The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-01-20
Offered British Honor.

German submarines, and we had the
hardest time convincing both the Brit
ish admiralty and Admiral sim that
Il should be done"
Offered British Honor.
Perhaps when congress ~broadens the
investigation. u viii find many other
interesting things. For example. II viii
be found that the British government
offered 10 make Admiral Sims a mem
Der OF the British admiralty and, with
out declining the honor himself. he
asked the navy departments opinion
and urged acceptance.
The navy department promptly In
uuired II the British admiralty had Of
fered 10 take In the naval representa-
tiyes Of France, Italy or Japan, and
the answer came hack that the honor
had been reserved as a distinguished
mark for the United States alone
whereupon the reply that was quickly
cabled back to Admiral sims said N
effect. Certainly not
Throushout the war there was a good
, deal OF jealousy and rivalry between
the naval commanders, II was so ~
the army. too. For instance. II was
an open secret In France mat |et.
March. chief OF staff In the Cnited
States, didn't get along any too wen
| with Gen. Per shing, commander-in-chlel
on The other side. This often happens,
when brief cahleRrams at a distance OF
1900 miles separate officials from thelr
| office.
Was Given Post.
Logically, Capt. Gleayes should have
gone to Europe just before the out,
break Of the war, as Americas naval
part. II we entered the war. would
fall, Il was recognized, upon destroy
| ers, and Gleaves was In command OF
our destroyer flotilla. But because
Sims had a reputation Of getting along
well with the British" he was selected,
And he did many splendid things,
which won him the admiration OF the
navy department. when the wal was
over, Admiral Sims asked for the post
OF executive at the Navy War college.
II was reliably reported that ne really
wanted to be made -chiei
OF the Atlantic fleet, In truth, he dld
not apply for the job himself, but de-
voted his time to opposing the selec-
ion OF Rear Admiral Henry b, Wilson.
who had been in command OF naNai
operations off the coast or france
where the great bulk OF American
troops we're safely landed during the
most destructive activities Of subma-
rines. -,
But the navy department did not
listen to Admiral Sims objections TO
| Admiral Wilson, whom he charged with
being a poor subordinate. Moreover,
there was considerable friction between
| Admiral Sims and Admiral Benson,
CHIEF of naval operations, who went to
France with the American war mis-
sion.
Feeling Against Sims.
There is a good deal Of bitter feel
ing In naval circles over Admiral Sims
activities and, far from being simply
the usual attack on a civilian secretary
Of the navy by the professional naVal
men, this controversy runs deep into
naval ethics, naval jealousies and naval
personalities.
For instance, resentment has never
disappeared over the statement issued
by Admiral Sims to the general effect
our troops to Europe safely. Admira
GleaVes felt compelled to issue II state
ment giving the exact figures and
while It is true that the British mer-
chant marine, which had always beer
larger than ours, carried As per cent
OF our troops to Europe. the United
States ships carried 46 per cent.
But as far as actually getting oul
troops safely to Europe, the impress
sion left on the public mind by Ad'
miral Sims statement was that TIL
British destroyers and naval vessel'
actually, conveyed more American
troops than did our own destroyers,
The official figures show that onl!
29T, 900 American troops went to Flu
rope under British escort, while LEO,
360 went under the escort Of the United
States navy. The percentage Is 81 pc
cent under American escort, II per cen
under British escort, and three pc
cent under French escort,
Especially Delicate Job.
Nobody in the navy department Il
inclined to discredit the work Of Ad
miral Sims abroad, for, while he wa
ashore all the time, and men Xix,