Evening star., 1920-03-24
NAVY DEPARTMENT
IN CHAOSAT WARS
START,LAN|NG SAYS
Naval Officer Testifies Secre-
tary Daniels Delayed I'm
portant Policies.

of navigation during the war. testi-
eating committee.
Capt. Laning said no one knew what
to do after a plan of action submitted
by the bureau of operations had been
disapproved and that the personal
characteristics of the Secretary Of the
Navy often made it impossible to get
approval of really important policies.
Many officers found this condition
to be true, Capt. Laning said. and he
offered to furnish to the committee
the names of other officers who would
corroborate his testimony on this
point.
Says Secretary Delayed Action.
Whenever a plan or policy was
presented to the Secretary he almost
invariably delayed action on it," the
captain declared. The personal in
terest he took in all matters con-
nected with the department absorbed
so much of his time that he never had
much left to give to the more I'M
portant affairs"
When important policies and plans
were submitted to Secretary Daniels.
Capt. Laning said, directions would
be given to leave the papers for CON
lsideration" and usually these instruc-
tions meant that the matter would not
be heard from again until the omcer
interested looked the papers up. and
frequently they could not be found,
the captain said
Conditions finally became so bad
that officers used every means possible
without obtaining the required au-
thority," Capt. Laning declared
Says Units Couldn't Coordinate.
Capt. Laning also told the commit
tee that the various units Of the de-
partment could make no co-ordinated
effort to carry on the war for lack
of a definite general plan; that the
feet was not ready for operation
when war began. and that IN the
department did not take an attitude to-
ward legislation and policies that
would have prepared the fleet.
Virtual chaos existed in the Navy
Department when the United States
joined the allies. he testified.
mo one knew what to do" he said,
after the plan submitted by opera
tions was disapproved. The various
bureaus went out and purchased not
what would actually be needed. but
what it was thought would be need.
ed"
Navy was able to accomplish the re-
markable work 1t did," declared Capt.
Laning, but it is certain that what it
did accomplish could have been done
much more quickly and efficiently IL
we could have had plant from the
start"
ME-. DanieIS Directly Criticized.
Secretary Daniels came in for direct
criticism in the course of Capt. Lam
ing's testimony, The officer asserted
that he touched on the matter with
great reluctance and hesitation. but
that even when 1t was apparent that
war could not be avoided the depart
ment did not do the things that should
have been done to make the Navy ready
and along the right lines. that the Of
fee Of the chief Of naval operations
prepared q plan outlining how the
Navy's first efforts should be directed
at about the time war was declared.
but the department disapproved the
plan was most needed the Navy found
itself without it: that the various units
of the Navy Department could make
no co-ordinated effort to carry on the
war for lack of definite general plan,
with the result that the effectiveness
Of the naval effort was greatly reduced
in the early stages of the war, and the
cost Of the struggle was considerably
and unnecessarily increased.
At the request of Senator Pittman,
democrat. Nevada, there was included,
in the record today, letter from Gen.
Tasker H. Bliss to Secretary Baker
denying the statement made by Rear
Admiral Sims Monday before the COM
mittee- that Gen. Bliss favored the
amalgamation of American troops with
foreign armies. The letter was sent to
Chairman Hale by Secretary Daniels
with a request that 1t be Incorporated
in the record. Chairman Hale today
read into the record his reply to Secre-
tary Daniels, in which he said that he
considered it improper to insert papers
in the record at the request of parties
not before the committee and that Sec
retary Daniels would be called to testify
soon and would then be given an op-
portunity to insert any documents he
cared to. Chairman Hale's letter also
said that the papers have nothing to
do with the very definite criticism of
lack of preparedness and prompt support
on the part Of the Navy Department
made by Admiral Sims in his letter of
January T."
Senator Pittman insisted. however,
that the Bliss letter and the COPY of
Gen. Pershing's original orders attached
to it be inserted and Chairman Hale ac-
ceded to the request.
Few Knew True Condition.
Capt. Laning said that just prior to
1917 the department gave out such
glowing accounts of the Navy and its
splendid condition and efficiency that
few, If any. outside the Navy realized
the true condition"
The witness said he did not criti-
else the departments policy as to
building programs. as it always ad-
vocated increased numbers Of ships,
but whether the numbers and types
NJ a NJ
opinion. Secretary Daniels. he said,
based his ideas Of the Navy's fitness
on the total number of ships rather
than on their condition or whether
they were properly manned for war.
Gen. Bliss Makes Denial.
The War Department has taken. a
hand in the inquiry. Gen. Tasker H.
Bliss. American Representative in the
supreme war council. last night not
only denied categorically that he had
recommended the brigading of United
States troops with foreign armies. as
testified by Admiral Sims. but de-
clared ''the truth is exactly the re-
verse"
Gen. Bliss made his denial in a let
ter to Secretary Baker. who trans
mitted 1t, together with a copy of the
original order assigning Gen. Pershing
Secretary Daniels. and he in turn
sent both on to Chairman Hale of the
Senate naval subcommittee. at the
same time making all the correspond
ence public.
mot only at no time did make any
recommendation for the brigading of
American troops with the British
army" Gen. Bliss said. but the truth
10 exactly the reverse. The only times
that 1 ever came in contact with Ad-
miral Sims IN Europe were while I
was in London with the American
mission (the so-called House mission)
between the Sth and 22d of November.
1917 During that entire time the idea
OF brigading or amalgamating Ameri-