Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-05-11
SECRET ORDERS
MADE PUBLIC
Sec'y Daniels Tells of Instruc-
tions Given Atlantic Fleet Com
manderS by President Wilson
Bv The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, May 11:-There
were two outstanding features in to-
days developments made before the
senate naval investigating committee
by Secretary Daniels. The first was
the making public by the secretary
of President Wilson's hitherto un-
published war instructions to the
officers of the Atlantic feet given In
person on the quarterback of the
Pennsylvania August IL. 1917. bid
ding, them throw tradition to the
wind" strike the word prudent"
from their vocabulary and do the
thing that is audacious to the utmost
point of risk and daring" The sec
ond was a countercharge that estab-
lishment of the North Sea mine bar
srage was delayed six months because
of the opposition of Rear Admiral
Sims and the British admiralty.
In laying the text of President Will
sons remarks before the senate inves-
tigating committee, Daniels said they
showed the bold and vigorous pol
icy' the President had outlined for
the navy.
dent for a moment" the President
said. You will win by the audacfty
of methods when you cannot win by
circumspection and prudence"
II think that there are willing ears
to hear this in the American navy and
lne american army because IL Is the
kind of folks we are.
There will have to come q new ira
dition into q service which does not
do new and audacious and successful
things
The President elso expressed his
dissatisfaction with progress being
made toward crushing the submarine
campaign.
I'VE are hunting hornets all over
the farm and letting the nests alone"
he said. Il am willing for my part
and l know that you are willing be-
cause ! know the stuff you are made
pf-I am willing to sacrifice half the
navy-Great Britain and we together
have to crush that nest because if
we crush 1t the war Is won"
The British admiralty had met
American suggestions with what
amounted to statements that sit
never had been DONE" the President
said adding, "and / felt like saying
well, nothing was ever done so syste-
matically as nothing is being done
now"
He also charged that Sims had at
tempted in his testimony to rob the
navy of credit for this project and to
give it to the British. The plan was
conceived, he said. in the bureau of
ordnance at the navy department and
urged on the British admiralty for
During this time Admiral Sims con-
stantly discouraged and opposed the
idea and when Admiral Mayo was
sent abroad and finally convinced the
admiralty of the worth of the scheme
and of the necessity of adopting it
Admiral Sims attempted TO convey
the impression that the project had
been delayed while the British at
tempted to get the American navy
departments approval.
The Sims charges of unprepared-
ness before the war were not justi-
fed. Mr.. Daniels said. declaring that
In July, 1915, he ordered the general
board to study and recommend plans
for Consistent and progressive de-
velopmenT" AS a result of this study
the policy was evolved. he said, that
the United States must by 1925 have
a navy equal to any other in the
world. He approved this policy and
the direct result was the f1ve-year
building program of 1916. the secre-l
tary said, an experimenting meas
ure." President Wilson fully ap-
proved the policy. the witness assert
ed.