Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-23
FORMER Chief Of
NAVAL OPERATIONS
NAMED IN PROBE
Sims Declares That Caution
Against British Was Re-
peated in Paris Three
Months After First Given

WASHINGTON, March 22.-It was
Admiral W. S. Benson who warned
Admiral Sims: Don't let the British
pull the wool over your eyes," Adj
miral Sims declared at the senate
naval inquiry today.
Admiral Sims several weeks ago
told the senate naval subcommittee
that the warning had been given to
him during a conference at the navy
department as he was about to sail
for Europe only a few weeks be-
fore this coutry entered the war.
Admiral Benson, at the time of
the alleged utterance, was chief of
naval operations. He is now head
Of the shipping board.
Gave Name Reluctantly
1t was only with apparent reluc-
lance that Admiral Sims divulged
Mr.. Benson's name after Chairman
Hale had twice requested it.
Admiral Sims said the incident oc.
Cured either just before or just aft
er he had been in Secretary Daniels
office receiving his orders to go to
Europe.
"It was just after I came out OF
the secretary's office or just before
went in. I can't remember which,
except that I was in somebody else's
office, I think it was the chief Of
naval operations, and think he was
present-that these instructions were
given by a certain official of the navy
department" Admiral Sims said.
II have tried to avoid any personal
reference"
IT think the committee should have
the name of the officer Chairman
Hale stated.
well, it was Admiral Benson, who
was then chief of naval operations"
Admiral Sims said. 81 received no
other instructions from him. 1t was
preceded by nothing, followed by
nothing and told me in all serious.
ness. left Immediately"
!. Calls Benson "Ant1-Brttish"
Admiral Sims referred to Admiral
Benson as being intensely anti
British" and said his Statements
were repeated in substance on two
subsequent occasions.
Admiral Sims said that when he
| met Admiral Benson in Paris sig
months later the admonitions were
| repeated in substance and that a
third time the same thing happened
in London.
II had known of the opinion that
he was intensely anti-British," Ad-
| miral Sims said.
81 regarded this as a personal
prejudice on the part OF Admiral
Benson"
Admiral Sims said he included Ad-
miral Benson's remark in his letter
TO Secretary Daniels on January z
regarding the navy's part in the war
because "if a man has prejudice
! against men fighting alongside of
him it has an unconscious influence
on him"
Calls Benson Honest
The admiral told the committee he
had always regarded the admonition
as "a personal prejudice on the part
of Admiral Benson" He described
the former chief Of operations as IAN
| outstanding. honest man who has
strong convictions" and said he be-
Iieved everything that Admiral Benz
son did during the war was done
"conscientioEsly."
1t was due largely to Admiral Ben
sons confidence in him that he was
elected to the high post he occupied
during the war, Admiral Sims said,
adding that in urging his selection
Admiral Benson incurred the dislike
Of many officers senior to Admiral
Sims, who desired the post.
Senator Pittman brought out that
Admiral Sims had shown copy OF
his letter of January to H. P. Da-
vlson, Of New York, while he was
guest at Mr.. Davison's home about
the middle of January. The officer
could not recall the date, but said
his aide thought it was on January
IA. He admitted that showing the