Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-02-03
DANIELS TAKES DIRECT AND .
EMPHATIC issue WITH SINS Il
NSPEECH BEFORE COMMITTEE

Two Reasons For Differ
ence, Between His Views
And Those OF Sims.
Washington, .Fb. s.Personal. diff
ferences developing between Rear
Admiral William s. Sims and Ad-
miral Henry b. Wilson, former COM
mander Of American naval forces OF
the French coast, were followed by
the omission Of Admiral Wilson's
name from the list Of officers recon-
mended for medals by Admiral4 Sims,
the senate committee investigating
naval decorations. was told today BY
Secretary Daniels. 81.
While Admiral Sims recommend
ed young officers who served well in
minor posts for distinguished service
medals and other flag officers under
his command for the same honor
said Mr.. Daniels he omitted tina.
distinguished admiral who command
ed all American naval forces OF the
French coast, Rear Admiral Wilson,
now commander-in-chief Of the At
!antic fleet. When the history of
The war Is written, Admiral Wilson'S
sims. Mayo, Benson or Rodman.''
When it WAS decided to appoint
Admiral Wilson commander n-chief
OF the Atlantic fleet, Secretary@D Dam
iels said. Admiral Sims wrote q let
ter of protest. characterizing the
contemplated appointment as very
grave mistake. indeed The letter
called secretary Daniels attention to
the trouble Admiral Wilson rave
me in the discharge Of my duties"
attempted to correct It by per-
sonal letters" Admiral Sims letter
said. Admiral Wilson criticized not
! only this organization but me per-
>sonally. Including the most destruc-
I've Of all criticisms the impugning
Of motives. -. 80
Washington, Feb. s.-rakinxs IN
/ the contentious Of Rear Admiral VIII
liam s. Sims in the matter Of naval
medal awards point by point, Secre-
| tary Daniels, in his appearances to-
day before the senate investigating
subcommittee. took direct and em-
Phauc issue with the admiral
Fianked by voluminous records from
| went into detail In explaining
changes he made insconferring dec
orations as recommended by the COM
manding officers OF. the navy and BIZ
the Knight board Of medal awards.
| me naval eecreta<y outlined to the
committee the two chisfs difSFsncss
between his views ana the Vie ~ hold
i by Admiral Sine In the awarding OF
medals. These were e .vArfaHcG - TO
the, importance Of service 1T & sea.
compared with services on. shore and
| dinerences on the Il question Of
/ whether a distinguished service med
! al should be awarded under any cir
cumstances to a commander Of q
! ship sunk or seriously Dana Sed by
granny submarines or mine6 .Ssssas ls37f
! Sims Showed Ab1lity.
Asserting that ADMIRAL Sims while
on shore duty both insathe' Spanish
American and world war demon.
strated ability of a high order" Sec
Rear Admiral Sims in placing shore
duty above sea duty in the danger
zone, is, no doubt influenced by his
k own record" Figures were present
ed by Mr., Daniels showing that dur
ing the last twenty-five years Ad-
miral Sims had served sixteen years
on shore duty and nine years at sea
so rarely did he take q sea trip
salo the secretary. referring to the
admira1s work as commander Of the
United States naval forces in Euro
pean waters. that in his book he
tells a story OF one Of the few tunes
ne was afloat. going with the British
admiral who had been placed by
Rear Admiral Sims in command OF
the American destroyers based on
! Queenstown"
As justifying his contention that
individual duties ashore are neces-
/ sarily of secondary Importance to
duties afloat, Mr.. Daniels asserted:
"On shore man decides :imper-
tant questions in the quiet Of ONCE
surrounding with time to weigh the
pros and cons, and If he makes a
mistake his error Of decision Is not
Immediately followed by DISASTROUS
results. At sea, particularly in sub
marine warfare, the commander, like
all his men, is in imminent peril OF
! death. He must make momentcus
decisions in the flash of single mo-
ment, often when his ship has been
attacked. and when coolness and
poise are necessary to save the lives
of scores and hundreds Of men. A
! mistake in this emergency is fatal TO
! an officer in command ut sea-
l With this as an hnpelling reason,
the secretary said he disapproved Of
the disparity between honors to men
ashore and af1oat as recommended
! by the knight board and according
! ly reduced or eliminated q number
(; OF awards for shore service.
! Should Receive Medal.
In support of his contention that
a, commander Of q ship sunk or dam
aged by submarine attack should re-
! ceiye recognition even though the
ship was unable to combat the sub
/ marine Secretary Daniels cited nu-
/ merous examples in American naval
/ history and also pointed to instances
OF such awards by the French goy-
I hA