Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-07-18
FAILS To DECIDE
NAVAL DISPUTE
Committee Divides on Part
Isan Lines Over Daniels
Sims Row ]
SCORES DANIELS
Minority Upholds Administration and
Denounce Admiral Sims Saying
His Charge is "Monsterous" :

Washington, July 1S.-Widely con-
fl;oting views regaIrd:ng direction OF
the Amer;can Navy during the EARLY
months of the war Mefe detailed TN
Republican anri Democratic reports
made public to-day, elf the Senate Ma
val Committees investigation of ccn-
trrcwerc,le!s between fcrnIe'r Secretary
Daniels and Rear Admiral William S.
Sims. The reports constitute the last
chapter i'm lthe famous S:nIs-DanieHs
controversy eff May, 1920, caused by
Rear-Admtral Sims letter, sharply
cr;0;cszing the Daniels war adnlinis
tTation.
Mr.. Daniels, former President WE
sen and Rear AdnGral W. S. Benson,
fcrme,- cE;ef of operations, were scor-
ed severhly in the majcrity RepubE-
can a,epca't, which charged many sins
nif omission and commission in naval
wgar direction. These officials were as
stoualy defended and as highly pnais-
ed in the mlnoliIty Democratic report.
Admiral Sims was commended by the
majclIty and ass$iled by the minority
"A self-defensive r'cnaggrecve and
nonheipful policy" was imputed to the
Democratic Administration by the ma
jchity report which aaso changed many
se1icus delays IN navy operations re-
suited. The minority found That "un!-
fc!m success cf our operations, amply
ytea,secsstl;atsd The wisdom Of TIC psi
'SG:es adopted and the plans Carried
cat by the Navy Department" and
":rstead cyf censure Of criticism, the
department, as we'll as the service. de
serves the hearty ccmmendation Of
this ccmna.ttee anil Of the American
people"
Senators Hale, elf Maine; Ban, De2a-
wal'e, and keyes. Ne, Hampshire,
signed the Republican majority re-
port and Senators ,Pittman Gf Nevada
end Tramm;sil Flcn;da, the Demo
cratic minority. Each report makes
separate voIume, embracing Geta:!ed
nev:,2w of testimony from scores of
witnesses during the naval subcommit-
tees srqairy cf May. 1920.
Two recommendation were maae
hy the majority for appointment Of a
professional commission of naval oil
f:cers to study and apply to the Anne
lican navy lessons of the wcirld wan
ana fer Presidential commission, in
Guiding civilians, TO study and recom-
mend Reforms nm navy organization.
No recommendations We're presented
by the. nsilority.
The ;ayestfgaticn resulted from
r,sa3:rg by Admn'al SIMS, during com
nrttee inquiry more than q year ago
into his controversy with Mr.. Daniels
ever nava! awards of distinguished
tslsrwice decorat]o:.s, of his letter tc
Mp. Daniels, written January Z, 1920
charging the Navy Department with
numerous delays and derelictions IN
directing naval warfare. Many specific
Recommendation for futua,e navy actf-
vitses as lessons Of the war" were
made by Admiral SIMS who was II
chief con1maasd cf i1saval operations
cveqi1ea,s 6rnng the war.
Admiral Sims principal change '.ha.
Admins trative delays were estimated
to have cost 100000 CRves and $15,-
O0O,OO0,OOO unnecessarily was dis
eusrsad IN both reports.
'9Tbe conclusion seems inevitable
that had these delays in naval opera
tri.r,s net occurred, the American EX-
Evolutionary Forces might have
brought about an Allied victory ear,
iser than they Actually did" said thF
araicrity repcrt. 'but the extent tc
which these delays failed to shorten
the war is altogether conjectural.'
The minority report described the
Sims charges as ''menistrous" ar(
"wll,cut fouriatiors,' and added:
"Adniral Sims failed e5scmtely t
produce any evidence to susta:n thf
serious charge. The evidence show
bevcrd a shaSbw cf doubt that tn
ermy was transported abroad as fats
as 1t was ready, that the submarine
did not sink our transports and tina
mur4?tons and supplies fcr our ann
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