The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-05-12
REJECTED AMERI-
CAN PLANS BY REA-
SON OF PRUDENCE
Testifying Before the Sen
ate Investigating Com
mittee, Secretary Daniels
Said Sims Replied With
a Statement of "Generali-
ties of What the British
Admiralty Was Doing"

Washington, d, c., May II. A con
fidentiaI cablegram from President
Wilson TO Rear Admiral Sims in Lon
don, sent during the war, was read to
the Senate naval investigation commit
tee to-day by Secretary Daniels. 1t
expressed surprise that the British ad
miralty had failed to.use Great Brit
aims great naval superiority effective
" against submarines and called on
Admiral Sims for comments and sug-
gestions chased on independent
thought" and without regard 70 ''iudg
ments of any one on that side Of the
water"
The admiralty was helpless to the
point of panic in the face of the sub
marine situation. thc message said.
every plan we suggest they reject
for some reason of prudence the pres
ident added. In my view this is not
time for prudence, but for boldness
even at the cost of great losses
In conclusion, President Wilson
asked Admiral Sims to advise him as
he would give advice "if you we're run
Ihng navy of your own"
Admiral Sims reply, said Secretary
Daniels, who presented the president $
message in connection with his answer
to Sims charges against the navy de-
partment's conduct of the war, was
long telegram of generalities of what
The British admiralty was doing"
President Wilson's message to Sims
follows:
Prom the beginning of the war
have been greatly surprised at the fail
ure Of the British admiralty TO use
Great Britain's great naval superiority
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 prudence,
but for -boldness, even at the cost of
great losses.
"In your dispatches you have quite
properly advised us of the sort of aid
and cooperation desired from US by the
admiralty. The trouble is that their
plans and methods do not seem to us
efficacious. ] would be very much
obliged 20 YOU If you would report
b. me, confdentially, of course, exact
ly what the admiralty has been doing
and what they have accomplished and,
added to the report, your own com
ments and suggestions, based upon in
dependent thought of the whole situa-
iion, without regard to the judgments
Of anyone on that side OF the water.
"The admiralty was very slow TO
l. ~ nd
10 Is not now, | judge, (protectingl
convoys on adequate scale within the
danger zone. seeming 20 keep small
craft with the grand feet. The alb
sence of craft for conveys Is even more
apparent on the French coast than on
the English coast and in the channel.
] do not see how the necessary mill
lary supplies and supplies of food and
fuel oil are TO be delivered at British
ports in any other way within the
next few months than under adequate
ronvoy. There will presently not be
ships or tankers enough and our ship
building plants may not begin to weld
important results in less than Is
months.
Il believe that you will keep these
instruct ions absolutely and entirely
10 yourself and that you will give me
snch advices as you would give II you
were handling and II YOU were running
snavy of your own
Mr.. Daniels also read a letter from
Admiral Sims to former Ambassador
Page at London. written Aug. :, 1917,
which in par said:
s.Iu this connection ] have a sucges-
tion to make. ] have received word.
practically directly from the president,
thaf he WAS much dispicased with my
rep.v 20 his cablegram: that il did not
Fhsngc his opinion al al; thai he re-
rsrds me ss owned by the admiralty
snd son pro British that he seriously
fousidered the advisabiiity Of replacing
r,r bv some other efficer."
sims Thought Plan ~Imprscticable."
Admiral sims reply to the president
isla aiso 81 plans fer a combined >es
Ind and attack 10 turn the German
-eht flank AVID cut of Zeebruggr ss
t.rrorisioniuE bsse. Mr. Daniels aid
Thsf uas the kind Of bold and
,ufaeious' fhinE the president and the
saw department had been urging frrm
sur entry INTO the var, declared TIE
,a.~rfsrv. ~huf even fhen Admiral
sns ssid. Il hsd noi been defn tsly
ls1sed ~ BY the var council. thosgh
- ssrfa- aui sae-essful zffark ~
ferh-I--r rav1r mn5h later r. wief1
tsxe 49, Nfrr diffrreut stony n if
81 h-~- nrrF-rrekr carrier uhru fhc