Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-05-10

t"ntn,leH from FIRST PaSe.)
the technical art of warfare. to un-
dertake.
What / feel is needed from me
Isl not u defense but a clear and
brief resume of What has already
been testified to. that the public may
clearly understand that the hefens4
has Already been ALLY and fully
made by the highest officers of the
Navy. together with some statement
Of what the Navy actually did dur
ing the war. You have heard long
statements of what il did not do The
countrys pride Will be heightened
by the facts of some of the great
things ii did do.
Shocked at British Reference.
The portion of Admiral Sims cele-
bra,ed letter that shocked the public
more than any other. MIR. Daniels
said, was the statement that he had
been told at the Navy Department
mot to let the British pull the wool
over your eyes. We would as soon
fight them as the Germans"
Il must confess that it shocked
me-" declared the Secretary, for i'll
all my years Oh as. - at ion with Of
ficers of the Navy this was t.. hrst
time I had ever known one to make
public any confidential conversation
lieve it was possible for an. officer
of our Navy to do such q 4hfng., The
people could not understand how any
patriotic American who put the good
of his country first could possibly
spread broadcast statement which
reflected upon his own government
and might tend to disturb the cordial
relations with friendly power and
violate the confidence reposed in him
and publish statement which he
evidently believed would damage a
fellow officer and cast doubt upon
the Navys whole-hearted espousal of
the allied cause"
Secretary Daniels aSsailed the man
ner in which the Sims letter was
made public. declaring that Admiral
Sims read it during the investigation
# naval awards. although it had
aothing to do with the subject under
consideration.
He could not have chosen more
ostentatious and we'll planned manner
of securing publicity" said Mr.. Dan
iels "If. as he said. he had written
1T only for naval officers. nothing
would have been easier than for him
10 have told Chairman Hale that he
had written letter to Secretary
Daniels bearing on a totally different
subject. for naval uses only. to make
public which would he a violation OF
naval regulations and traditions. and
reading it. But he had it in his
pocket. evidently awaiting the oppor-
tunity, which the hearing afforded
him. to give his charges the widest
possible publicity"
Had any one in authority in the
Navy Department entertained a
prejudice against Great Britain, Sec
rotary Daniels said. Admiral Sims
would not have been sent to London.
for Sims pro-British ''idiosyncrasies"
were well known.
Defends Early Operations.
I'm justice to the United States
Navy. which has been charged with
failure to act with more expedition in
the first few months of the war. it
will be necessary to contrast the bold
and urged With the delay in some OF
these great projects caused by Ad-
miral Sims opposition and lack OF
faith in the practicability of some
of them by the British admiralty" de-
clared Secretary Daniels. This is not
done in any spirit of criticism of the
British admiralty or the British navy.
The navy of that nation did great
work, and if il were slow to under
take the laying of the barrage in the
North sea and to close the English
channel to the submarines. which
projects we deemed of the highest
immediate Importance. it did other
great tasks in so great way as to
be worthy the appreciation of the
whole world. Our officers and our
men felt that they were truly ship
mates during the war with their
British associates, but they were not
closer in spirit and more devoted in
effort and united in determination to
win than were the officers in the
Navy Department in Washington and
in the admiralty in London. They
made mistakes and so did the Ameri-
ashore and af1oat, and in the united
sacrifice of the men of both nations,
there came mutual esteem and fell
lowship. Let it be perpetuated in mu-
tual cooperation for the victories OF
peace.
"You have heard many great ad-
mirals of the American Navy testify
that Admiral Sims attacks upon the
work Of the Navy during the wal
were either wholly unwarranted OF
grossly exaggerated. II you could
have appear before you similarly the
you would not find one who would
admit that the American Navy was
! responsible for the prolongation OF
the war four months and the un-
, necessary loss of 100000 lives"
Secretary Daniels defended vigor-
ously the administration of the Office
of chief of naval operations by Ad-
miral Benson. who. with his former
assistants, Rear Admiral j. S. Nc
| Kean and Capt. w. V. Pratt. Mr.. Dan
| iels said, had the entire confidence OF
| the service and foreign navies.
Says Sims Was Cautioned.
| Before Admiral Sims left for London
| Mr.. Daniels said he reminded the ad.
miral of his blood is thicker thar
water" speech at the Guild Hall In
London and told him that former Sec.
rotary Meyer and President Taft were
right in reprimanding him. Mr.. Dan.
iels said he told Sims he had beer