The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-03-11
Declares His Recommendations
In Many Cases Were Entire
ly Ignored by Daniels.
ALMOST COST VICTORY
HAS No Charge That What Navy
Did Was Well Done But
Censures Undue Delay.

SIMS today continued his testimony
before the senate investigating COM
mlttee and presented documentary evil
dence to prove his criticisms of the
navy department were justified
The officer read to the committee
recommendations he had made to the
department. Immediately upon his ar
%IVal in London in 1917. A cablegram
sent late in April, 1917, said that the
critical area where the war would be
won or lost was in the Eastern Allan
tic at the focus of all lines of ocean
communication to England and France.
Admiral Sims told the committee that
although he repeatedly urged that
every destroyer and small craft that
could be sent to sea be dispatched inn
mediately to this area, his recommen-
datiOn was not complied with until
about six months later.
lie also recommended, he said that
two divisions of American dreadnaughts
be sent to base on Brest to guard
against raids in the channel by Ger
man cruiser forces but this recon-
mendation was entirely disregarded, he
said
Failure or the navy department to
throw it's full force of the navy into
the struggle, he said, resulted lin the
unnecessary loss of 100000 tons of
shipping by submarine attack in 1917
and 100000 tons in 1918.
IF the tonnage lost in 1917 had been
saved by the prompt cooperation of the
navy" he said, america could have
had a million men in France at the be-
ginning OF 1918 instead of 100000"
Admiral Sims said the German Of
fensive of 1918 was due to the failure
Of the German submarine campaign
and that in all probability 1T never
would have been undertaken and the
morale OF the German people would
have broken if the American troops
had been more promptly dispatched to
France.
He estimated on the basis of what
happened when the American forces did
arrive that victory could have been
achieved by July, 1918, if the tonnage
had been preserved.
The navy departments first real de-
cision as to participation in the war,
Admiral Sims said, was contained IN a
cablegram to him 2I days after Amer
lea entered the struggle. The message
said the department intended to send
36 destroyers, one tender and mother
shin to the British Isles and asked for
minute information regarding the pos
sibility of obtaining necessary supplies
at Berehaven, the probable base.
"AU OF these plans should have been
worked ont long before we entered the
war" said Admiral Sims, land should
have been placed in erect the day we
entered the war"
Admiral Sims said that when he found
that his own efforts to impress upon
the navy department the seriousness
of the situation were unavailing he IN
voked the aid of the late Ambassador
page at London, who on April p, 1917,
sent a confidential cablegram to Sec
retary Lansing and President wilson
declaring that there is reason for the
greatest alarm about the issue of the
war. caused by the increasing sue
cess of the German submarines.
Declaring that British anti submarine
forces were entirely unable to stem
Inc rising tide OF sinkings, the am
hassador urged the immediate assign
ment or every available United states
DESTROYER and submarine chaser to
British waters.
Even this request went unheeded, Tor
come months, Admiral Sims said.
Tbe witness read message TO the
denartment in 1917 saying the British
Government appreciated" what the
limited States was doing to keep down
aTncidentally." he added. that is
case OF international politeness. They
we're thanking us for sending six de-
stroyers."
Admiral Sims insisted that he had
!, hoen hadly handicapped by failure OF
ihe department to keep him informed
~ its plans. He read excerpts from
h{s messages, urging adoption OF the
convoy system and said:
IT win show that great losses We're
: sustained due to the resistance OF the
United States to taking up the convoy
system"
cont him in May and signed by Secre-
%. ..In regard to convoy" II read, Il con.
e;le. American vessels having armed
guards are safer when sailing lndepen-
when When got that message I was
about ready to jump overheard con.
tinued Admiral Sims. / reailzed tiiat
the department did not understaho or
appreciate the situation. u 40
SdmiraI Sims said that on April y
~ receiyed a dispatch signed by See
retary Daniels informing him that the
a1nartment contemplated sending four
5sEfrovers and four patrol vessels 70
the Arctic coast to cooperate With hus-
sian forces and asked his OPINION ol the
proposition. -. -..oa
1T can be seen from TINS hlessase
/ how little Importance the depaItllie eI1
had apparently gwen " - -. al1 my
dation." said the admiral. In all my
dispatches had emphasized the heceS-
sity OF concentrating all aNalidpie 10
American anti-submarine craft III the
critical area of the submarine zone, YET
the department contemplated sendihS
four destroyers and four patrol cralt
to the Arctic coast at time when. SO
FAR a. ] know, they We're intending 10
eend only one division Of destroNers 20
me critical zone"