The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-01-18
HAD MANY DIFFICULTIES

Admiral Sims declared that failure to
 heed his early plea that destroyers and light craft be hurried and not to as- sign him any staff officers except the aide who accompanied him abroad, which continued for Hour months, caused him serious difficulty.
 'The only information received up to April 2, 1917, was that six destroyers would be sent" Admiral Sims said. The situation was then so very critical that appealed to the American ambassador in London, who sent a most urgent mes sage to the President and on May 8 1917, the first definite information was received of the department intention to send more than six destroyers and that ultimately s6 and two repair shops would be sent"
 Too great desire to protect the coast of the United States at the imminent risk of losing the war, was manifested by the navy department, the letter de- clared.
 'sThe department Was repeatedly as sured that the allies at all times had remarkably accurate information as to the movements of submarines, Admiral Sims said, "and that it was practically certain they could not reach our coast or even leave European waters, without advance information being supplied. Sub sequent events proved this assurance to be correct No submarines visited our coast until May, 1918, and the department was in all cases informed when they started across, and often as to theU exact destination.
 q tried to induce the department s meditation to view the campaign as Q whole: to consider our naval forces as one relatively small item of an allied naval team; that our mission was the protection of all allied lines of commu- nicat ton and not the United States line of communication alone; that it was quite possible to give our relatively small commerce quite superior protection at the
 expense of losing the war by denying essential protection to the vastly greater
 allied commerce upon which the success of the common caused chiefly depended 7 Enticing of German submarines to the coast of the United States would have been greatly to the advantage of the allied cause even though American ship ping suffered more heavily thereby, Ad-
 miral Sims said he told the department,
 urging that every vessel capable of steamng across the ocean be sent to the war zone. Risk of public condemna-
 ton of such a course, based on inaccu-
 rate information and fear, would have
 been a negligible factor. the letter de- clared.
 When he asked for more aides he was told they were mot available" Admiral Sims said. adding that the term mot available should have been applied to any other naval activity than the direc- tion of American naval forces in Euro pean waters. He contrasted with General staff of 50 officers his own one aide
 WAS NOT SUPPORTED
 Apart from the resulting lack of CO., operation it was very difficult, l fear at
 A laa1 1rad
 Ito avoid the impression conveyed there
 by to the heads of the allied navies that I was not being supported or was not in the confidence of the authorities.
 ''At no time during the war was per- mitted to select my subordinate flag com manders, and but very few of my sub ordinates."
 When the House naval committee asked for complaints he had made. Admiral Sims said he received cablegram from Admiral Benson, chief of operations, tell ing him that "a strong positive state- ment" was highly desirable. Knowing that his reply must become public in formation and that any criticism therein would give aid and comfort to the en- emy Admiral Sims said he framed an answer on tn ebasis that those at the front must take what those at home send.
 Recapituiating his criticisms, Admiral Sims in his letter said Admiral Mahan had described Interference with the com mander in the field, or afloat, as "one of the most common temptations to the government"
 The navy department" he added, did not resist this temptation, and it's fre- quent violation of this principle was the most dangerous error committed during the war
 ASKED FOR SUGGESTIONS
 Secretary Daniels made public today without comment a general order issued. December 29, last, calling upon all per- sons in the naval service to submit sug- gestions and recommendations for im- proving the methods used by the navy in the prosecution of operations and in the supply of men and material There are 39 specific points on which recom- mendations were asked to be submitted to the Secretary before April 1, of this year, and No. 38 follows:
 "Co-operation of the navy department with the allies in connection with the operation of tile naval forces and with material matte.s"
 Admiral Sims letter was dated Jana- ary [. after the issuance of this order,