The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-05-10
DANIELS GIVES
SIMS BR0ADSIDE
IN CONTROVERSY
Secretary of Navy Tells Investi-
eating Committee Admiral
Was Disappointment
she HAD NO VISION"
Said Americas Naval Repre-
sentative in England was Seek
ing British Decorations

w NdSullS on. May ~. - SECRETARY
Daniels before the senate Investigate
ing committee today made his long
awaited reply to the criticisms of Rear
Admiral Sims on the navy's part in
the war;
The naval secretary let 60 broad
side, which included charges that
Sims lacked vision, belittled the work
Of the American navy in contrast to
the British, coveted British decOra.
tions, and aspired to become an honor
ary member of the British admiralty.
He declared that officers supporting
the Sims charges were largely people
with a grievance
The testimony of other officers III
possession of first hand knowledge
Secretary Daniels testified. should be
accepted by all open-minded men as
an absolute refutation of practically
all Of Admiral Sims charges"
Sims, Secretary Daniels told the
committee, did not measure up to the
expectations in various ways Of which
he mentioned six as follows:
LACKED VISION
Gle lacked vision to see that a great
and new project to bar the submarines
from their hunting ground should be
promptly adopted and carried out no
matter what the cost. or how radical
the departure from what ultraprudent
men regarded as impracticable.
'He seemed to accept the views OF
the British admiralty as superior to
anything that would come from Amer.
ica and urged those views even when
the navy department proposed plans
that proved more effective.
In public speeches and other ways,
he gave a maximum of credit to Brit
ish efforts and minimized what his
country was doing.
COVETED BRITISH HoNoRS
"He coveted British decorations anc
seemed to place a higher value on
honors given abroad than on honors
that could be conferred by the sAmerl
can government.
"He aspired to become a member of
the British admiralty and wrote com.
plainingly when the American govern
| ment declined to permit him to accept
such a tender by the king Of England.
"He placed protection of merchant
shipping as the main operation of our
forces abroad failing to appreciate
that the protection of transports car
Tyng troops to France was the para
mount naval duty until felt impelled
to cable him peremptorily that such
was our main mission.
MOLE HILLS OF MISTAKES
"'The investigating committee, Secre.
tary Daniels said had been wearled
and the public nauseated with IAN
abOrtive attempt to ferret out the
mole hills of mistakes and exaggerate
them into mountains to make a noble
and notable accomplishment appear
at the dim and fading background of
comparatively unimportant errors OF
Judgment
"The navys record in the war
stands untouched today and for al,
times despite criticism from within or
without" he said.
mo such troop movement over so
great an expanse of water had ever
been attempted as the transportation
Of Americas legions to France" Sec
retary Daniels declared, adding that
'in comparison to that essentiai 20
winning the war nothing else counted
1t was we'll and expeditiously done
That fact alone is answer to most or
the criticisms heard by your commit
tee"
SIMS SOLELY INJURED
"rhe only man injured in public
esteem by his charges is Admiral Sims
himself" said Secretary Daniels.
"The evidence has had only one e1-
feet and that has been a feeling or
deep regret at the necessity of with
drawing approval from Admiral Sims
and replacing it with deep and lasting
disapproval. The navy and it's ser
vices in the world war stand without
a trace Of the mud with which few
have sought to bespatter it."
$50 far as my own acts were con-
cerned." Secretary Daniels said, "he
would be willing to let the case rest
The judgment and ability of the eleven
other members of the general board
had been brought under public critic
ism by one of their own number. how
ever, and these officers. respecting a
naval tradition that naval officers
should never enter into public dis
putes among themselves regarding
(roOfinuo1 m popa Fiphtl