Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1920-01-24
MAY SEND SIMS
To TRIAL BOARD
Secretary Daniels May Send Him
Before Naval InquiSitorS.
SAYS JOB OF NAVY WELL DONE
Declares Safety of Yanks Was Depart.
n1ent's Highest Duty, While Sims
Policy Was to Guard Merchan-
dise-Wood Issues Denial.

Washington, Jan 20.--There will be
complete and full investigation by
the senate of the charges made by Adj
miral William S. Sims against the con-
duct and naval policy of Secretary
Daniels during the war. The investi-
cation was ordered by the full COM
mittee on naval affairs of the senate
at meeting called BY Chairman
Page
The subcommittee now probing the
manner in which awards for distin-
guished service during the war were
made will conduct the inquiry as soon
as the matters relating to the awards
are finished. Meanwhile a court of in
quiry Is in sight for Admiral Sims If
the congressional inquiry does not go
| TO the bottom of ali the charges made
! by the admiral, land his motives in
attacking the naval administration, of
which in time Of war the president is
the actual and active head Secretary
Daniels let it be known.
| Chairman Hale said the committee
would not complete its investigation
of naval decorations in less than ten
days and that the inquiry into Admiral
Sims charges would not be under
taken until the committee had made
its report on the matter now under
consideration.
Daniels Would Open Inquiry.
Unless the senate investigation Of
Rear Admiral Sims charges of failure
of the navy department to cooperate
fully with the allies during the war IS
made to the entire satisfaction of the
American people, an inquiry will be
made by a naval board, Secretary
Daniels announced. He added that
mo organization in the history of the
world ever did better job than the
American navy"
While refusing TO discuss Admiral
Sims letter of criticism of the depart
ment, Mr.. Daniels indicated the adj
miral frequently clashed with the de-
partment through his insistence that
more destroyers be withdrawn from
troop conveys to augment the antisuD-
marine forces in European waters.
1.-THE paramount duty of the Ameri-
can navy" Mr.. Daniels declared, was
10 protect the passage of American
troops to Europe and the safeguarding
of merchant shipping, vital as that
was recognized to be, necessarily was
secondary"
Secretary Daniels emphasized that,
contrary to the popular impression,
Admiral Sims throughout the war was
subordinate 10 Admiral Mayo, COM
mander in chief of the Atlantic fleet.
He indicated that on the question OF
The distribution of destroyer strength
as well as on other questions Admiral
Sims wns overruled by Admiral Mayo
as well as the department.
Every naval order. every document
bearing on the navy's war activities,
Mr.. Daniels continued, lis open to the
light of day, and the more thoroughly
the entire record is laid before the
people of this country the greater the
pride they can have in the achieve
ment of their navy. The country will
be entirely treasured when matters
are brought to a showdown
Sims Duties Not Afloat.
Secretary Daniels said that in the
first summer of the war, Admiral Sims
was given the title Of commander OF
the United States naval forces in Flu
ropean waters, but that as n matter
of fact his duties were not affoat."
1.-THE business Of Rear Admiral Sims