The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-03-10
SENSATIONAL
CHARGE TO SEN
ATE COMMITTEE
He Declared That the Navy
Department Didn't Car
ry Out His Recommen-
datiOns for Six Months
Other Suggestions by
Him Were Entirely Ig-
nOred.

ure of the navy department to fully
cooperate in the war during the first
six months after Americas entry cost
half million lives, fifteen billions OF
dollars, 100000 tons of shipping and
prevented a victory over Germany by
July, 1918, Rear Admiral Sims told the
Senate investigating committee to-day
in presenting documentary evidence in
support of his charges of delay against
the department.
The officer read to the committee rec
concentrations he had made to the de-
partment Immediately upon his arrival
in London in 1917 A cablegram, sent
late in April, 1917, said the critical
area where the war would be won or
lost was in the eastern Atlantic at the
focus of all lines of ocean communica-
tion to England and France. Admiral
Sims told the committee that although
he repeatedly urged that every de-
stroyer and small craft that could be
sent to sea be dispa atched Immediately
to this area his recommendation was
not complied with until about six
months later.
He also recommended, he said, that
two divisions of American dread
noughts be sent to base on Brest to
guard against raids in the English
channel by German cruiser fo.ces, but
this recommendation was entirely dis
regarded.
Failure of, the department to throw
the full force of the navy into the
struggle, he said, resulted in the "un-
necessary loss of 100000 tons of ship
ping by submarine attack in 1917 and
100000 tons in 1918.
''If the tonnage lost in 1917 had been
saved by the prompt cooperation of
the navy" he said America could have
had million men in France at the be-
ginning of 1918 instead OF 100000"
Admiral Sims said the German often
sive Of 1918 was due to the failure of
the German submarine campaign and
that in all probability it never would
have been undertaken and the morale
of the German people would have brok-
en- If the American troops had been
more promptly dispatched TO France
lie estimated on the basis of what hap
pened when the American forces did ar.
rive that victory could have been
achieved by July, 1918, if the tonnage
had been preserved.
The navy departments first real de-
cision as to participation in the war,
Admiral Sims said. was contained in a
cabegram to him % days after Ameri,
ca entered the struggle. The message
said the department intended to send /
30 destroyers, one tender and a mother |
ship to the British Isles and asked for /
minute information regarding the pos
sibility OF obtaining necessary supplies |
at Berehaven, the probable base.
"All of these plans should have been /
worked ont long before we entered the
war, said Admiral Sims. "and should |
have been placed in effect, in sub.
stance at least, the day we entered the
war
Admiral Sims said that when he
found that his own efforts TO Impress
upon the navy department the seri-
BUSINESS of the situation were unayail- /
ing. he invoked the aid of the late
Ambassador Page at London, who on
April %. 1917, sent a confidential ca
begTsm to Secretary Lansing and Pres
ident Wilson. declaring that there is /
reason for the greatest alarm about
the issue of the war. caused by the in
creasing. success of German subma.
Tines."
Declaring that British anti-subm-
rine forces were entirely unable 10
stem the rising tide Of sinkings, the
ambassador urged the immediate as
signment OF every available United
States destroyer and submarine chaser
20 British waters.
Even this request was unheeded, for
some months, Admiral Sims said.
The witness read a message to the
department in 1917, saying the British
government appreciated" what the
United States was doing to keep down
submarines.
Incidentally he added. atha. Is
case Of international politeness. They
we're thanking US for sending six de-
stroyers'
Admiral Sims insisted that he had
been badly handicapped BY failure Of
the department TO keep him informed
Of its plans. he read excerpts from his
messages. urging adoption q the con /
vov system and said: II
Il wiIl show that great Losses we're
sustained due to the resistance of the
7 uited States 20 taking up the convoy
system. j,
He then resd q department message 7