The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-03-13
WAS IGNORED
BY SUPERIORS,
CLAIMS SIMS
Admiral Outlines List of I'm
portant Decisions Alleged
Made Without Consulting
Him as European Head.
HOOVER IS INTRODUCED
(By Associated Press)

(By Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, March 13-Docu.
mentary evidence in support of his
charge that the navy department fail
ed to keep him informed as to it's
policies and plans was presented to-
day by Rear Admiral Sims to the SEN
ate Investigating committee.
Delay and confusion" resulted
from the departments failure to noti-
fly him of important dispositions and
movements of naval forces within the
area of his command as well as else
where, he said, adding that the re-
suit also was to create in the minds
of allied officials an impression that
he was not supported by, and in the
confidence Of his government.
Went Over His Head.
Because of his ignorance Of the de-
partments plans, the admiral con-
tinued, the allied admiralties carried
on direct negotiations with the navy
department in Washington. Allied
team work was impaired and Ameri-
can interests suffered as a result, he
said, adding:
Undoubtedly at times such indie
pendent negotiations resulted in di-
rect conflict with my recommends
tions."
Admiral Sims told the committee
the first intimation he had that he
was not in the full confidence Of the
department came soon after he sub
mitted his first reports from London.
He learned then by accident he said,
that an agreement had been reached
nv tho
and French naval officials in Wash
ington, early in April. regarding the
disposition Of American naval forces.
The terms of this agreement were
cahled to Admiral Jellicoe by the Brit
ish representative on April 13, 1917,
he declared.
Cites Many Instances.
The officer also charged that with
out notifying him beforehand, the de-
partment arranged with the French
naval attacho to send two or mere
yachts to combat submarines off the
French coast; arranged to establish
two naval bases in France; sent naval
aviation forces to that country, dis
patched six destroyers from Boston;
sent 100 cannon to France on naval
golfers; started a campaign in the
newspapers for North Sea mine bar
tage; dispatched the Fifth destroyer
squadron from st. Johns to Queens
own and sent four additional rcstroy-
ers from New York to join his forces.
Some of these vessels, he said, ar
rived overseas before he knew of
their ALLEGATION to his command In
most cases, he said, he received be
lated information from French and
British sources. but seldom in time to
H..
ments for receiving the ships.
Situation Not Remedied.
The admiral declared that while he
protested continually against the de-
partments failure to keep him in
formed, the situation was not rene
died.
That great confusion existed with
regard to the establishment Of the |
bases in France, and that the depart |
ment itself did not know what it
wanted, was demonstrated, the ad- |
miral said, by letter he received !
early in August from the officer as
signed to command the Bordeaux base |
This officer, he said. wrote that
"the situation in France is not clear
to me-" and that when he had asked |
upon being ordered to the command |
of the base what his duties were, he |
had been unable to obtain any infor-
nation.
Answer Was Negative.
Il asked the same question and got |
The same answer from all the other
heads in the navy department. the |
officer said. after waiting about four |
weeks l received orders to proceed |
with a party of eight persons but still |
no instructions"
A similar condition existed with re-
gard to American Naval aviation |
forces sent abroad, Admiral Sims said
Admiral Sims testimony was inter
rupted so that Herbert Hoover might
testify at the admirafs request. Mr..
Hoover refused to comment on Amer
ican naval policies, although question
ed along that line several times by
Chairman Hale.
Emphasized Food importance.
He confined himself entirely to dis
Cussi0g the Importance of maintaining
an unbroken food supply for the allied
army and of preserving merchant
shipping.
A feeling of the utmost anxiety"
as to the situation and the final out
come of the war prevailed in France,
Italy and Great Britain in April, 1917.
because of the great shortage of food
supplies. Mr.. Hoover said.
At that time. he stated, France and
Italy had bread stuffs sufficient for
only three or four weeks, and the
German submarine campaign was
making heavy inroads Oh supplies en-
route from the United States
He added that the greatest contrib
ution the United States could make
was a vigorous cooperation with the
allies against the U-boat campaign.