Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-05-13
DANIELS MAKES
FORGERY CHARGE
By The Associated Press

By IAe Associated fTeSS
WASHINGTON. May 1S:-Charges
that cablegram produced before
the senate naval investigating COM
mittee during the testimony OF Rear
Admiral Sims bore n forged signature
were made by Secretary Daniels. lie
referred to the message which Ad-
miral Sims presented as part of his
criticism of the navy department and
purported to have been signed by the
secretary.
Somewhere some one was guilty
of signing my name to an original
dispatch which the original here pro-
duced shows j never signed, or offer
ing dispatch by erasng the real
signature and substituted Daniels.
The concluding paragraph of the
cablegram read: In regard TO con-
voys | consider that American vessels
having armed guards are safer when
sailing independently"
Mr.. Daniels testified that immedl-
ately upon reading the admiraIs tes-
timony he knew he never sent such
a cablegram and he started an inves-
tigation.
II knew" he said. that II my
name appeared on such cablegram
II would be because somebody had
forged my name to it
The secretary said he finally found
the original dispatch in the British
embassy through which it had been
sent and the name signed to 1t was
"A. S. Carter" by direction of the
chief of naval operations.
''The statement that 1t was signed
Daniels is untrue" said the secretary
mo such telegram signed Daniels
ever was sent to Admiral Sims"
"In his testimony he reiterated over
and over again that this dispatch
made him about ready to jump over
board and that Ii was signed by my
name, conveying the impression that
the civilian secretary of the navy had
personally passed on the question OF
a particular method to protect ship
ping and was resisting adoption OF
the convoy system. j know never
entertained the opinion stated in the
dispatch" he said.
admiral Sims should produce the
person who changed the signature"
Mr.. Daniels declared, adding "the ad-
miral owes an apology to me and
the country for the impression under
taken to be made by his testimony
based upon false signature"
Much of the secretary's testimony
was devoted to the controversy over
conveying troop ships He insisted
that Admiral Sims had not agreed
with the departments views. as to the
necessity for protecting transports,
and told the committee he had found
il necessary to remind Admiral Sims.
several times during the war that the
first duty of American destroyers
abroad was to protect these vessels.
The admiraps course regarding pro-
lection of troop ships caused the de-
partment much anxiety and finally he
"bluntly" told Sims that everything
was secondary to safeguarding vessels
carrying American soldiers.
Mr. Daniels charged that Sims with
drew the destroyer escort from the
first convoy as soon as 1t arrived
abroad leaving the transport without
protection for the return voyage. Adj
miral Gleaves in charge of the con-
voy system, doubted the authenticity
of Admiral Sims order directing the
town and made an investigation both
through the American embassy at
Paris and the navy department.
Admiral Sims finally was instruct
ed to protect the ships when they left
France"
Referring to Sims testimony that
the first troop convoy seen In June.
1917, was not attacked by submarines
and that there were no submarines
within, 500 miles of the place where
attacks were said to have occurred.
The naval secretary presented mes
sages of Admiral Sims giving ac-
counts of such attacks. The first was
dated June, 1917, and said first group
attacked by submarine long, 25, 80
before arriving at first rendezvous.
Second group attacked long s, strong
ly believed that enemies obtained in
formation regarding movement of de-
stroyers also movement of troop con-
voyers and ~iDtercepting and decipher-
ing sent me in naval attache code"
On the next day. July /, 1917, Mr..
Daniels said Admiral Sims sent this
cablegram:
The witness also presented reports
from Admiral Gleaves regarding at
tacks and from the French general
staff regarding presence of subma-
rines in the vicinity
Sims various attempts to discred- |
it submarine attacks reported by |
Admiral Gleaves and other officers
are in line with his attempts to throw |
doubt on the entire conduct of the |
first expedition"