Evening star., 1920-03-11
NAVY DEPARTMENT
DBEy0NDB BIG
WAR, SIMS ASSERTS
Thought of Future Policy De-
Iayed Aid to Allies, He
Tells Senators.


American naval craft to European
waters early in the war because or Il
desire to keep the main body OF the
nations sea strength intact for pos
sible eventualities were contained
in Admiral Sims testimony today pc
fore the Senate committee inVesi-
eating the naval conduct of the war
He read a cablegram from the Navy
Department. dated July 10, 1917, con
tanning an outline of the department
policy and declaring that while
successful termination of the present
war must always be the first allied
aim. and probably will result in dimin-
ished tension throughout the WoIlu;
the future position of the uniteu
States must in no way be JeopardlZeo
by any disintegration of our man
fighting fleet.
Tells Of Plan Of Action.
The same cablegram. Admiral Sims
said contained this statement:
The Navy Department announces
as its general plan of action the FOL
lowing: Its willingness to send It's
minor fighting forces in any numoer
not incompatible with home needs 10
any field of action deemed adNisaoie
by the allied admiralty council: lts
UNIV illingness as a matter of polcy 10
separate any division from the main
fleet for service abroad. although IL
is willing to send the entire Dattie
ship fleet abroad to act as unlteu
but cooperating unit . ~nen -
emergency is deemed to warrant II.
With regard to this message ana
statement Of policy. Admiral Sims
said it was the first DEFINITE state
ment of policy l had received, arrlV-
ing few days over three months
after we had declared war: -. .,is
THE astounding features or TINS
nolicy were. however. that while II
stated our intention to cooperate TO
the fullest degree. Still! such CO
operation was conditioned nrst upon
an adequate defense OF our own
waters and next upon the future po-
sition of the United States after this
war was finished" said the admiral.
II am wholly unable to conceive OF
any war policy. particularly IN
world war of this nature. which was
certain to exhaust all of the partlci.
nants with the possible exception OF
ourselves. based upon the REQUIRE
ments of any possible future war
A message received from the navy
dated July 5, to the ei-
feet that several small vessels were
heinR sent to augment his forces IN
dicated that they were at last peglh-
ming to realize that there was war
being fought in European waters
declared Admiral Sims. ...-..-...,- .,-
Renews Ples for shiSs.
On July 80 Admiral Sims testified ne
sent the navy Depafenent review OF
c.,,inSii.' ~ % ii which he stated thatY'.it
wHs made apparent that closer co
ordination- effort should be imme.
diately established between the Unlteo
states and the allies" and reiterated
his previous requests Tor more n sma.i
craft with which to night submarines.
Even as late as January, 1918, ne
was still calling for more destroyers'
Admiral Sims said. and by tnat ume,
he declared. his predictions that the
allies would lose the war unless the
United States gave more compie.e
naval cooperation were being JUS
titled by results and the Navy Depart
ment was beginning to carry out his
of six and eight
months before.
On April %. August - and Septem-
Der 10. 1918. Admiral Sims SAID, ne
wrote the department expressing his
disappointment at the apparent nom
success of the destroyer-building pro-
gram in the United States and urging
the necessity of speeding produc,
ton of anti-submarine craft and
sending every available small vessel
to the war zone even at the expense
Of the protection of the coasts of the
United States.
II am only introducing testimony
so far along in 1913 at this time to
bring out the accumulated enect OF
not having thrown our fun weight !" eha
into the war at the oeslhnlhS' inc
admiral said.
."The situation was SO serious and
the consequences Of failure so terri
BILE that I went beyond the channels
which the Navy afforded me and en-
listed the services OF sucn men az
Ambassador Page"
Hoover to BE Called.
Herbert Hoover will be called to
testify.
Rear Admiral Sims told the com
mittee that Mr.. Hoover had an init.
mate knowledge OF the situation IN
Europe at the time America entered
the war. and asked that he be sum
moned to substantiate the admirars
testimony with regard to the gray
ity of the allies position at that time:
Admiral Sims said he had received
a note from Mr.. Hoover saying he
would be here Saturday, and Chair
man Hale agreed to call hlm on tnat
day. Admiral Sims said ne would
like to have the former called before
he proceeded further in order that
there should "be no doubt in my mind
that have substantiated the part of
NV letter in which I described the
gravity of the crisis which we faced
in 1917 and pointed out how near to
disaster the lack of action by the de-
partment at that time prousht LIS. US
q neace without victory" said the ad-
miral.
Handieaps Of Distance.
At one point in his presentation of
"a ahlegrams and other letters sent to
the department during the war.
ADMIRAL Sims paused to outline his
purpose. ...
evil and great danger of trying to
.n.n.r 90 war by cable at a distance of
Tn the same connection Admiral
Sims read his early suggestions to
the department that the. American
fieet at home be kept constantly in a
state Of readiness to be rushed over
seas s without delay should the need
aHse No specific recommendation
90 the ASSIGNMENT of an American
sonadron to the British grand feet
vss made until August OF 1917. when
a squadron Of c1a1-1uFnns Gal %T ths P;. battle
sanpiraity sn,p authorities after Admirais
1.1iicoe Beatty and Sims had con-
Serred. No reply to this proposal,
ADMIRAL Sims said, was received for
a month and the department answered
ron he sent that it was not proposed to
the American feet unless
.troncer reasons were advanced In
.h;s messa ge, signed by Admiral Ben
con chief of naval operations, the
statement was made that the depart
1nant was disappointed" that no plan
for Joint operations had been devel-
oped.
Admiral Benson Convinced.
Admiral Benson himself visited
london early in November. Admiral
Sims said. and quickly convinced him.