The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-01-28
A HYPHENATED
POLITICIAN
Congressman Byrnes of So.
Carolina So Character
ICES Admiral Sims
"LIBELED ARMY,
DEPRECATED NAVY"
And Urged That United
States Leave Control Of
Seas to Great Britain

washington, ~ ", Jan. ZS--heai
Admiral Sims, leading figure in the
naval decorations controversy and in
the pending Senate investigation of the
navy's conduct Of the war, was Wig
orously attacked yesterday in the
House by Representative Byrnes, Dem
ocrat, South Carolina.
4 Declaring that if the admiral was
admonished by high naval official
not to let the British pull the WOOL
over his eyes, as he testified recently
before the Senate naval decorations
making the instructions public, Repre-.
sentative Byrnes said he deserved 1the
condemnation of every American and
a dishonorable discharge from the
| navy"
Characterizing Admiral Sims as
| "hyphenated politician" Mr.. Byrnes
charged that when serving as comman-
der of American naval forces in Eu-
ropean waters during the war he had
"libeled the army and deprecated the
work of the navy and had urged that
the United States leave the control of
the seas to Great Britain.
Democratic members frequently in
terrlpted Representative Byrnes with
applause.
Representative Susted, Republican,
New York, referring to Mr. Byrnes'
assertion that Sims possibly should
be 'dishonorably discharged from the
navy, asked whether the officer who ad-
monished him mot to let the British
pull the wool over his eye" ought not to
be removed, but the Democratic mem.
Der said the admonition was justified in
view of Admiral Sims pro British at.
titude.p ''~
He added that the admirals disclo-
sure might "endanger the peace Of the
country" Representative Hicks, Re.
publican, New York, remarked that II |
undoubtedly had disturbed the peace |
OF the Democratic party"
while in Paris, on Oct 80 1915" |
said Mr. Byrnes, Admiral Sims told |
Representatives Glass of Virginia, |
Wheat of South Carolina, and myself, /
that the armistice asked for by the |
enemy would have TO be granted be. |
cause of the failure of Pershing to
break through the German ranks due to
the disastrous breakdown in transpor-
tation behind the American lines. We !
visited the headquarters of the service
of supplies and found that only few
days previous Pershing had written the
$. O. $. cohgratulating them upon their
wonderful work in supplying the forces
in the field. His statement was false,
and for his inexcusable SANDER he
should be made to answer TO the Amer
lean doughboy.'
He not only libelled the army, but
he deprecated the work of the navy
continued Byrnes, who read a copy Of
the London Times quoting speech of
Admiral Sims, giving credit to the Brit.
sh for Transporting and conveying
ships to Europe during the
war as did the American navy and de-
,laring that only three per cent OF the
craft in European wa
.ers was American. i
This speech" Representative Byrnes j
was false from beginning TO
md. Sims was so busy fighting the 9
var over the dining tables of London |
hat he did not know how many yes a
els he had under his command. L
His statement that we had trans. S
'orted only one-third of our troops was c
alse.
His statement that we had es 5
orted but one-half our troops was !
qually false. :
His statement that we escorted only
nethird Of the merchant vessels that
anne here was false.
Having visited the battle fields of
pres and the grand feet during the
lar, was impressed with the magnif-
emit part played by the British arms in
he war and nothing this hyphenated
could say will either add TO
: detract from the glory of the Eng
sh people. His efforts to fatter them
y slandering the army and the navy
/ the United States will meet with the
OF every true Englishman as
does OF every true American"