Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-22
WE 'DAS SOON FIGHT
BRITISH" SIMS SAYS
BEESON TOLD HIM
Caution Against England Came
in Informal Conversation,
Complaining Admiral Says.
NO PART OF DIRECTION
By Associated Press 70 Every Evening

BY Associated Press 70 Every Evening
Washington, March 22-Rear Admiral
William 5 Benson. the chief of naval
operations. WAS the official who told Rear
Admiral Sims mot TO let the British
pull the wool over your eyes, we would
rs soon fight them as the Germans,
Admiral Sims testified today before the
Senate Committee investigating the navy 5
conduct of the Wat.
Admiral Sims said the remark was made
lust after he had received his final IN
structions from Secretary Daniels pre-
paratory 10 has departure for England on
the eve of the entry of the United States
into the war He added. however, thai
il was not made IN the course of formal
instructions but during a conversation in
the office of Rear Admiral Palmer, chief
Of the Bureau of Navigation.
Admiral SIMS said he did not wish to
indulge IN personalities, but when pressed
by Chairman Hale he sand he referred TO
Admiral Benson.
Admiral Sims said he included Admiral
Benson's remark in his letter to Secretary
Daniels on January regarding the navy 5
part in the war because IF man has 3
prejudice against men fighting alongside
Of him ii has an unconscious influence on
him
The admiral told the committee he
had always regarded the admonition as
a personal prejudice on the part of Ad-
miral Benson He described the former
chief of operations rs 'an outstanding,
honest man, who has strong convictions, =
and added he believed everything that
Admiral Benson did during the war was
done 'conscientiously.
1t was due largely to Admiral Benson s
| confidence in him that he was selected to
the high post he occupied during the war,
Admiral Sims said, adding that in urging
his selection Admiral Benson incurred
| the dislike of many officers senior to
Admiral Sims who desired the post,
Senator Pittman, Democrat, Nevada
! asked If in view of the anti-British senti-
ments of Admiral Benson that officer
/ had not acted in broadminded way in
sending Admiral Sims to London.
The witness replied that Admiral Ben
| son had always been "fair and square.
Senator pittman brought out that
Admiral Sims had shown copy of hls
| letter of January to IL. 7. Dawson oi
New York. while he was guest at MIR
| Davison's home about the middle o.
January. The officer could not recall th'
date but said his aid thought ii was or
/
the letter was IAN indiscretion.
The witness told the committee tha
Admiral Benson repeated his admonitiol
during conversation the following da,
and that he made the same remark 81
months later in London
Admiral Sims said he did not pay par
ticular attention to the statement at tha
time because he believed Admiral Benson
was intensely anti British He added tina
this belief was entertained general,
throughout the service.
An aid recently called his attention t
the remark, the admiral said, and Al
miral Palmer also told him that he re
mernbered hearing Admiral Benson max
the statement.
The witness was reluctant TO give TIA
name of the officer but Chairma n Hal
insisted
'erhen | will tell you the whole story,
said Admiral Sims. Early in Api
1917. | was ordered from my post a
Newport to Washington When | al
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