Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-05-13
DANIELS TESTIF!ES THAT SIMS DECLINED
 TO GIVE ADVICE
In Reply to Presidents Re quest for Opinion, Gave
 GeneralitieS
CHUNG TO BELIEF THAT
 BRITISH KNEW BEST
Former Head of Naval Operations al London Scored by Secretary Says Sims Ignored Policy
 That Later Won

navy operated during the war was lifted further today by Secretary Daniels.
 Continuing his testimony before the senate committee investigation Rear Admiral Sims charges that the navy failed to cooperate fully with the allies, the secretary read a con- fidential cablegram sent to Admiral Sims at London July 4, 1917, by Pres ident Wilson. In it, the president said that in the presence of the sub- marine emergency the British admi- rality was "helpless almost to the point of panic" and asked the admi- ral to submit the report based upon Independent thought" of the whole situation, without regard to the judg- ment of anyone on that side of the water"
 Admiral Sims response, MT. Dan iels testified, was a long telegram of generalities of what the British admirality was doing"
 Secretary Daniels said the admi- ral's reply to the president suggested that the proper policy to pursue was to adopt the recommendations he had made to the navy department, most of which, the witness testified, had been put into operation before the admiral suggested them.
 The naval secretary told the com mittee that Admiral Sims in his re- ply evidently had sought to discredit the navy departments plan and that, instead of accepting the departments suggestions, of great offensive plans or Originating some plan that prom ised to stop the egress of German submarines" Admiral Sims had closed his mind to every plan Hooking to the great offensive which in the fall of 1918, was the most effective foe of the submarine"
 The admiralty was "helpless to the point of panic" in the face of the submarine situation, the message from Wilson said:
 "Every plan we suggest they re- ject for some reason of prudence" MT. Wilson said. "In my view this is not time for prudence but for bcldness even at the cost of great ! losses"
 in conclusion. President Wilson asked Admiral Sims to advise him as he would give advice eff you were running navy of your own." Admiral Sims reply, said Secre- tary Daniels, who presented the presidents message in connection with his answer to Sims charge that the navy departments conduct of the war was "long telegram of generali- ties of what the British admiralty was doing" President Wilson's message to Sims follows:
 Presidents Message.
 "From the beginning of the war, I have been greatly surprised at the failure of the British admiralty to use Great Britain's great naval su- periority in an effective way. In the presence of the present submarine emergency they are helpless to the point of panic.
 "Every plan we suggest they reject for some reason of prudence. In my view this is not a time for pru- 1 dence, but for boldness even at the | cost of great losses.
 J "In most of your dispatches you have quite properly advised us of the sort of aid and cooperation de- sired from us bv the admiralty The Il trouble is that their plans and meth ods do not seem to us efficacious. I would be very much obliged to you if YOU would report to me, confiden- tiallv, of course, exactly what the admiralty has been doing and what thev have accomplished and, added to the report. your own comments and suggestions based upon independent | thought of the whole situation, with . out regard to the judgments of any one on that side of the water. Il "The admiralty was very slow to adopt the protection of conveys and 1 so s,,Ir on adequate scale within the dan with the brand fleet. The absence \ apparent on the French coast than channel. do not see how the neces- ! sarv military supplies and supplies II of food and fuel oil are to be de- | livered at British ports in any other way within the next few months than | under the adequate convoy. There Il will presently not be ships or tank CTS enough and our shipbuilding Il enough may not begin to yield i'm portant results in less than 1a | months.
 q believe that you will keep these instructions absolutely and entirely to yourself and that you will give me such advice as you would give if you were handling and if you werO running a navy of your own."
 Letter to Page.
 Mir. Daniels also read letter from Admiral Sims to Former Ambassador Page at London, written August 2 1917, which in part said:
 "In this connection have sug. gestion to make. I have received word. practically directly from the president that he was much displeas ed with my reply to his cablegram; that it did not change his opinion al all; that he regards me as owned by the admiralty and so pro-British tha' he seriously considered the advisa bilitv of replacing me by some oth CT officer" u
 Admiral Sims reply to the presi dent told also of plans for combin ed sea and land attack to turn th' German right flank and cut of ' Continued on Page 6).