Evening star., 1920-02-10
POLICY
SEEN INJECTED IN
NAVY DEPARTMENT.
Admiral Sims So Character
ICES Method of Making
War Awards.
SETS FORTH CONDITIONS
WHICH HE CRITICISES
Declares to Senatorial Committee
Nothing of Personal Nature
Actuates Him.

Secretary Daniels method of award
ing naval decorations injected a de
featist policy" into the Navy Depart
ment more dangerous to the Navy
than any form of bolshevism could
be to organized government Rear
Admiral William 5. Sims declared to-
day on his temperance before the
awards.
The officer reiterated and empha-
sized his statement that there was
nothing personal in his criticisms
of the Secretary's policies.
Rear Admiral sims denied that in
conversations with Representative
Byrne of South Carolina and other
members of Congress he had sought
to belittle Americas efforts in the
war.
The admiral said Mr.. Byrnes must
either have misunderstood me or con-
fused the remarks made to him by
the many people he talked to in
Europe" He added that he did at
tempt to correct the idea in the
minds of American visitors that the
the war. because this attitude was
hurting US with our allies.
Committee Room Crowded.
long before the hearing began. Ad-
miral Sims was applauded when he
entered the room.
Chairman Hale told Admiral Sims.
in opening the hearing, that he had
been recalled to make any further
statement he might desire. calling at
tention to the fact that MIR. Daniels
had been heard since the admirals
previous appearance.
Reading from a prepared statement,
Admiral Sims said:
Adniral's Statement.
First. / want to again emphasize
in the most emphatic manner possible
that there has been and is nothing
whatever Of a personal nature in the
criticisms l have made. l have been
honored and commended by the Secre-
tary of the Navy and have at no time
any reason to regard this question of
awards from any other viewpoint
he has the duty Of serving the best
interests of the Navy
Declaring that his stand was taken
against policies and not against per-
sons. Admiral Sims told the committee
that he wished it understood that his
criticisms were directed against the
following conditions:
Conditions Criticized.
The policy of placing q premium
upon defeat by giving special rewards
to officers who lose ships provided
their conduct is meritorious in the
hour of defeat.
The changing of relative merit of
service in the matter of rewarding
officers.
Injury to the morale of the serv-
ice by rewarding failure instead of
success in specific instances.
THE policy of rewarding defeat.
which the Navy Department only
Il ry,,a ,f.ll tn la
fighting spirit of the Navy than the
worst form of bolshevism is to or
ganiZed government. BY injecting
this 'defeatist germ into our Navy
and attempting to make it perma-
nent policy ] believe that estimable
harm will result unless il can be
eradicated before it becomes per-
manent policy.
Personal Risk Does Not Daunt.
Declaring that he was willing to un-
dertake any personal risk to prevent
the policies he opposed from getting Il
permanent hold. Admiral Sims said
that / believe it is more important
for the future safety of the country,
TO eliminate these conditions than to
build a dozen battleships."
His attitude in the controversy that
resulted from statements in magazine
articles he wrote criticising some of
the Irish people for their treatment of
sailors was unchanged. Ad-
miral Sims said. He declared Secretary
Daniels had indicated a sympathy with
his stand on that question in letter
to :. sailor on the L. =. :. Melville
Admiral Sims statements
the Irish.
Where He Is in Accord
He was in entire accord with Sec
retary Daniels stand thar there
should be no disparity in awards
given men who served al sea and on
shore. Admiral Sims declared He
about ) per cent of al.
the officers under him who served on
shore and II per cent who served at
sea. he SAID.
Declaring that he personally passed
on the cases of H. destroyer cap
tains and recommended all of them
for decorations. Admiral Sims said
the Navy Department denied medals
to twenty-five of these officers. AT
least 80 per cent of all the officers
who commanded vessels in his force
were recommended for awards, he
Sa id.
Refers to Guildhall Speech.
Declaring that shortly after he
made what he characterized as that
awful tiuildhall speech in December,
1919, he submitted a report based on
information obtained from foreign ma
val officers. declaring that war could
not be averted more than four wears
and that Great Britain and Franc.
would be found on the same side and
Italy would eventually join them. Ad-
miral Sims said he did not See how
that report could convey the opinion
that th.. man who made it was so
hoDelessly pro-British that non. Of
his opinions could be trusted
Neither do see said the ad-
niral. why, because an American cit .
zen marries Canadian woman. his
children should be branded as pro-
British"
Asks Who Is Qualified:
Asserting that Secretary Daniels
dea that he overestimated the value
# shore service was incorrect. Ad-
niral Sims said that IF, after forty
hree wears of service in the Navy
md many years study of naval war
are. l am disqualified in this respect
w lack of sufficient sea SereVice, may
ask why il is that the Secretary,
william, who has had no sea service
II all. can be So confident of his quail
ications to estimate the relative i'm
,ortance of sea duty in war;
Senator Pittman. democrat. Nevada,
cad a speech by Representative
,,rnes, democrat South Carolina,
mized the performance OF the .Ameri-
an Army and Navy in the war and
raising the achievements of the Brit
sh forces and asked the admiral if
Byrnes had quoted
i'm correctly. Admiral Sims virtu-
lily denied the Byrnes statements in
otto, and said that the representative !
must either have misunderstood him
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