The Washington herald., 1920-01-22
Republicans in Senate
Block Democratic Effort
To Call Sims t oAccount

Block Democratic Effort
To Call Sims t oAccount
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
Secretary Daniels. They received
unexpected support from Senator
Borah. Republican, of Idaho.
Borah Lauds Alleged Remark.
Senator Borah pointed out that Ad-
miral Sims could not justly be critic
ised for making the letter public in
view of the fact that he was a wit
ness before the subcommittee, and
that when the letter was asked for he
could not refuse to produce 1t. And
the Senator added:
1T seems to me we are making a
mountain out of a molehill. 1t seems
to me that he who criticises Secretary
Daniels for warning Admiral Sims at
that time disclaims all knowledge Of
the history and the genius of the Eng
lIsh people. / am impressed that Sec
retary Daniels Is entitled to a great
deal of credit for giving such in
structions, IL he gave them.
Il don't know whether Secretary
Daniels said these things or not, but
IL he did say them he showed that he
really. knew something about the Brit
ish Character. and there is nothing
in his action to be criticised"
Senator Mccormick, of Illinois. a
member of the subcommittee. said that
Admiral Sims in his letter did not
charge that Secretary Daniels made
the remark. To this Senator Borah
replied:
"Well. whoever it was. he is entitled
tc credit for it."
Hale Takes Responsibility.
Senator Hale. chairman of the
subcommittee. defended Admiral
Sims by assuming full responsibility
for having the letter made public.
He said he had heard that such a
letter had been written and knew
nothing of it's contents. He asked
Admiral Sims IL he had the letter
and it was produced. Senator Hale
said.
After further discussion of the
Walsh resolution had been blocked
by Senator Lodges objection an
other phase of the Sims-Daniels
controversy was taken up when
Senator Hale asked the adoption Of
a resolution to permit the hiring of
counsel to assist the subcommittee
in it's investigation. The admins
tration Senators made a mass at
tack against the request, Senator
Hitchcock declaring that the in
vestigation was purely political; he
called attention to the fact that
since the beginning of the present
session there have been sixty-one
Investigations started by the Repub-
licans. He objected to the employ
ment of Republican politician law
yers" and the payment OF big fees
to them for these Investigations.
Senator Phelan moved to amend
the resolution to provide for cleri-
cal assistance rather than for coun-
sci. This motion was still under
debate when consideration of the
resolution was ended by the calling
up of the regular business.
Barnett Differs with Sims.
Mai. Gen. Barnett. commandant
of the Marine Corps, testified at the
hearing on the awards subject be-
fore the subcommittee. He said
every man in the Marine Corps who
was recomme nded for a medal by
him received it because his recon-
me ndations were so conservative
they did not necessitate revision.
He disagreed with the position
taken by Admiral Sims that Secre-
tary Daniels had no definite policy
in the matter OF awards. and said
he believed there was a definite pol
icy to reward the men who deserved
it.
Secretary Daniels has not taken
seriously the rapid-fire shots from
Admiral Sims Tuesday night at the
Army and Navy Club dinner in New
York.
1t was pointed out that If there
had been any desire to keep the
criticism of Admiral Sims a con-
fidential matter and still have it dis
cussed by naval Congressional COM
mittees. the letter could have been
produced confidentially before the
official committees.
The statement of Admiral Sims
the civilian administration was not
commented on by Secretary Daniels.
but it is all the same a fact that
most of the high ranking officers
who have expressed their opinions
are against Admiral Sims theory.
"Desk Service Medals.
Mr.. Daniels made himself well un-
derstood yesterday when he gave
new name and purpose to the D. S.
NJ. or Distinguished Service Medal.
Perhaps a great many people have
labored under the 'delusion that the
d. s. NJ. meant desk service medal
On the contrary. I believe that it
means deep sea medal"
There are two ways of dealing
wr-sN
way is to give them all the rope they
want The other is to stop it sum-
marily. I shall adopt a policy be-
tween these extremes" What Secre-
tary Daniels means. 1t Is supposed, is
that. IL Congress does not handle the
matter adequately and finally. he will
refer Admiral Sims case to a board
of retired officers, as a court of in
quiry. Such officers had necessarily
very little in common with either the
Sims or Daniels side Of the case.