New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-24
Bliss Denies
Story Told by
Sims to Senate
Orders Called for Separate
Army of Americans, He
Says; No Amalgamation
Was Sought With Allies

WASHINGTON, March 23.-The con-
troversy started by Rear Admiral
sims's criticism of the Navy Depart
ment's conduct of its war activities was
broadened tonight by the entry of the
War Department to deny some of the
admiraPs statements regarding the land
forces.
General Tasker n. Bliss, American
representative in the Supreme War
Council, not only denied categorically
that he had recommended the brigad-
ing of United States troops with for
eign armies, as testified by Admiral
Sims, but declared "the truth is exactly
the reverse
General Bliss made his denial in a
letter to Secretary Baker, who trans
mltted it, together with a copy of the
original order assigning General Per-
shing to command the forces over
seas, to Secretary Daniels, and he in
turn sent both on to Chairman Hale, of
the Senate Naval subcommittee, at the
same time making all the correspond
ence public.
Meetings With Sims
"Not only at no time did l make any
recommendation for the brigading of
American troops with the British
army" General Bliss said. "but the
truth is exactly the reverse. The only
times that I ever came in contact with
Admiral Sims in Europe were while I
was in London with the American mis-
sion the so-called House mission], be-
tween the 9th and 22d of November
1917. During that entire time the idea
of brigading Or amalgamating Ameri-
can troops with foreign armies had
not as far as l know, entered the head
of any one, nor did ever make such a
suggestion, much less a recommended
tion."
General Bliss said he told the ST.
preme War Council that such thing
as permanent amalgamation of Ameri-
can units with the British or French
sentiment" which led the presiding Off
GER, M. Clemenceau, to declare that
"this point was settled" and nothing
was heard thereafter on the subject.
In General Pershing's original orders
as commander of the American
Expeditionary Forces it was specifically
provided that American troops were to
operate as individual units.
Rear Admiral Sims's statement con-
corning General Blss's alleged recon-
mendation was made Monday in discus
tive manner in which the United States
forces abroad could have aided the
Allied cause. Senator Pittman, Demo-
orat, Nevada, read from an unsigned
letter found in Admiral Sims's file
urging that American troops passing
through Great Britain be brigaded
with the British forces. He called the
document British propaganda" and
said it was part of an organized effort
to prevent the formation of separate
American army. Admiral Sims replied
ter he objected to having it called
propaganda and said it was pretty
good military reasoning" and what
Bliss recommended"
General Bliss said that all British
military and political men, during his
visit to London with the House mis-
sion, urged the sending of complete
American divisions, for the purpose of
having IN Europe an American national
army. He said he informed them that
this country hoped to have in France
1918, and was told that that effort
must be doubled, French military men
later making the same demand.
"The idea of 'brigading' complete di-
visions with other groups is an ab-
surdity," General Bliss wrote. Dur
ing the battle our divisions were at
times used to meet an emergency in
connection with either British or
French divisions, but, in the same way,
French divisions we're used with our
troops. At no time during the Ameri-
can missions visit to Europe did 1
hear even the suggestion that our
troops should be brigadcd, either in
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