Evening star., 1920-01-20
MAYO AS CHAMPION
OF MEN Who SERVE
At SEALS WITNESS
Fleets Commander r-in-Chief
Dramatically Opposed to
Sims on Awards.
DECLARES HIS LETTER
WAS NOT A PROTEST
Admiral Sims Supposed to Be"
Under His Command, He Tells
Committee.

Rear Admiral Henry T. Mayo. COM
mander-in-chief of the United States
fleet during the war. told the Senate
committee investigating naval awards
today that his letter to Secretary Dam
iels on December %. declaring that the
knight board did not give sufficient
consideration to service at sea, particu-
larly to the duties and responsibilities
of members of the staff of the commar-
der-in-chief of the fleet, was not to be
considered in any sense one of protest.
He read the letter at the request Of
Chairman Hale. H
Admiral Mayo took a view diametri-
cally opposed to that expressed by Rear
Admiral Sims, who told the subcom-
mittee that the knight board, in grant,
Ting awards, gave too little considera-
ton to the records of officers who served
on shore. The Navy Department made
public Admiral Mayo's letter on the sub
ject some days ago.
The examination of Admiral Mayo
began under the ruling made yesterday
by the Senate naval committee that
the present investigation should be con-
fined entirely to the question of war
decoration awards. charges made by Ad-
miral Sims that the Navy Department
did not cooperate fully with the allies
during the war being deferred for sub
| seQuent investigation.
| Admiral Mayo said his letter was
written after practically all of his rec
concentrations had been changed or dis
| approved by the board or Secretary
Daniels.
Il made very few recommendations
for awards" he said. mostly in the
cases of members of my personal staff,
force commanders and commanders op-
Grating Independently In the case of
Capt. o. z. Jackson, my chief of staff,
L took very conservative view and
| recommended a Navy cross. In view Of
other commanders recommending their
chief aids for distinguished service
medals, the board increased my recon-
mendation to a distinguished service
medal. but Secretary Daniels reduced IL
to a Navy cross. Capt Jackson
! was the only member Of my staff. be-
lieve, who finally received any decora-
ton at all.''
Sims Under His Command.
| Tesifying that Admiral Sims was
supposed to be" under his command
during the war, Admiral Mayo said
that in order to facilitate matters
Admiral Sims did not report to him,
but directly to the Navy Department.
Lack of well defined policy for
the award of naval honors may have
had bearing on the decoration sit
uatfon, Admiral Mayo said, adding:.
Both the board and the Secretary
were acting within their rights and
prerogatives in changing recommen-
dations for awards"
But don't you believe, admiral.
that the board and the Secretary
should have consulted you before
| changing your recommendationsT'
asked Chairman Hale.
NO, L do not replied the admiral.
Il do not believe il would have been
practicable. 1t might have been de-
sirable, however"
Il do not say L was satisfied with
the result of the action of the board
and the Secretary" added Admiral
Mayo, but 1 do say that they had
the right to take such action as they
wished and to assume the responsi-
bility."
Approved FOcte Award.
Chairman Hale said there was no
record that Commander P. w. Foote.
now personal aide to Secretary Dam
iels, had been recommended by any
officer for a decoration, although the
Secretary awarded him a distin-
guished service medal. Admiral Mayo
replied that he had approved a rec
ommendation by Admiral Cleayes
commanding the cruiser and trans
port force. that Foote be awarded a
distinguished service medal
His letter to Secretary Daniels was
Q y
feeling that there had not been a SUI
ficient realization of the staff duty
Such an attitude, if continued, he said,
would cause officers to attempt to
sidestep staff duty. 80
There has been a popular idea. :
| he said, that the chief function of
the staff is to go along and look
pretty when the Old Man goes on a
call. That is not true. They are
hard working, efficient men,"
Cant TwininV Admiral Oh -
of staff received the ID. S. NJ, Admiral
Mayo said. Ordinarily an enlisted
man would not occupy a position OF
such responsibility that he would be
entitled to a ID. S. NJ. he said.
Officers Who Lost ships.
Turning to the status of officers
who lost their ships by submarine at
tack or mines, Senator Pitqnan asked
the admiral if he believed there
should be policy that officers who
| lost their ships should be honored.
Admiral Mayo replied that he did
not believe such policy would be a
good thing for the service, but said
that there were cases where the Of
ficer's conduct during and after the
sinking, as in the cases of Capt
Christy of the San Diego and Com
mander Foote of the President Lin
coin, would entitle him to high dis.
tinction. =
Under ordinary circumstances, he
said, an officer who lost his ship was
in all navies court -martialed
Admiral Mayo concluded his resti :
mony and the committee adjourned
until tomorrow morning. when Maj
Gen. Barnett, commandant of the
Marine Corps, will be called, and
probably one or more naval officers.
APPROVES DECORATIONS BILL