Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-01-23
SENATE IS URGED
To REBUKE SIMS
Resolution Hits the Admiral for
Breach of Confidence.
LODGE BUSHES TO DEFENSE
Senator Borah of Idaho Approves
Warning Given to Commander
Says Senate is Making Noun
tain Out OF Mole Hill.


Washington, Jan. pa resolution
declaring that the action of Rear Adj
miral Sims in making public official
instructions of the most confidential
character" affecting international re-
latiOns deserved the condemnation Of
all Americans, was introduced in the
senate by Senator Walsh (Dem.), Mon
tana, member of the naval commit
tee
Senator Walsh's request for mmedi-
ate consideration was denied on OBJ
lection by Senator Lodge.
The resolution quoted from the let
ter read by Admiral Sims last Satur-
day before the senate committee in
vestigating naval decorations, in which
the admiral said hat before he left
the UniteS States for Europe in
March, 1917 he was told by a high
naval Official not TO "1et the British
pull the wool over your eyes; 1t is
none of our business pulling their
chestnuts out of the fine; we would
as soon fight the British as the Ger
MANS"
Declares Disclosure Reprehensible.
Admiral Sims must have and did
consider these instructions, if they
ever were given, to be of the most
highly confidential character" the res
Olution said, adding that his action in
making them public deserved univer-
sal and unqualified disapproval
Il cannot but believe that whether
the admoniti0n was or was not given
to Admiral Sims the disclosure under
almost any circumstances must re-
ceive the disapproval of every Ameri-
can" said Senator Walsh.
Senator Mccormick (Rap.) Illinois,
declared the resolution affected mat
ter that was to be later investigated
by a subcommittee and Senator Lodge
objected to consideration of the reso-
luton or the ground that it contained
grave charges against one of the most
prominent officers of the American
navy, without giving him an oppor-
tunity to defend himself
6orah Approves Warning.
Replying to an inquiry by Senator
Borah Rep), Idaho, whether Admiral
Sims volunteered his letter, Chairman
Hale of the decorations subcommittee
said:
The admiral produced it because /
insisted am entirely willing to take
all responsibility"
Declaring that Admiral Sims could
not object If the committee ordered the
letters production, Senator Borah
said he thought the senate was max
ing mountain out of a mole hin In
this entire affair.""
The warning given to Admiral Sims
against letting the British pull the
wool" over his eyes was approved by
Senator Borah, who said the official
giving it should be commended
Il don't see anything to censure
either Secretary Daniels or the admir-
al" said Mr.. Borah. ut was a very
proper admonition, and regret that
the secretary has denied It."
Senator Walsh said the whole ques-
ton was over disclosure of confiden.
tial orders ny the admiral, and Sena-
tor Thomas (Dem), Colorado, said It
seemed to him that there was gross
violation of somebody's confidence"
Senator Phelan Dem), California,
inquired whether the committees in
vestigation proposed to consider cen
sure of Admiral Sims If he acted i'm
properly, and Senator Hale replied
that the whole field would he covered.
including general investigation of the
conduct of the war in connection with
naval matters.
General Barnett Opposes Sims.
Before the subcommittee investigat.
ing the award of naval decorations
Major General Barnett, commandant
OF the marine corps, took issue with
previous statements by Admiral Sims
10 the committee that the controversy
had arisen because Secretary Daniels
had not promulgated a well-defined
policy to govern awards.
There was mo need for pol,cv
promulgated by the secretary regard.
ing medal awards" he explained ha-
cause the law authorizing the decora.
tons was sufficiently explicit tc guide
commanding officers i'm SUBMITTING
their recommendations
His own recommendation as 10 ma.
rine officers who served in the limited
States We're not followed in the ma.
jority of cases, General Barnett as
serted, and he had expressed regret ia
Mr.. Daniels, who told him that the
line had to be drawn somewhere if tbe
value Of the medals was not to be do.
preciated"