Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1920-03-24
BLISS BRANDS LIE
SIMS TALE HE URGED
LENDING YANK ARMY
Admiral Says Report Of Gen. Pershing Sustains
His Assertion Navy Did Not Furnish Transport
Service Emergency Required to Get Troops
Over Sea Promptly; Clashes Mark investigation

Washington, March 23-The contro
versy started by Rear Admiral Sims
criticism of the navy departments con
I duet of its war activities, was broadeneC
! tonight by entry OF the war department
to deny some of the admiral's state
| ments regarding the land forces.
General Tasker II. Bliss. American
| representative in the supreme war coun-
ell, not only denied he had recommended
the brigading of United States troops
with foreign armies as testified by Ad-
| mira1 SINS, but declared the truth is
exactly the reverse.
Cross examination Of Rear Admiral
! Sims was concluded today by the senate
Investigating his criticism of the navy
departments method of conducting the
war.
Charged with Snobbish IDEAS.
Admiral Sims was charged BY Senator
pittman, Democrat, Nevada, with de-
sire to ''turn over the whole American
navy to the British during the war re-
gardless Of protection Of the coasts Of
the United States, and with having
favored the French or British policy.
certainly not the American policy. of
sending raw, unframed troops to
France
The testimony before this committee
proves to my satisfaction that YOU re-
lied largely on the British admiralty for
your opinions and recommendations,
declared the senator .Tou talked freely
~ Americans abroad Of your belief that
the American expeditionarE forces trans
port system had broken down ana on
November 8. 1918. you Still thought
behind the Ar1onne front had broken
and vou never expected him ID succeed
there"
Challenge Half Million Lives
That il the veriest kind of rot" WI
torted the admiral mo officer III my
experience. not to say record would an
low himself to be governed by such
policies"
Today's hearings was confined largely
to technical questions regarding the plac-
ing Of responsibility for alleged failure
to adopt the convoy system earlier III the
war. Senator pittman asserted that the
blame did not rest entirely with the
United States and asserted Admiral Sims
had been hot headed" III charging the
murder Of 100000 men to the navy de-
partment because Of the alleged lack
Of prompt naval cooperation by the
United States.
Smart at Each other.
Frequent heated verbal clashes be
tween Senator Pittmau and the witness
the hearing. At one point
The senator shook his finger at the off
cer
Don't shake your finger at me" ad-
nonlshcd the admiral 1t won't do any
.ood.
You are not on the bridge of ship,
etorted the senator. I'VE will follow
enate procedure, not navy methods,
ere'
Conway System Turning Point.
We'll. you don't need to use police
ourt methods, replied the admiral.
Admiral Sims said adoption of the
onyoy system marked the turning point
i the war and that tie allies had to
valt tor American cooperation before
nc pia" could bc made effective.
our destroE"rs aud other ships
mould have sated the night we declared
.@t and there was not good reason why
hey should not have done so." he said
II theE had 100000 tons of shipping
.ould have been saved and the -nited
'tat"s would have had an army of
'oVo,oVp men n rance by MAY. 1913.
Will Refute Sims. Says PIttman.
me fact was that after wc declared
az many American ships hud tn III
laced II drSdock and repaired before
'ey could ~ sent to the war zone.
senator lltnan told the admiral ha "
ad not presented any evidence IL sup-
ort hls assertion that failure M thr
aEy, properly 10 cooperate during the
AZ nad prolonged the struggle at cost
100000 lives
y notify YOU here ana How that. at
Y proper time. evidence wil NJ intrn
ICED 70 show that the army did not ask
II ocean transport that ii did not gct
N senator said
" you ~ Won. viii have to disprovc i
eneral Ifrshlng own report i'll which .
said that ne could not gct troops to !
rance when he wanted them" returned r
K admiral.
General Bliss made bis denial III let !,
70 Secretary Baker, who transmitted d
With 4 copy Of the original order IN
'hng General Pershins to command
res overseas, 70 Secretary Daniels, Y
q he, IN turn. sent both to Chairman
lie. Of the senate naval sub committee
the same time making all the cor
spondcnce public G.
Not only at no time did | make any O
for brgadiDg of Am =
can troops with the British armv." O
neral Bliss said, but the truth il II
lctly the reverse. The only times | y
r came in contact with Admiral Sims "
Europe were while | was in London %
h the American mission (the So -,
led House missionD between Nov. "
ber and %. 1917 During that en- tt
> time, the i9ea Of brigading or
American troops with for :.
n armies had not. as far as / know. II;
cred the head of anyone, nor did / la
r make such suggestion, much less -,
recommendation III
General Bliss said he told the supreme pl