The Washington herald., 1920-01-28
CASHIER SIMS,
BYRNES URGES
Ti
South Carolinian in House
Scathes Admiral; Would
Discharge Him.
SHOUTS GREET SPEECH
Quotes Officer as Saying
England Should Control
The Seas.
SHOUTS GREET SPEECH

tHt aumOnlIlOn,
Don't let the British pull the wool
over yours eyes" Rear Admiral
William s. Sims violated confidential
instructions and should be dishon-
orably discharged. Representative
James F. Byrnes, Democrat, OF South
Carolina. declared in a speech in the
House yesterday.
Mr.. Byrnes denounced the former
commander of the American naval
activities in European waters in the
most bitter terms. Referring to him
as a "drawing-room admiral" the
South Carolinian said the greatest
battle of Admiral Sims career was
The Battle of Medals"
He took up in turn each one OF
the admiral's criticisms of the navy
and produced records from Sims
own Office and other evidence tend
ing to show that all of them were
false. Mr.. Byrnes said:
Charges Army SANDER.
''Sims not only belittIed the
achievements of the navy OF the
United States. but slandered the
army. I charge that he made false
statements as to both"
The sneaker charged that the ad-
miral is so strongly pro-British that
he cannot speak from a purely Amer
lean viewpoint.
Having been decorated by the
British Admiralty. no decoration OF
the United States government could
have any attraction for this distin-
guished admiral. who long since
justly won the title of The Best
British Admiral in the American
Navy
''Sims was born in Canada under
the British flag and seems unable to
get over il.
THE naval history OF this govern
ment will fail to disclose anything
comparable with the contemplate in
subordination shown by Admiral
Sims in his recent letter to the Sec
retary of the Navy.
Demands Authority.
THE admonition that Sims received.
Not 10 let the British pull the wool
over your eyes shows that he could
not be trusted. He must be made
to say who gave him the admonition
he alleges he received.
IF a superior officer did so admon-
ish him. then Sims is violating con-
fidential instructions and deserves
the condemnation of every American
and a dishonorable discharge from
the navy"
The circumstances under which
Admiral Sims made public his letter
to Secretary Daniels, during his
testimony before the Senate sub
committee. declared Mr.. Byrnes.
bear all the earmarks OF a frame
up" He added:
II confidently believe that in all
the army and navy there is no other
officer who cares so little for the
country that has honored him that
he would endanger the peace of the
nation in order to crafty his per-
sonal spite.
Fought Battle of Medals.
while the men of the navy. many
of whom had braved the perils of
the sea. were praising it. Admiral
Sims, who faced nothing more dead
ly than the dining tables of London.
began on December II the greatest
battle of his career-the Battle of
the Medals.
Having impressed upon us how
small a part he played upon the sea
in time of war. he proceeded to tell
us (during the conversation with
the Congressman in London) that
in time of peace we should play no
part at all. He declared that Great
Britain, because of her geographical
position. must control the seas and
that we could depend upon her
transporting our goods to foreign
markets, and. therefore, we did not
need a merchant marine. He de-
clared We should develop the great
West, instead of developing a mer-
chant marine.
Says Contempt Sims Dessert
when I took issue with him. he de-
clared that even il we thought a
merchant marine advisable, we could
not develop one. because We could not
compete with Great Britain without
poyment of subsidies, and for this the
people would not stand.
His efforts to f1atter the British by
slandering the army and navy of the
United States will meet with the con-
tempt of every true Englishman, as
il does over every true American.
"Our navy needs no defense at my
hands. Mr.. Daniels may have made
many mistakes, but his greatest mis-
take was the appointment of Sims
Mr.. Byrnes' speech attracted a large
attendance of the House. The Demo-
Gratis and a few Republicans enthus-
iastically applsuded him. His last
declaration, that Mr.. Daniels greatest
mistake was the appointment of Sims.
brought forth shouts of approval.
A. n con m n