rage scheme where Admiral Sims had
failed, he said.
although the department had dis
approved Of some OF his recommenda,
tlons and denied some of his DESIRES
said Secretary Daniels. Il mistakenl,