The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-02-03
SIMS, WILSON
WERE AT OUTS,
SAYS DANIELS
Secretary Describes Clashes
of Temperament Between
Naval Commanders In Eur
opean Waters.
PRAISES LATTER MAN

Admiral William S. Sims and Admiral
Henry b. Wilson, former commander
of American naval forces off the
French coast, were followed by the
omission of Admiral Wilson's name
from the list of officers recommended
for medals by Admiral Sims. the SEN
ate committee investiga ting naval dec
orations was told today by Secretary
Daniels.
while Admiral Sims recommended
young officers who served well in
minor posts for distinguished service
medals. and every other flag officer
under his command for the same hon.
or" said Mr.. Daniels, "he omitted that
distinguished admiral who commanded
all American naval forces off the
French coast. Rear Admiral Wilson,
now commander in chief Of the At
lantic fleet
When the history Of the war Is
| written, Admiral Wilson's service will
stand as high as that OF Sims, Mayo,
Benson or Rodman.''
When it was decided to appoint Ad-
miral Wilson commander in chief Of
| the Atlantic fleet Secretary Daniels
sa /, Admiral Sims wrote a letter Of
PR test. Characterizing the contem-
pated appointment as a very grave
mistake indeed" the letter called Geo
retary Daniels attention to the
trouble Admiral Wilson gave me in
the discha rye of my duties"
| Il attempted to correct it by person.
al letters said Admiral Sims let
ters. Admiral Wilson criticised not
only this organization, but me person.
ally, including that most destructive of
all criticisms, the impugning Of mot
ives
Flanked records from the Navy
Department. the Secretary went into
in comforting decorations as recon-
mended by the commanding officers Of
the Navy and by the knight board of
medal awards
The Naval Secretary outlined to the
committee the two differences be-
tween his views and the views held by
Rear Admiral Sims in the awarding
of medals. These were at variance
as to the importance of service at sea
compared with service on shore and
differences on the question as to
wheather a Distinguished. Service
Medal should be awarded under cir
cumstances to a commander Of a ship
sunk or seriously damaged by enemy
| submarines or mines.
Asserting that Admiral Sims, while
on shore duty, both in the Spanish
American and the World War demon
strated ability of a higher order"
Secretary Daniels said 'the position Of
Rear Admiral Sims in placing shore
duty above sea duty in the danger
zone is, no doubt. influenced by his
own record" Figures were present
J ed by Mr.. Daniels showing that dur
ing the last 25 years Admiral Sims
has served about Is years on shore
, duty and nine years at sea-
Points to History
, In the support of his contention
that commander of ship sunk or
damaged by submarine attack, even
! though the ship was unable to combat
the submarine. Secretary Daniels
cited numerous examples in American
naval history and also pointed to in
stances of such awards by the French
, government during the world war.
American naval history, he told the
. committee was filled with precedent
upholding his action in awarding the
distinguished service medal to COM
, manders OF ships sunk by submarines.
, Referring to Admiral Sims statement
, that he had not recommended any en-
: listed men for medals because I'VE
, had nothing to give Them" the Sec
: retary called the committees attention
to the act creating the awards which
? he said made no distinction between
, the Admiral, Captain and enlisted men.
= Referring to the bestowal Of that
, medal on Admiral Benson because of
his services as chief of naval opera.
tions, Mr.. Daniels declared he could
give the same medal that goes to
that great and distinguished officer to
the humblest sailor lad, who when
} placed in a position of great responsi.
bil1ty. in time that tested the stuff
of which man is made, met the de.
: mands of those duties and placed his
4 life in Jeopardy in order that his ship
:. and the lives of others might be pre-
l served"
,. Ordered Study Of Records
:, With that in mind, he ordered fur
, ther study Of navy records when he
found that only II enlisted men of the
= 100000 in the navy during the war
= had been recommended for any high
honor, he explained. AS the result of
> this study. as yet incomplete, he said
e : awarded the distinguished service
l. medal and 6S more men were put ON
3 the list for navy crosses.
$ Emphatic denial was made by the
: secretary, of Admiral Sims statement
l. that the policy followed in awarding
medals had shot to pieces" the navy's
morale.
"It is an insult to the splendid men
Of the navy to say that the morale OF
the service could be seriously i'm
: paired by any question of awards to
individuals" the secretary said on
It that point. ''They are made OF stern
e er stuff than to be ratified by a mat
n ter so unimportant in comparison with
K their devotion to their duties Their
n loyalty Is in no sense dependent upon
e medals -
Explaining Admiral Sims mention
l. of message from the secretary ask
IT ing what recommendation had beer
n made on "Bagley tMr. Daniels broth
h er-in-law) and other officers of jacob
n Jones and other destroyers that wer,
O.. attacked" Mr.. Daniels said the not,
le was written late one afternoon afts,
! Continued on Page Ten)