Albuquerque morning journal., 1920-01-18
tBy Morning journal Special Leased wire)

(By Morning journal
washington, Jan. 17,-fnvestigation
by senate subcommittee of awards
by naval war decorations took a new
angle today when Rear Admiral VIII
liam S. Sims, the only witness heard
so far, laid before the committee a
long letter entitled Certain naval
lessons OF the great war; written by
him to Secretary Daniels, arraigning
many aspects of the navy departments
conduct of the war.
Lack of fun cooperation with the
commander of American naval forces
overseas, the post filled hY Admiral
Sims throughout the war. was the
general criticism made. but the letter
contained also statement that Just
before he left for London, Admiral
Sims was told mot to let the British
pull the wool over your eyes," and
that the United States would as soon
fight the British as the Germans.
Who issued these orders was not
brought cut during the hearing. but
Admiral Sims said afterwards the
statement had been made TO him by
"a high official"
Will Widen Investigation.
Introduction of the letter prompted
Chairman Hale. republican, Maine, TO
announce that he would ask the full
naval committee Monday TO authorize
his subcommittee to make a wider in
quiry or TO appoint another subcom-
mittee to investigate the conduct of
the war by the navy department.
In a statement relative to Admiral
Sims letter. Secretary Daniels said he
had referred 1t to the general board
with directions to give consideration
to il and to all other communications
directed TO the department concern
ing the lessons of the war"
The letter declares it important as
guide in future wars that "a Just
estimate be made of the errors OF
policy. tactics, strategy and admlnis-
tration that were committed by our
navy" and adds that it is for that
purpose that "the most serious Of
these errors" are summarized. Then
follows the recital of the officer as
signed to London, ION barely forty
seisgfl hours noLice, i'll March, i9lE
and this statement regarding his in
structions:
Brief orders were delivered to me
verbally in Washington, No formal
instructions or statement of the navy
departments plan or policy were re-
ceiyed at that time. though | received
the following explicit admonition:
Anti-British Instructions.
Don't let the British pull the wool
over your eyes. 1t is none of our
business pulling their chestnuts out
of the fire. We would as soon fight
the British as the Germans.
The letter contained more than
1000 words and was written January
Z. Admiral Sims read it today at the
request of Chairman Hale. 1t review
ed Admiral Sims experiences and said
that at the time he left for Europe
he had no idea that he was to COM
mand American naval forces abroad
in event of war, then impending.
AS soon as he arrived in Londor,
the letter said, Admiral Sims realized
that the navy department did not
comprehend the seriousness of the
submarine menace. due to the insEf-
ficient scope of the American intel
ligence service.
"A review of the cables sent to the
navy department in April. 1917" the
letter said, SHOWS that the situation
WAS very StIlOuS anu liidt LhO ChCihJ
was rapidly winning the war by the
destruction of merchant shipping.
Throughout the following year nu-
merous cables and letters of the most
urgent possible character were sent
with the object of impressing on the
department the vital necessity of our
maximum effort being exerted In Eu-
ropean waters with the least possible
delay, but without producing the de-
sired result"
The navy department was repeatedly
told. the letter said, that it was u
matter of simple arithmetical calcula-
ton to determine that the allies must
lose the war if the rate of ship loss
continued
Six Months of Delay.
"For some reason, which has never
been explained" Admiral Sims wrote,
"the navy department during at least
the first six months of the war, failed
to put into actual practice a whole
hearted policy of cooperation with
the allies-a policy required for win
ming the war with the least possible
delay"
The letter charged that not until
July, 1917, did the navy department
outline a policy of naval cooperation
with the allies.
"As usual in such cases" 1t con-
tinued, "the policy was academically
sound, but that ii was not carried out
or was not understood by the depart
ment is shown by the fact that for
ten months after its receipt l was
urgently recommending an increase of
forces-still trying to convince the
department that the war was in the
east Atlantic. that the United States
naval front was off the European
coast and not off the United States
coast"
Request Refused.
Admiral Sims letter declared that
he was much embarrassed in his rela-
tions with other allied commanders
by reason of the fact that, although,
after an allied naval conference, 1t
was recommended on July 81, 1917.
that four coal burning American bat
tleships be sent to guard the English
channel against German cruiser raids.
there was long delay before the re-
quest was even acknowledged and
finally it was refused. In the follow
ing November the letter said, the
chief of naval operations arrived in
Europe with Colonel Houses mission
and Immediately thereafter cabled In
structions to send the battleships
Two to six months could have been
saved, Admiral Sims declared, II he
could have appeared in person daily IN
Washington. as little attention was
paid to his cabled recommendations
"The recommendations of the navy
departments representative based up
on conferences with the allied COM