South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-02-11
CONGRESSMAN ON.
STAND AT NAVAL.
PROBE HEARINGS.
Sen. Glass and Rep. ByrneS
Reiterate Statements Sims
Made In Paris.
ADMIRAL DENIES CHARGES

D4 ASSptlhktu ITtsss
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1O.-The
controversy over naval war decora-
tions took a new turn Tuesday be
fore the senate investigating COM
mittee, the question of just what was
said in conversations between Rear
Admiral William 5. Sims and trio
Of members Of congress in Paris
during the war, displacing 10 some
extent inquiry into changes made by
Sec'y Daniels in decorations recon-
mended by Admiral Sims.
The officer was recalled to supple
ment his previous testimony Chair
man Hale of the committee point
ing out TO him that the secretary
had appeared since the admirars
first hearing. 1t was in answering
some of the statements made by Mr.
Daniels that Admiral Sims touched
upon the question of conversations
he had with Reps. Byrnes and Whit
ley OF South Carolina, and Sen.
Glass. then representative from
Virginia.
Sims Denies Statements.
Sec'y Daniels. before the commit
tee had referred TO a speech in the
house by Rep. Byrnes IN which the
South Carolina representative as
serted that Admiral Sims had told
him the armistice was forced on
the allies by failure of the Ameri-
can army to break through the Ger
man lines. the failure being due to a
collapse OF the American service Of
supply. Admiral Sims Tuesday de-
MED that he had made such asser-
tons, except as 10 repeating rumors
then current in France and which he
said, he warned his visitors not TO
believe. He denied fatty other state
ments attributed to him by Rep.
Byrnes, said TO bellttle the part Of
the American navy in the war, and
asserted he had not told Byrnes and
his associates that the American
merchant marine should not be de-
velOped and the seas be left to
Great Britain.
Congressman Take Stand.
At the request OF Sen. Pittman Of
Nevada, democratic member Of the
investigating committee, Chairman
Whitley and Sen. Glass 10 come be-
fore the committee. Rep. Byrnes.
the first of the three TO be heard
not only reiterated all he had pre-
viously said, but added that ne had
personally reported his converse ton
with Admiral Sims to Pres't Wilson
before Mr.. Wilson made his first trip
To Paris Byrnes added that he had
not reported also 10 Sec'y Daniels
because, since the war was over. he
did not wish Ito stir anything up"
Sen. Glass, who was a member OF
the lower house at the time, while
recalling the conversation with Ad-
miral Sims, much as Byrnes' report
ed it. put a somewhat different in
depreciation on what the officer had
said. He did not understand Admiral
Sims to wish 10 discredit the
army" he said. adding:
II rather believed that he was
simply telling us what he had heard
and thought 10 be true"
Rep. Whaley did not appear Tues
day because of Illness He asked to
be allowed TO testify Monday but
Chairman Hale fixed no date for re-
sumption of the hearing.
RCaffirms Position.
Admiral Sims reference 10 the
Paris conversations which prompted
the calling of Reps. Byrnes and
Whaley and Sen. Glass was made
after he read 4 prepared statement,
reaffirming his position as to naval
awards and asserting that Mr.. DAN
iels' method OF dealing with them
had injected a "defeatist policy" in
TO the navy department more dan
gerous than bolshevism TO organized
government He also characterized