The evening world., 1920-03-10
100000 LIVES
LOST BY DELAY,
SIMS ALLEGES
Says Shipping to Move Troops
Could Have Been Saved
by Prompt Action.
ASKED MORE WARSHuPS
Declares Failure to Cooperate
Cost Allies Si5,oOO,o 100000
and Many Vessels.

WASHINGTON, March lo.-Failure
OF the Navy Department to cooper
ate in the frst six months after
Americas entry into the war cost half
a million Allied lives, 5000, 900, 900,
2,5OO,OOO tons OF shipping and pre-
vented a victory by July, 1918, Rear
Admiral Sims told the Senate In
vestigating Committee to-day in pre-
senting documents to support his
charges Of delay.
Sims read recommends tions he
made 20 the Department Immediately
upon his arrival in London in 1917.
A cablegrum in April, 1917, said the
war would be won or lost in the
Eastern Atlantic, at the focus OF all
lines Of ocean communication TO Eng
land and France. Sims said that al
though he repeatedly urged that
every destroyer and small craft be
dispatched to this area his recom-
mendation was not. compiled with
until six months later.
He recommended. he said, that two
divisions Of U. S. dreadnoughts be
sent to Brest to prevent raids in the
despatched 20 this area his recon-
mendation was disregarded.
"If the tonnage lost in 1917 had
been saved by the prompt co~opera-
ton Of the navy" he said, America
could have had a million men in
France at the beginning Of 1918 in
stead OF 100000"
Admiral Sims said the German Of
fensive of 1918 was caused by failure
of the submarine campaign and that
it never would have been undertaken
and the morale OF the German people
would have been broken If the Amer
lean troops had been more promptly
despatched 10 France. He estimated
that victory could have been achieved
by July, 1918, If the tonnage had been
preserved.
The DEPARTMENTS first real decision
as to participation, Admiral Sims
said, was contained in a cablegram
q DAYS after America entered the
struggle. The message said the De-
partment intended 10 send 80 de-
stroyer-s TO the British Isles and
asked for minute information regard
ing supplies at Berehaven, the prob
able base.
IAN OF these plans should have
been worked out before we entered
the war" said Sims, "and should
have been placed in effect the day
we entered"
Admiral Sims said that when he
found that his own efforts to impress
upon the Navy Department the Sc
riousness OF the situation were un-
availing. he invoked the aid Of the
late Ambassador Page at London,
who on April 27.l9l7, sent u confiden-
tial cablegram to Secretary Lansing
and President Wilson declaring that
there Is reason for the greatest
alarm about the issue Of the war
caused by the increasing success Of
German submarines"
Declaring that Birth anti-subma'
rine forces were entirely unable e
stem the rising tide of slnkings, th'
Ambassador urged the immediate as
sgnment OF every aVailpnle Unltet
} states destroyer and submarine
chaser to British waters. Even thi
1 request was unheeded for SOM
I months, Admiral Sims said.
y Admiral Sims said that on April IA
; Is. II. %, q and "a nc sent cable
c | grams uuging the Necessity OF send
= ing naval aid promptly. but that the
5 had little effect.
s on April l6, Admiral Sims said, h
b received n despatch signed by Secre
g tary Daniels informing him that IN
n Department contemplated sendln
n four destroyers and four patrol YES
sells 20 the Arctic Coast 10 co-Uperat
with Russian forces and asked n
opinion OF the proposition
"It can be seen from this secon
, message how htuc importance II
y Department had apparently given
nv recommendations" said the A.
miral. After consulting the Briti'
! Admiralty, Sims said he urged II
Navy Department not TO send aT
forces TO the Arctic, but TO follow h
original recommendations. on APP
&c. he said, he received a message Y
- forming him OF the sailing OF six,d
va stroyers from Boston for Gre
o. Britain
c. my despair can be imagined
as said he.