Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-07-18
SIMS PRAISED
fContinued from Page CHe)

eaton. No recommendations We're
presented by the minority.
| The investigation resulted from
! reading by Admiral Sims, during
committee inquiry more than year
ago into his controversy with Mr..
/ Daniels over naval awards of distin-
guished service decorations, on his
4 letter to Mr.. Daniels. written January
i I, 1920, charging the Navy Depart
ment with numerous delays and dere-
.lictions in directing naval warfare.
Many specific recommendations for
future navy activities as lessons OF
the war" were made by Admiral Sims
who was in chief command of nava:
operations overseas during the war.
Support was given by the ma jority
report to many of Admiral Sims
charges.
The minority asserted that none
of the charges that seemed at all Sc
rious were justified or warranted and
We're not supported by the facts pre-
scented nor concurred in the opinions
Of naval officers who appeared before
the subcommittee"
Admiral Sims principal charge that
administrative delays were estimated
10 have cost five hundred thousand
lives and fifteen billion dollars nne-
cessarily was restroyed in both re-
ports.
! The conclusion seems inevitable
that had these delays in naval oper-
atronS not occurred the American *
peditionary forces might havA
brought about an allied victory EARL
majority report, but the extent -
which these delays failed to shorten
the war is altogether conjectural"
4 The minority report described Ii
Sims charge as "monstrous" and
without foundation and added
Admiral Sims failed absolutely to
produce any evidence to sustain this
serious charge. The evidence shows
! beyond shadow of doubt that I'll
army was transported abroad IS fast
as it was ready, tht the submissions
did not sink our transports and thai
munitions andsuppliesN for our army
~ ossod the water in ample volume at
all times.
thlef structures were laid by the
ma ioritN against the former admins
tratlon Tor alleged failure to prepal 6
Tor war and for alleged lack of an
aggressive policy. both of which
We're denied by the minority. The
majority emphasized. however. That
It's criticisms Of navy administrat ii IN
were confined TO the periods prior 70
lSlH, declaring that thereafter the
naval war was carried on in such q
way as TO reflect most credita5ly on
the Navy Department as well as on
The navy and similarly it is v i,b
pleasure that it can be recorded that
the entire point of view expressed b;
Secretary Daniels on naval matters
changed from that of the official
whose conductanCe before ana during
lSl' we nave been obliged to criti ike
50 sharply
Inc majority in its report stated
1hat The conclusion seems rpa,oid
ahi" thdt upon our entering the war
ana Tor many months therein ter tbe
primary motive of the administration
!
was not to do everything POSSIBLE n
heip win the war with the Allies and
against Germany" But rather doas
'he predominant purpose of the admin
!Sra'ioh seem to have been to look to
T 'h" future Of United States apart fron,
Inc Allies in case the latter might no
defeated or III ease a peace uitho,,t
victory might be made" The maior-
! NY declared further that we arc fore
| ca 20 conclude that our naval unnra-
! pafedncSS, though great. wsstnot tho
! principal rec son that DELAYED ac,io,
ny the United States naval forces" . 9
I iheF'abiy the facts force the conclu-
SION that the principal cause of their
DELAY was the self-dcfensive, u,n-ae-
eressiNc. non-helpful policy imposed
on the navy by the administration
. through Secretary, Daniels"
The majority ols the direct i.sue be-
tween the navA. secretary and admiral
/ Sims had this to say:
/ we find that to a large 6epren 70
Rear Admiral Sims belongs the credit
Tor bringing about the convoy system
/ we find that Rear Admiral Sims
+; was not kept properly advised as 70
the policy of the department or as IN
( inc forces being sent him; that his re-
, quests were not acceded to readily.
remained long unanswered and that he
| was not provided with an adequate
staff
| We find that this general lack Of
: support on the part of the navy de-
partment greatly emba ira ssed and de-
layod his negotiations with the allied
: naval commanders.
. Admiral Sims was justified in on
posing the laying Of the North sea
Z NINE barrase during the first few
months of the war. when the available
I mines were unsatisfactory Later
! Admira! Sims advocated and did every
/ thing in his power to complete the con
/ structicn of the great barragc)
! We find that substantially all of the
! Recommendations made by Rear Adj
! miral Sims during the first months of
/ the war were later adopted, after de-
lays ranging from a few weeks to a
year"
] The minoritY summarized its find
/ ings as follows:
f! That the major charges made bv
Admiral Sims, such as that the navy
/ department by delays prolonged tho
war four months, caused the loss of
! 2.5ao. oh0 tons OF shipping half mil
lion lives. and the needless expenditure
of $4,000. 900, 300, were entirely dis
proved.