Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-05-10

would be willing to let the case rest.
The judgment and ability of the elev-
en- other members of the general board
had been brought under public criti-
cism by one of their own number,
however, he said. and these officers,
respecting naval tradition that naval
officers should never enter into pub
lie disputes among themselves regard
ing purely military matters, looked to
the civilian secretary to defend them.
There were twelve of these high
ranking officers charged with great
responsibility" said Secretary Daniels
"You have heard eleven. One is the
author of these criticisms. The twelfth!
Admiral Gleaves, in dharge OF the
to France, Is commander in chief of
the Asiatic feet. and do not feel
justified in ordering him from his dtS-
taut station to testify. The ten who
hntn testified, besides, the s.,tha s,tsssef.
:. are ably and fii slN Ne 4
ntsd hs correctness q tssss s 8, ofatis M
In On osnasidering the criticisns Of one
of the eleven officers referred to I
thinksit surprising and gratifying that
the ver1ict Of these officers is ten to
ono as To the correctness of what we
did. y44%
What l feel is needed from me is
not adefsnse, but a clear and brief re-
sumo OF what has already been testi7
understand that the defense has all
ready been ably and fully made by the
highest officers,iof the navy, together
with some statement OF what the navy
actually did during the war. You have
heard long statements of what it did
not do. The country's pride will be
heightened by the facts Of some Of the
great things 1t did do"
The portion of Admiral Sims cele-
hrated letter that shocked the public
more than any other. Mr.. Daniels said,
was the statement that he had been
told at the navy department mot to
let the British pull the wool over your
eyes. We would as soon fight them as
the Germans" 'Es&
A Shocking Letter.
II must confess that it shocked me" "
declared the secretary, "for in all my
years of association with officers of
the navy this was the first time I had
ever known one to make any conf1den-
tial conversation with a superior Off
Ger. 1 did not believe it was possible
for an officer Of our navy to do such
| thing. The people could not under
stand how any patriotic American who
put the good of, his country frs.
could possibly spread broadcast q
statement which reflected upon his
! own government and might tend to
! friendly power" 4
! Secretary Daniels assafled the man
/ ner in which the Sims letter was made
I public. declaring that Admiral Sims
read it during the investigation OF
naval awards although it had nothing
to do with the subject under consid.
| Grafton. &@'stf 'stf; -.
| f.aI 81 tg 81. Gate rA,I,i,rs - x. ;-5 .sss s.
1 'He could not have chosen more
ner Of securing publicity" said Mr..
4 Daniels 81
IF, asShe said, he had written it
only for naval officers, nothing would
have been easier than for him to
4 have told Chairman Hale that he
4 had written a. letter ITO Secretary
I Daniels bearing on g. totally different
public which would be a violation Of
naval regulations and traditions and
to have begged to be excused from
! reading It. But he had 1t in his
! pocket. evidently awaiting the oppor-
tunity which the hearing afforded
him to give hts charges the widest
/ possible publicity
Had anyone in authority In the
naval department entertained pref
udices against Great Britain, Secretary
i Daniels said, ADMIRAL Sims would not
have been sent to London, for Sims
PRO British idiosyn were
we'll known. ~ ;a ~ si5I q h 81 3
In justice TO the United statea
navy, which has been charged with
failure to-. act. with more expedition
in the first few months Of the war.
it will be necessary to contrast the
bold and, audaciops policies I'VE pre-
a;sented and urged, with the delay in
some of these great projects caused
n by Admiral Sims opposition and
A lack OF faith in the practicability Of
some OF them by the British admir-
atty" declared Secretary Daniels.
i Ii Admiral Sims regarded n as an
y u explicit admonition' y as he said in
1 his letter OF January q. the dom
4 let the British pull Il he wool over
i your eyes, caution, +, Secretary Dan
A liiefs declared he convicted himself Of
4 violating three sect ions OF naval reg.
Il tulations by making II public.
4 M Later, ii said the secretary "a Id
4 miral Sims, seeking 70 akoid the ser.
q ious. .sconseduencessss nj Rhich violating
A 0nf1dence and naval custom 81 and
i jreEulattoRs Wouid ID invite the { Ian.
& EuAse Ne sattrib buted to a dmirsI Ben
tcontlnued on page u, j 8: