The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-03-09
ADMIRAL SIMS
ATTACKS DANIELS
Says Secretary of Navy Committed
public Outrage and Waeed Cam
paign to lnjure
Him.
by Raymond Clapper, United Press
Staff Correspondent M.

| BY Raymond Clapper, United Press
Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Mar. 9.-fhe wal
was prolonged four months by failure
| of the navy department to act prompt
ily on recommendation of allied naval
authorities and himself. Rear Admiral
VIM. s. Sims declared today before
the senate naval affairs sub-commt'
tee, testifying in its probe OF the
tnavy's war work. M
In the first few months of the war,
he said, the navy pursued "vac1llat'
ing" and ''hand to mouth policy"
Sims, who was the first witness
called, attacked the American naval
policy and Secretary Daniels and in
beginning his testimony charged:
That tn enavy's failure to cooperate
fully with the allies resulted in need
less sacrifices.
That Sims efforts to get team work
were delayed or nullitied."
That Daniels committed "a mani.
fest outrage in making public one OF
Sims letters regarding Admiral vii
son and various other naval officers
and then sending it out by radio.
That "a campaign of deliberate
propaganda" had been resorted to by
Daniels to injure Sims.
The big committee hearing room
was crowded with naval officers and
society women.
In his statement Sims laid emphasis
on the fact that one OF his tasks at
London was to digest allied naval ex-
perience OF the war and made recon-
mendations based on them.
Sims wa sappauded as he took his
seat ;ht the senators table.
The gravity OF his charges can be
appreciated, Sims said, when we
realize that the war Was costing three
Thousand lives and Sl0U,O0u,OOO day
The delay, SAID sims, was due IN
part to "unprepareuneSs.
Sims devoted niucn Time to defend
ing himself from criticism tor having
made pubic his charges against the
navy.
replying to statements that he is
,pro-billlSu, Admiral Sims SAID II the
navy department did not want q
man VINO was protlritlsn and pro
l,rench, it "snOulu nave Sent d Ger-
luan with a trunk full OF Dumus.
he repeatedly referred ~ me fail
ure OF the navy department to act
promptly in The Inst rev months u
the war" #F s.i
lacy apparently believed that al
lied naval omciais and were over
estimating the gravity vi the sltua-
ton" Sims said.
III seriously and unnecessarily pro-
longed the war, he SAID, referring 10
the departments alleged failure To act
on his recommendations.
The navy department was UMPIRE
CT "a n
the fact that war had been posi-
bility for at least two years and was
in fact, imminent for many months
before it's declaration"
I He. charged the navy department
entered the war with no well consid-
'ered policy or plans and with our
state OF readiness" and that owing
to the above conditions and to the
lack of proper organization of our
navy department and perhaps TO
other causes with which am not IA
miliar we failed for at least six months
to throw our full weight, against the
enemy; that during this period we
pursued a policy Of vacillation, or in
simpler words, a handto-mouth policy,
attempting to formulate our plans
from day to day, based upon an in
correct appreciation OF the situation
I'm so far as the navy was permit
ted by the machinery which controlled
it, it lived up to and exceeded its ira
ditions," Sims said. He denied that
he raised any question as to the eff
fciency of the navy viewed as 81 whole.
His statements, which have been
construed as critical Of the navy ZAP
piled only to the early months of the
war" Sims said.