The New York herald., 1920-01-22
Sims CHARGES
ROUSE SENATE
Bitter Clash Follows Walsh's
Effort to CenSure Admiral
for Revelations.
LODGE BLOCKS ACTION
"Give Him Rope Enough" Says
Daniels, Replying to Sailors
Address Here.
ESPECIAL DESPATCH 70 THE HERALD.

ESPECIAL DESPATCH 70 THE HERALD
WASHINGTON, D. c., Wednesday,
Rallying to the administration defence In
the controversy over the navy's conduct In
the war. Democratic Senators today lined
up in support of resolution offered by
Senator Walsh. of Montana. to condemn
Rear Admiral Sims for his attack on the
Navy Department.
The introduction of the resolution pre-.
cipitated a bitter clash on the floor of the
Senate, as the Republicans immediately
sprang to the aid of Rear Admiral Sims.
Senator Lodge and Senator Mccormick
Republican. of Illinois, joined in defeating
never heard of the Senate censuring a mar
before hearing the evidence.
The Walsh resolution quotes that portion
of Rear Admiral Sims letter in which he
revealed that his parting instructions from
the Navy Department when he went to
Europe in March, 1917. were that. 1--WE
would as soon fight the British as the
Germans"
BIames Sims for Revelations.
The resolution then continues as fol-
lows:--"yVhereas 1t is apparent that II
such admonition was given to the said
Admiral Sims at the same time and under
the circumstances detailed, it was and
must have been understood by him tc
have been highly confidential; now, there
fore. be 1t
Resolved. that it is hereby declared &c
be the sense of the Senate that the dis.
closure OF the alleged admoniticn by the
said Admiral Sims--constitutins. IL given, a
part OF the secret instructions of an officer
Of the United States Navy on the eve ol
his departure on a mission of the highest
Importance and most extreme delicacy-
merits universal and unqualified reproba'
tion."
Senator Hale, chairman OF the fnvesu'
eating subcommittee, declared that Rear
Admiral Sims had no choice in the matter
and had been required by the committee
TO make the letter public.
If there is any uncertainty about the
responsibility for making the letter pub
lie said Mr.. Hale, II will assume it my
SELF
Senator Borah said the Senate was max
irg,a mountain out of mole hiil, ana
that the parting admonitions to Rear Ad'
r,iral Sims were entirely proper, no mat
ter who issued them. He thought the per
son who gave the instructions deserved
commentator instead of censure.
'I hope the committee will give Admiral
Sims rope enough to hang himself" inter
rupteS Senator Thomas, Democrat. Of Col
OF ado. He added that the naval officer
should be required to disclose the identity
of the official who gave him the instruc-
tions.
III seems to me-" said Mr.. Hale, that
il is high time we should know whether a
week before this country declared war ouI
Navy department was still in the state OF
unind tndicated by the declaration that
we would as soon fight the British as the
Germans"
HsIe's Move Defeated.
When Senator Hale tried to get the Sen.
ate TO authorize the committee to employ
counsel to aid in the investigation, the
Democrats blocked action. Senator H.tch-
cock said the Republicans had already
started sixty-one Investigations and
charged that they were providing too
many lucrative jobs for lawyer-politicians.
1T is impossible for a committee to per-
form a great task OF this sort" Senator
Hale declared, without being provided
with legal assistance"
Senator Lodge supported Senator Hale.
Daniels Replies "a Sims.
Rear Admiral Sims illusions to the
naval administration in his New York
address last night brought forth a retort
in kind today by the Secretary of the Navy.
''rhere are two ways of disposirg of an
officer who thinks he knows IL ALL" gaid
the Secretary. Either put a halter or
rim or give him enough rope to hang HIM
self. ] think there ia a happy medium
between these two remedies. and some day
I am going to try to find it. have not
observed that Admiral Sims has been
under any restriction. however. in criti-
cisng Or trying to improve conditions in
the navy.
II believe" added the Secretary, COM
menting on the naval awards controversy,
that the d. S. NJ. should stand for Deep
Sea Medal and not for Desk Service
Medals"
Allucing 10 Rear Admiral Sims observa-
ticn that naval officers who received deco
rations might he asked by their grand
children what ships they had lost, Mr..
Daniels said THE same question might
have been put TO Commodore Perry and
other distinguished naval commanders"