Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-03-19
SIMS ARRANGEMENT OF
NAVY NEARING CLOSE
ssThirtccn Specific Counts OF His
sss Indictment Before Senate
E Committee.
ny AssociatcdPcass.l

WASHING TON. March 1S.-Resronst-
b.iity for conditions which prompted
Rear-Adm!rai Sims to indict the Navy
Departments conduct of the war can
be determined only on ful investiga-
ton OF his charges the officer declared
today before the Senate Invest eating
Coinmiitee, concluding his direct tes'i-
mon?.
well founder recommendations as 20
remedies 80 make. until further IN
vostisa.ipn disclosed whether the or
rors and mistakes he has charged
inefficient personnel, =. he added. he
would not attempt TO formulate re-
medal proposals.
CrcS-eNanIination OF Admiral Sims
was postponed until Monday on re-
quest OF Senators Pittman and Train
meiiy Democratic members. CT the com
mittcr Senator Pittman. is Il mem
Der OF the Foreign Relations Commit
tee and has not been able to attend
many OF the, sessions OF the invcstiSat.
t2g committee d"r ii :Aamirai Sin rs,
had requested The postponement ina
he might have time 10 read Admirai
Sims testimony preparatory TO
cross examination OF the officer
Pa.p1ca Ont Violations.
"rc point Out violations of Well
known and generally accepted princi-
piles OF wsrfarc such as have heen
shown by my testimony is in itself 10
suggest the remedy. which is obviously
TO avoid such violations IN the iuture'
said Admiral Sims in closing his state
rncn;. previously he had summarized
in thirteen specific counts the charges
he made against the Navy Department
and emphasized strongly MS reiterated
assertion that ne did not desire that
any of his testimony be understood as
charging responsibility for the condi-
tious he criticized to any Individual:
The investigation had not proceeded
far enough, he said and his own
knowledge OF conditions in the depart
meut during the war was too limited to
warrant any such accusations be de-
ciared.
Iannine to Testify.
Captain Horace tanning. now com
inander OF the destroyer force or the
Atlantic Fleet and assistant chief OF
naval operations and acting chici or
the Bureau OF Navigation during the
war. has been called hy the commit
ice to testify following the cross
examination Of Admiral Sims. 1t was
expected he would take the stand next
Wednesday,
That. in spite of the fact that war
bad been going on for nearly three
years. and our entry into It had been
Imminent AT least from February ..
1917. tho vessels OF the navy were not
ready for war service when the United
states entered.
America entered the war were en-
irc,nely critical ones for the whole al
lied cause due to the success OF enemy
nrrn-tmrrt Was warned.
THAT this critical situation was
made clear TO the Navy Department
fcw days after America entered the
wa'. and repeatedly thnrsatter by
pendcnt advices 10 the government
from the American ambassador in
'''I'hat the Navy Department sup
piled me with NO plans %: policy
cuvrrin. our participa.ion in the war
for three mouths after our entry
"1'hnt, having Information rs to the
critical situation OF lhc allies. thc
SIS, Them. ana thereby PROLONGED the
War Ivy delaying the sending Of anti
submarine vessels. none reaching Flu
rope for nearly month after war
mouths ciapsinG before thirty veFseis
arrived.
10 appreciate the military value nf
Violated Principles.
THAT the NavY Department violated
tempting to formulate war plans Of
operation withou, having Sufficient
hr"wledgo of the whole situation,
"Tha, the departments rcprescnta-
f.N" with the allied admiraltics was
iro' supported durin" the mos, criti-
cal months OF the war. either BY ade-
that could have been supplied.
''rhat TIA. Navy Department violated
fundamental military prncinles in
Dispensing forces away from the cri.i-
cal area In order 10 meet diversions
81 tho enemy.
Made Huge Binndcr.
Tim, thc Navy Department, in the
first months ~ the war. attempted the
direction Of details. although 1900
miles dis;an' from the scene of active
operations. where The situation was
changing from day 10 day.
That II" Navy p"par'mcnt:. in not
tativc in Europe. tailed 10 follow
sound principles, common alike 10 the
business and military professions.
THAT The Navy Department. by
controlling tho operations aud move
nen;s of certain forces within the war
arca, violated The funda mental MILL
tarv princinl" Of unity or command
THAT The Navy pena-tmcnt failed
10 keen its representative abroad com
pl"teiY Informed a. 20 It's plans affect
inr dispatch and disposition Of forces
IN the war zcn" and frequently
reached decisions IN such matters
through Information gained from
sources other than its representative
"a tho war zone"