The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-01-17
ORDERED To
WATCH ALLIES,
/ SIMS ASSERTS
Would Just as Soon Fight
Entente as Central Powers"
Admiral Says Department
Told Him.
OTHERS TO Be HEARD
(By Associated Press)


WASHINGTON, Jan. 17.-Rear Ad-
miral Sims told the senate commit
tee investigating naval awards today
that when he was ordered to England
in March, 1917, just before the United
States entered the war. he was in
structed by the navy department mot
to let the British pull the wool over
your eyes," and that 1--WE would Just
as soon fight the British as the CEN
trail powers"
The admiral also charged that the
American naval headquarters in Lon
don did not receive cooperation from
the navy department, and that the de-
partment did not arrive at any decid-
ed plan of action until 10 months az
ter he arrived in London. He added
that 1T was 10 months before we real
ly came to the aid Of the allies or
acted on their recommendations"
Admiral Sims testimony was in the
form Of letter to Secretary Daniels
entitled Some Naval Lessons of the
Great War" which Mr.. Daniels receiv-
ed several days ago. -
The letter criticised the department
for attempting to administer the de-
tails of action by the American naval
forces overseas and alleged that the
department demanded that it be per-
mitted to pass fully on all plans, even
those regarding action against the
enemy. g.
When Admiral Sims finished read
ing the letter, Chairman Hale an
| nounced that the full naval committee
would be asked either to empower the
| present subcommittee to investigate
| Admiral Sims charges or to appoint a
separate subcommittee.
No Officers for Months.
Admiral Sims letter says that al
| though he asked repeatedly that OIL
GERS be sent to London to assist him,
| the department did not send any Off
| Ger until four months after the United
States entered the war; During that
| time only one officer was assisting
him, he said. adding that the depart
ment said no other officers were avail
able for this duty.
Il was trying to get the department
to understand that I was confronte I'd
with a physically impossible staff if I
had but one aid" the letter said. "It
/ would be hard to conceive of more
complete misunderstanding than ex-
listed at the navy department regard
ing what / was confronted with
When General Pershing arrived in
France, he was accompanied by a
nucleus staff of more than 80 offic-
ers. The term mot available should
have been applied to other activities
of vastly Importance than the COM
mand of American naval forces in the
war zone.
THE letter said Rear Admiral Rem
tson, former chief of naval operations,
cabled admiral Sims that there was
much discussion in the United States
regarding his complaint about not re-
ceiving aid from the navy department
and advising him to send a strong
statement of the situation
Admiral Sims was expected to con-
clude his testimony today. A number
of other witnesses have been summon
ed by the committee, but 1t was not
thought likely any of them would be
called before Monday. These includ.
ed all officers who made recommends
tions for awards of medals or crosses
to men under them and will be heard
before either members of the knight
board or Secretary Daniels are called
In his testimony yesterday Admiral
Sims reiterated former statements
that the morale of the naval service
had been destroyed because of the
methods followed in distributing wal
honors but denied he had intended a
personal attack on Secretary Daniels
in criticising the secretary's policy