Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-03-23
SIMS SAYS BENSON
WAS ANTI-bR|T|SH
Names Author of Famous pull
the-Woo" Instructions
Given Him.
ADMITS TO INDlscRET'oN
Admiral Says He Ought Not to
Have Shown Critical Letter
to Henry P. Dawson.
ADMITS TO INDlsCRETIok
iBY Associated Pres. F,

iBY Associated P!et'
WASHINGTON. March a2.-Rcar-
yess:gating Committee today tina;
lscarAdmiral Benson, chief OF naval
operations during the war and now
chairman OF the Shipping Board. was
The officer who told him mot TO let
the British pull the wool over your
'ycs: We would as soon hgh; them
hc Germans"
This was not a formal instruction,
the admiral said. but WAS told 20 him
IN the presence Of other naval officers
after Secretary Daniels had given him
i,nai Instructions just before his de-
Iurturc ovcrseai. where he later be-
eomc commander OF American naval
forces. II wac repeated the following
Gay he declared. and again six months
.nter. when Admiral Benson visited
Paris.
Ndlnirai sims vas reluctant 70 re-
veal ;he name OF the officer making
Kept his presentation of the case clear
or personalities. and that he wished
10 continue 10 do 50. Chairman Hale
Guilty OF IAN Indi.crctIon.-
Cross examination by Senator Pitt
man. Democrat. OF Nevada, developed
tina; ADMIRAL sims had shown his let
conduct Of the war TO Henry p. Davi-
son. or New York. about the middle
q January. .wht!e he was guest at
AZ. bafispn's home. Admiral Sims
onceded that This was IAN indiscre-
i.pn."
senator ptt:man said he had reason
ter had found its way 10 a Washing
ton r.ws2aper correspondent who
probably would he called later.
senator iitsnIan and Chairman Hale
nshcd SHARPLY: over the form In
which Tho %evada senator put. some
u' his questions, the chairman insist
Ing ;hat senator Pitt!nan conhne his
Questions 10 the text OF admiral sims
o!rcct testimony.
There need be no discourtcsy here"
SENATOR Hale said, and We viii nave
80, viii no, tolerate any, aid
Sou were going 10 try 10 break up
Ills -cyaminn;ion.
ADMIRAL Sims interrupted 70 say he
welcomed ;hc oss-cxamination; that
lis one desire was 10 bring out a!!
- ,hc facts.
ought 10 Have nccn iIcpt Quiet.
Admiral Benson's statement should
,rvcr have been made public" said
senator pittman. resu!n!aS the cross
DO YOU mean by me?" asked Ad-
by you or any ono else" replied
power with which We We're on friendly
terms. and il was given 70 you in
could not even De put in writing"
heo IL, vas .aGS nG' ,sd svfn hhira .G me II Gsn @ns
.od to me in n room before other
laval officers"
o,aer naval onceTs, Who like your
self are supposed TO know what 10
talk about, and what not 10 talk
ABOUT" replied senator Pi;tman.
.onss Ms to Sa'an one 0HfSfs lhinE" % said Admira d
sims. and that was that we VIII
l...r in h.s an.
Gition in which we went into this
Senator. Pi,tman diverted the eonrse ,dss
copies OF which are contained In the
files OF Admiral Sims Office in London;
Hn referred to re Letter from AdmTal tiriiish
ravy. commanding at Queenstown. in
which he said ii had been suggested
that IL portion OF the national army
couId be better cmploy,cd "as labor in
k.mcrican shipyards" because Of the
serious tonnage situation.
sims said Il am proud of it,
Thought Ii Result OF Prejudice.
Explaining his Interpretation OF
what ADMIRAL Benson, said to him, the
witness said he had not given the
resulted from what he described as an
Intensely anti-British feeling enter
tained by Admiral Benson.
y lie added that Admiral Benson, was
AN outstanding ana honest man, cN-
ceed:ngly strong in his adherence to
his convictions. L, was due TO Ben
san's personal confidence in him and
advocacy OF his cause that lie was sent
abroad and later reached the highest
-avai post overseas. the officer
ADMIRAL Sims said he included Ad-
,niral Benson's remark in his letter to
,;acretary Daniels on January T. re-
;arding Tho .ht nhyy,s part art in she s;,'I;n war, ns
against men fighting alongside of him
Ii has an unconscious influence on
Commenting briefly on Secretary
nittee, Admiral Sims said that lin his
testimony on awards the secretary
stated that he had reminded mo OF the
. iidscrction in L speech 1 made at
''rhc ,sccrctary's recollection on that
point is thoroughly mistaken" the
Witness added. NO reference was
made by anybody in the. Navy De-
ri,tmun calculated TO bring out that
he made public his letter regarding
naval decorations before Secretary
cared neither he nor any member OF
Ills staff gave tho matter any pub
Il am no spring chicken" said the
officer. "and am not putting my head
carried the only copy of the letter
around In my pocket so would know.
j, did not get out prematurely."
The Senator also read an unsigned
me9'oraGSd1sam which Aamira Sims
early in 1918. for tile formation OF |;
separate American army in France.