The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-03-22
German Civil Strife Fierce and Sangunay Affair." 5000 Dead
Admiral Benson is Branded By Sims
AS Official Who Gave Instructions
To Latter That United States Would
AS Soon Fight British as Germans


Washington, March 22.-Rear Ad'
miral S. Benson, then chief OF naval
operations. was the official who told
Rear Admiral Sims not TO let the
british pull the wool over your eyes:
We would as soon fight them as the
Germans" Admiral Sims testified to-
day before the senate committee IN
|estigating the navy's conduct Of the
war
Admiral Sims said the remark was
made Just after he had received his
rnal instructions from Secretary Dan.
les preparatory to his departure for
England, on the eve Of the entry OF
the United States into 'he war. He
added. however, that it was not made
in the course of formal instructions
Int during a conversation in the Of
flee Of Rear Admiral Palmer, chief
of the bureau Of navigation.
Washington, March 90. Senator
pi.tm1n democrat, Nevada, was pre-
lared TO defend the navy departments
conduct Of the war when the senate
subcommittee investigating that sub
1ect resumed its sess' ons today. He
Lad prepared long list Of questions
10 ask Rear Admiral William $. sims,
based on the admirals direct tcsti-
1uony before the commi tee last we,k
Senator Pittman declined to say
whether he would ask Admiral Sims
what official IN the navy department
tcld him, in the course Of his final
secret instructions before leaving for
London. mot to let the British pun
the wool over your eyes; We would
rs soon fight them rs the Germans"
II was said, however. that either
Senator PIttman or Senator Tram.
mcll. democrats, Georgia. would at
tempt to obtain from the officer the
name Of the official alleged TO have
pade the statement.
Cross examination of Admiral Sins
was expected to take two days. Tho
committee had q long list Of naval
officers. headed by Horace Lanning,
q be called to call afterward. Secre-
taHy Daniels and officers vino were
responsible for administration o. the
navy department during the Wa.. win
appear last. Admiral William .. Fen
son. head Of naval operations during
the war. and recently nominated 20
be member of the shipping board,
was expected TO testify at length in
regard to specification OF the policies
adopted by his bureau, against which
most Of Admiral Sims criticism were
directed
The witness told the committee Ad-
miral Benson repeated his admonition
the following day and made the Same
remark. The admiral said he did not
pay attention to the statement at
that time, because he hel eyed Admir-
al Benson was intensely anti.Brltish
~ added that this belief was enter
talred generally throughout the SER
vice.
An aide recently called his attcn'
ton to the remark, the admiral said,
ard Admiral Palmer also told him
tlnt he remembered hearing Admiral
Eenscn make the statement.
The witness was reluctant to give
the name of the officer, but Chair
ma Hale insisted.
Then l will tell you the whole
story" said Admiral Sins EARLY in
April, 1917, l was ordered from my
pes at Newport to Washington.
VI hen | arrived I reported to the
navy department by telephone and
WIS told not to come to the depart
ment. but TO get in touch with the
chef OF the bureau OF navigation,
Rear Admiral Leigh c. Palmer. Every
thing was very secret the way they
liked it. could not get in touch
with the chief of navigation then and
so I reported to him later az the de
paru1ent. Then l had an interview
with the secretary Of the navy in his
office. No one else was present as
. remember it. The interview was
very brief l was told that ! wa
gong abroad TO confer with the allied
almralties and that Ambassador Page
haJ requested tina an officer of
hi, i rank be sent there for that pur-
post. After leaving Secretary Dan
VI" cff.ce, or just before going here,
iont remember which. l went %
he bureau Of navigation. The ad.
Il. raj was there and it was at that
hmn that the remark the chairman
has asked me about was made.
when do you refer to as the
adm ral?" asked Chairman Hale.
Admiral Sims said he did not wish
- indulge in personalities, but when
pressed by Chairman Hale he said