South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-05-18
GIVES SIMS
MOTIVE FOR
NAVY ATTACK
Secretary Daniels Tells Com
mittee Admiral Tried to
Prussianize Navy.
BY Associated Press


WASHINGTON. May 17.-Desire
ito Prussianize the navy depart
ment' was ascribed by Sec'y Daniels
Monday as one Of Rear Admiral
Sims underlying motives in criti-
cizing the departments conduct of
the war. The secretary, testifying
before the senate naval investigat-
ing committee, also charged that
most Of the testimony supporting
Admiral Sims position was from Of
ficers who wished TO remove civilian
control of the navy department and
make the secretary rubber
stamp"
PruSSian Plan.
The original charge showed hos
tility to certain officers and a desire
to damage the ranking officers who
directed the operations during the
war" said Mr.. Daniels, speaking of
Admiral Sims critical letter of Jan.
2, and the evidence has disclosed
a desire to misrepresent the sec
retary Of the navy because he was
not a rubber stamp secretary But
deeper than egotism and prejudice
you will find a deep seated determ-
ination to organize the navy depart
ment upon the approved Prussian
plan by giving all power TO the
military and taking all away from
the civilian"
Mr.. Daniels said if the committee
desired 10 raise the general staff is
H..
country with it, If congress ap-
proves the plan, he declared, il
should create a general staff on
the German model and name some
Won Tirpitz to rule the navy; make
an admiral secretary and member Of
the cabinet and civilians ineligible
for the post but should not put
some Sims in control OF the navy
with a nominal civilian secretary as
his clerk, messenger and rubber
stamp"
Camoufage Ideas.
Most Of those who advocate this
radical departure seek TO camoufiage
their Prussian ideas" the secretary
said. They say they do favor
civilian secretary and have no
thought of a naval officer for sec
retary. What they desire is a civil
ian rubber stamp secretary with no
power except 10 draw his salary and
sign here" when the military chief
tains tell him where 10 affix his
name"
Mr. Daniels asserted that all re-
cent secretaries had been confronted
with a struggle to keep the navy un-
der civilian control and quoted for
mer Sec'y Welles, Long and Meyer
and former Asst. SSec'y Darling 70
show the strenuous efforts they
found necessary to put forth to keep
authority in he hands of the civil
ian secretary.
Reviews Relations.
Mr. Daniels reviewed his rela-
tions with Rear Admirals Fiske and
Fullam, retired, formerly his aides.
Admiral Fiske, he asserted. in COM
bination with six other subordinate
officers in the department, and
member Of congress who was for
mer officer in the navy" undertook.
''surreptitiOusly and secretly TO i'm
pose his ideas as 10 duties of the
chief Of naval operations
Admiral F'iske's surreptitious leg
islation had II passed" the secretary
added, would have put an officer
Of the navy in a position where he
would have the power and authority
Of the Prussian chief of staff, Won
Tirpitz and the kaiser himself, COM
bined in one"
Mr. Daniels devoted much OF the
dav TO a review Of the work Of the
navy supply system in the war and
to an extensive resume Of the con-
troversy that followed his famous
order banishing liquors from the Of
ficer's meSseS.