Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-21
MAYO ON THE STAND
DIFFERS WITH SIMS
ON HONOR AWARDS
Before Naval Affairs Senators he
Displays Little Interest in
Daniels Critic.
GOES SHY OF WRANGLE

YESTERDAY manifested by Rear admiral
Horny l. Mayo, Commander In ChIct
of the entire American Fleet during the
war. when he appeared before the Senate
Naval Affairs Sub-C Committee investlght-
ing the award of medals
He displayed only a lukewarn interest
in the position assumed by Admiral Sims
Reluctance was shown by HIM to
become cnbroiled in the dispute be
tween the Secretary and Sims. and
throughout his testimony hS answers
10 questions were carefully guarded. II
seemed As If he was avoiding any ex-
preston of opinion of the larger issue
raised by the Sims letter.
Those who listened to Admiral MayoS
testimony gathered the impression, al
though ne did not so state, that he was
rather indifferent to the medal contro-
yersy.
-Ndmiral Mayo told the committee
that he wrote a letter 10 Secretary
Daniels on December % crItlClSIng the
changes IN recommendations for naval
awards made by the Knight Board
and Secretary Daniels, but he was care
ful To add that ne had no complaint
because he was not consulted IN the
revisions Of his own recommendations
Such a course. he SAID, while desirable
theoretically. was not practical, In
company with Admiral Sims, and from
there on was non-commIttal N his
answers.
Tho ease of Commander Bagloy,
brcther-in-Iaw- of Secretary Daulcls, was
the subject of considerable questioning,
although Baglevs namc waa not men
toned admiral Mayo did not commit
hlrnsclf as 10 the proprietv Of the board
awarding n : VI to this officer who
lost hls dest strover The ADMIRAL did
state that A. a general ruie, commanders
should not DC rev arded when they lost
their ships. but added that no hard
and fast rule could he l:4ld down
II did write the Secretary 81 the Navy
December - regarding award I'd dcrora-
tions sdurral Mayo began. but lid
nor consider il !. letter of protest The
latter VS. prompted +, tho feolinc that
there sppeared 10, ,,Xi>f ,a"k Of 4pprcca-
tion uf importance of staff dIty in war
time Such 4 view would discourage
bright mon from accepting sttif service,
although ,yt need our bcst men ior thl-
Vorl
Too oftcn :hc dca prevails that ihe
staff of = commanding officer II purcll
ornamental and does NOT do any hing
except esrorf thc old man wh,n f'c goc~ o}It
to look preitl II WOULD r., vrrN untortu-
IL. inInImi1ed Every staff man docs he
most valuable and necessary work and
this fact should always 1t borne IN mind
IN making rewards
Admiral Mavo stated that out III about
a dozen officers of his own staff who were
recommended for the NAVY Gross, only
one Capt O. =. jackson, bis Chief Of Staff
was 50 honorcd
II YOU had been required u choose
only one man OF your staff for recognition
would have you chosen this man, Char
man Hale inquired
Yes, indeed replied the Admiral
Don you think the commanding
officer i the proper ono TO make recon-
rncrdaticnS and should not any proposed
changed in awards he referred back 10
him for approval?" Mr. Hale asked
The commanding Officer i Of course /
the best Judge a. 10 he work oi his men
admiral Mayo replied But Il is not .
practicable for the board or III navy 70
consult with Il commander who made the
recommendations
When questions turned on cases Of +
various officers who have figured n the +
medal controversy admiral MAYO sought +
to disguise the matter
Life Is too short 10 go back and discuss /
individual cases hc said
vho loses his ship without infiicting dam
age on the enemy should be rewarded "
Senator PIttman Dem Nev said re-
ferring 70 the testimony of Admiral Sim
But don I YOU agree that there II a dis
tinctiou between the loss Of s ship from 4
surface enemy and that from 3 submarine
ar mine " Guild not enforcement Of that
rule lead officers 70 avoid danger instead
II trying u run Gown $ submarine
You are quite right about i Ad-
niral Mayo replied The ordinary
practice L 10 cuUrT-uztrllaI a Tnsh who
loses his ship whether il is hI- fault 0r
not 80 that they may have sn opportunitv
10 prove. that he was DoI ~ fault i that IS
the case The British navy makes IT a
rule that officer VINO lose fheir thlu~
no matter under what circumstances
shall not b. gwen command nf another
ship and for he sake ol morale II l. good
thing aithourh y MAY y orE IN Justice -
the individual
a young officer commanding q de-
Str0ver ought not be 1uad 10 feei fhai
IL will be n danger of never getting
another command if he t4ke4 fi-t and
loa.,e has ship N an encounter bur on ht
other hand i nc lose h. -hip he should
not be entitled u the Distinguished Ser
vice Medal
II NnuIU bf very D6FfflGf. i}t cDHTrg
u give the D. II ta men ulo lose The :.
ship but here are eases where be officer
conduct shows credit and a4cil ta,es
should be judged BY themselves ana not
by q general rule
Tins Wa - far a Admiral Mayo would
conmI himself on the principle involved
IN the Bagles ca>e. C4pt II H Christy.
who commanded the SaH Diego. sunk by a
mine Of New \ ork Harbor was given The
d. : NJ mot because he lost his ship
but because Of his conduct during the dis
aster and his record as commander Of The
Wyoming afterWard Admiral Mayo said
Secretary Daniels did not SAY ho olld
recommend that Capt Jackson bc gwen
the d. ;. NJ, but gave the impression ID
g otild DO 50 The Knight board recon
mended ID ; NJ
II desire once NOR II cmphasize
tic iact that the list u awards Ii publish
-d wa4 not final. til -ald II wa. .ui-
ject to change even before referred thc
3ntlre matter back d the Knight board
Il is not TOO late to make. change if tlle
list, either to giye yHIcrI- ami men 4
higher Ward or To add others ta thc li-t.
ADMITS HIS WIFE Is BOSS.