The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1920-03-12
CALL HOOVER IN
NAVAL INQUIRY
To Testify in Investigation at
Sims Request.
BENSON SENT FLEET OVER
Admiral Says the Allies BARELY Es-
capped Peace Without VICTORY"
Holding Ships For "EventuaIities"

capped Peace Without Victory"
holdinq Ships For "EventuaIities"
Nearly Fatal.
Washington, March 12.-Herhert
Hoover will be called to testify III the
senate investigation of the navy S con-
duct of the war.
Rear Admiral Sims tOld the inquiry
committee Mr.. Hoover had an lnFlmate
knowledge of the situation IN Europe
at the time America entered the war,
and asked he be summoned. He Is
expected 20 substantiate the admirafs
testimony with regard to the gravity
of the allies position.
The admiral said he had received
a note from Mr.. Hoover, saying he
would be in Washington tomorrow,
and the chairman of the committee,
Senator Hale, Republican, Maine,
agreed to call him then.
An interesting development OF the
admiraHs testimony was that Admiral
Benson, then chief of naval opera
tions, was responsible for sending over
a fleet of battleships to reinforce the
British grand fleet, in response to Al
miral Sims request.
Admiral Sims said he would like
to have the former food adminlstra-
tor called before he proceeded further
He desired there should "be no doubt
in my mind l have substantiated the
part of my letter in which l described
the gravity of the crisis which we
faced in 1917, and pointed out how
near to disaster the lack of action by
the navy department brought US.
1.-THE allies barely escaped peace
without victory"
Continuation of Admiral Sims tes-
timony indicated the navy department
withheld sending all available Amerl-
can naval craft 10 European waters
early in the war because OF a desire
to keep the main body of the nations
sea strength intact for possible even
Qualities.
The admiral read cablegram from
the navy department, dated July III,
1917, containing an outline OF the de-
partment's policy and declaring:
while a successful termination OF
the present war must always be me
first allied aim, and will probably re-
suit in diminished tension throughout
the world, the future position OF the
United States must in no way be
ieopardized by any disintegration OF
| our main fighting fleet"
The same cablegram, Admiral Sims
said. contained this statement: "The
navy department announces as its gen.
eral plan of action the following: Its
willingness to send its minor fighting
| forces in any number not Incompatible
| with home needs to any field Of action
| deemed advisable by the allied. adj
miralty council; its unwillingness. as
matter of policy, to separate any
| re abroad, although T. feet Tor sery-
SEND the entire battleship feet ahsoa - =
10 act as united saA4
unit when the enars--~---- "
warrap+~rr.
With regard to the message and
statement of policy, Admiral Sims said
il was the first definite statement of
policy | had received, arriving few
DAYS over three months after We had
declared war;
1.-The astounding features Of this
policy were that while it stated our
intention to cooperate to the fullest
degree, still such cooperation was
conditioned, first, upon an adequate
defense of our own waters, and next,
upon the future position Of the Unit
ed States after this war was finished"
added the admiral. Il am wholly IN
able to conceive of any war policy,
particularly in world war of this
nature, which was certain to exhaust
all of the participants with the pos
sible exception of ourselves, based
upon the requirements of any possible
future war;"
Even as late as January, 1918, he
was still calling for more destroyers,
Admiral Sims said, and by that time
his predictions the allies would lose
the war, unless the United States
gave more complete naval co-opera-
ton, were being justified by results
and the navy department was begin
i:ing to carry out his recommends ions
If six or eoght months before