Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1921-06-03
u. S. Got Too Much
Credit, Says Sims

forces in the war zone during
IL ast two Years q the u GRID
" Z, told Admiral Beatty, Com
M nder of the British Grand
Fleet, and a distinguished as
semhlage OF British and Amer
lean naval men and other prom
ineut persons to-day that the Bri-
tJsh had been disposed to give the
A merican Navy too much creditI
fer the part it played i'll the
Allied victory.
III an address at a luncheon
given by the Pilgrims Society
in his honor, Admiral Sims said:
The British Grand Fleet wa
tile keystone in the Allied arch.
without which, you in this conn-
try would today be speaking Ger.
man with very strong English.
accent"
Admiral Sims waved aside per
sonal tributes from Admira
Beatty and Lord Desborough,
asserting that had the command
Of tie American naval forces in
Europe been entrusted to ore Q.
the other forty or fifty American
officers eligible II rank the re.
salt would virtually have beer
the same.
Lord Desborough referred to
Admiral Sims as having "brayee
enemies he has any-and
certainly has none on this side
Of the Atlantic-by publishing
his book"
Admiral Beatty hailed the
American Admiral as ore Of the
worlds naval leaders, whose
coming to Europe in Great Bri-
taln's hour OF need not only
saved America and Britain, but
the world. He called Admiral
Sims the father of gunnery,
and testified to the absence OF
friction and the hearty cooper
alton which had marked tile
relations of the personnel Of the
two navies while enjoying the
social amenities of Scapa Flow
(the British Grand Fleets base
IN the war; and throughout or
association together
Had they had All opp0rtunity
Of engaging the enemy, said
Admiral Beatty, both would have
considered they were in good
company. He was deeply indebt-
ed to Admiral Sins's support
while in command Of the Grand
Fleet, the British Admiral add
ed, and he presented his Amer
lean colleague as our very good
aud old friend Admiral Sims
III responding said that when
America entered the war things
on the European side were in a
pretty desperate" state. THE
help we gave he continued.
was that which comes of the
treemasonry of the sea-no cues
ton Of personal preference was
involved"
Admiral Sims said the Amer
leans liked the British because
they played the game straight,
no matter how underhanded was
the enemy. He said he regretted
that the question Of destruction
OF the enemy never arose, for
the enemy never came out to be
destroyed.
While commanding in Europe.
Admiral Sims declared. he re-
garded the American forces "o g
reserves coming up from the
rear" He paid: tribute to
England as a land of personal
liberty, where he knew he could
get drink of any kind he want.
ed if he came to England fifty
years hence.
Aside from the naval men
Viscount French, former Lord
Lieutenant of Ireland; Sir Ham
ar Greenwood, Chief Secretary
for Ireland; Lord Queenborough.
Lord Fairfax, Rear Admiral Sir
Percy Scott, Sir Thomas Upton,
the members Of the American
Embassy and other prominent
persons were present.
Admiral Sims, with Mrs. Sims,
drove to the cenotaph in White-l
hall this afternoon and placed
at its base wreath bearing the
description: From Rear Admiral
and Mrs. Sims, U S. A." TheI
Admiral lhen drove to West-I
Abbey and placed al
wreath on the grave there Of theI
unknown soldier.