New Britain herald., 1920-03-11
TOOK AMERICA LONG
 ID REALIZE DANGER Sims Continues DenunCiati0n Of
 Navy Dept. Conduct THOUGHT OF HOME FIRST

That This Country Did Not Really
 Wake Up Until Late in 1918 When
 Situation Was Very Serious.
 Washington. March 11-Indica- lions that the navy department with held sending all available American naval craft to European waters early in the war because of a desire to keep the main body of the nations sea, strength intact for possible eventuali- ties were contained in Admiral Sims testimony today before the senate committee Investigating the naval conduct of the war. He read a cable gram from the navy department dat ed July 10, 1917, containing an out line of the departments policy and declaring that while a successful termination of the present war must always be the first Allied aim and Will probably result in diminished tension throughout the world, the future position Of the United States must in no way be jeopardized by any disintegration of our main fighting fleet"
 Keeping Fleet At Home.
 The same cablesram Admiral Sims said, contained this statement:
 The navy department announces as it's general plan Of action the fol- lowing:
 Its willingness to send it's minor hghtlng forces in any number not in compatible with home needs to any Held of action deemed advisab by the Allied admiralty council; it's un- Willingness as a matter of policy to separate any division from the main fleet for service abroad, although it is willing to send the entire battleship fleet abroad to act as united but cooperating unit when the emersen- cy is deemed to warrant it.''
 With regard to this message and statement of pohcy Admiral Sims said it was the first definite state ment of policy I had received, arriv- ing few days over three months aft CT we had declared war"
 The astounding features of this policy were. however, that while it stated our intention to cooperate to the fullest degree, still such CO., operation was conditioned first upon defense of our own wa ters and next upon the future posi- tiQn of the United States after this war was finished" said the admiral.
 T am wholly unable to conceive of Any war policy, particularly in a wor1d war of this nature, which was certAn to exhaust all of the partici- pantA with the possible exception of oursS lives, based upon Requirements of a4y possible future War
 I Awakening 1t Last.
 Amessage received from the navy deD4rtment dated July to the eff fea that several small vessels were being sent to augment his forces Gin dic4ted that they were at last begin nin$ to realize that there was a war heidg fought in European waters" declhred Admiral Sims.
 Oh July 30 Admiral Sims testified he sent the navy department q review of the discussions Of the Allied naval council in which he stated that "it was made apparent that closer CO., ordination of effort should be imme- diately established between the Unit ed States and the Allies" and reiter- ated his previous requests for more small craft with which to fight sub- marines.
 Even as late as January, 1918. he was still calling for more destroyers. Admiral Sims said. and by that time he declared, his predictions that the Allies would lose the war unless the United States gave more complete naval cooperation were being justi- fled by results and the navy depart ment was beginning to carry out his recommendations of six and eight months before.
 Urges Speeding Up.
 On April g, August o4 and Sen tember 19, 1918. Admiral Sims said he wrote the department expressing his disappointment at the apparent non-success of the destroyer building program in the United States and urging the necessity Of "speeding up production of anti-submarine craft and sending every available small vessel to the war zone even al the expense of the protection of the coasts of the United States
 "I am only introducing testimony so far along in 1918 at this time to bring out the accumulated wrong of having not thrown our full weight in to the war at the beginning" the ad- miral said.
 .'The situation was so serious and the consequences of failure so terri ble that l. went beyond the channels which the navy afforded me and en- listed the services of such men as Am bassador Fage.'
 Distance Too Great.
 inf in hi oi0&