Evening star., 1920-01-14
4CR|T|CAL" LETTER
SENT Mr.. DANIELS
BY ADMIRAL SIMS
Not Read Yet, Says Secre-
tary-BagIey Asks Only
Award Given Others.

The controversy between Admiral
Sims and Secretary Daniels. which
had remained dormant for several
DAYS, flared UP today with renewed
vigor when Mr.. Daniels announced
that he had received a letter from
the former commander of the Amer
lean fleet in European waters whlch,
- it is understood, criticised the al
legged mistakes of the Navy Depart
ment.
At the same time. Mr.. Daniels ad-
mitted he had received cablegram
from his brother-in-law. Commander
David Worth Bagley. requesting that
his name be considered only for such
decoration as was conferred upon all
captains of destroyers serving in the
war zone.
Bagley. whose ship, the destroyer
Jacob Jones, was torpedoed ana sunk
mended by the Knight board of naval
awards for the Navy cross, but Sec
retary Daniels awarded his brother
in-law the distinguished service
medal along with the captains OF
other naval ships destroyed by enemy
submarines or mines. Mr.. Daniels at
that time said in effect that all COM
manders who saw actual service IN
the war zone should receive this high
distinction. despite the fact that they
had lost their vessels.
Commander Basley's CableEram.
Commander Bagley's cablegram to
the Navy Department reads as fol-
lows:
'I request that my name be given
consideration only for such decora-
tion as was awarded to all captains
of destroyers that served in the war
zone"
Commanders of such vessels were
awarded the navy cross by the Knight
board. Mr.. Daniels said today that
the message would be referred direct
1y to the knight board, now recon-
sidering the whole question of naval
awards. for such action as the board
might see fit.
Will Make Letter Public.
In reference to the latest letter of
Admiral Sims to Mr.. Daniels. the lat
ter said that as he had not read the
entire letter he did not care to COM
ment on it. He said he would make
public the letter. together with his
testifies Friday before the Senate
naval committee. which is investigat-
ing the question of naval awards.
The letter is entitled Some Thought
About Lessons of the World War;"
according to Mr.. Daniels. The open
critical. When he stopped reading, he
said, it was beginning to get critical.
IF he (Sims) has given it out as be-
ing critical, suppose the letter must
De CRITICAL. SAID MT. DdnlelS
Commander Bagley States Position.
Commander Bagley. who Is serving
as naval attache at The Hague. recent
ly cabled the Navy Department that
European newspapers had published
statements that Admiral Sims had
charged that he (Bagley) had received
his distinguished service medal be-
cause of favoritism of Secretary Dan
iels, and that the widespread publica-
tion of the report had made the con-
tinuation of the discharge of his duties
as naval attache extremely difficult
and embarrassing. He requested the
department to obtain a denial from
Admiral Sims and to make an effort
to gain widespread publicity for it.
In his letter to Secretary Daniels
declining to accept a distinguished
service medal awarded to him Admiral
Sims made no reference to any spe-
cific case of awards of Navy decora-
tions. but did express objection to the
awarding of distinguished service
medals to officers who lost their ships
while officers on his stan for whom
he had recommended the distinguished
service medal received lesser awards.