Arizona republican., 1921-07-18
SIMS COMMENDED
 BY REPUBLICANS
 IN SENATE PROBE
COMMITTEE REPORT ON SIM SD A M ELS INVESTIGATION COMMENDS ADMIRAL; MINORITY REPORT DEFENDS SECRETARY
[RepublIcan A. P. Leased wIrel

WASHINGTON, July 17-wideIy conflicting views regarding direclson of the American navy during the early months of the war were detailed In Republican and Democratic re- ports made public today of the Saasse naval committees investigation of controversies between former Secre- tary Daniels and Rear Admiral Will liam Sims The reports constitute the last chapter in the famous Sism- Daniels controversy of May. 1920. precipitated by Rear Admiral Sims letter, sharply criticising the Daniels war administratio
 MT. Daniels, former President WI. son and Rear Admiral W. B. Benson. former chief of operations, were scored severely in the majority Re- publican report and highly praised in the minority Democratic report. Ad- miral Sims was commended by the majority and assailed by the mi- nority-
 Senators Hale of Maine, Ball of Delaware and Reyes of New Hamp- shire. signed the majority report, and Senators Pittman. Nevada and Trammell of Florida. the minority.
 The investigation dates from a year ago when during committee inquiry Of the admirafs controversy with Mir Daniels. over awards of distinguished service decorations, letter the for mer wrote to MT. Daniels. charging the navy department with numerous derelections were read into the rec ord. Admiral Sims was in chief corn- mand of naval operations overseas during the war.
 Admiral Sims principal charge s-.et administrative delays were estimated n ha xra 00,00o,0 900 unnecessarily. was sus- tained as follows by the majority.
 The conclusion seems inevitable that had these delays in naval opera tions not occurred the American ex- peditionary forces might have brought about an allied victory ear- Her than they actually did,
 The minority report described the charge as monstrous and without foundation and added:
 The evidence shows beyond a shadow of doubt that the army was transported abroad as fast as it was ready, that the submarines did net sink our transports and that muf--- tions and supplies for our army crossed the water in ample volume a; all times-''
 The majority emphasized that it's criticism of the navy administra don were confined to the period prior to 1918, declaring that thereafter '.fhe naval war was carried on in such a way as to reflect most creditably on the naval department as well as on the navy and similarly it is with pleasure that 1t can be recorded that the entire point of view expressed by Secretary Daniels on naval mat ters changed from that of the offi- cial whose conduct before and during 1917 We have been obliged to criticise so sharply"
 The majority stated that "the con- clusion seems unavoidabl that upon our entering the war and for many months thereafter. the primary mo- tive of the administration was not to do everything possible to help win the war with the allies ant against Germany 'but rather does the pre- dominant purpose Of the adminisfra- tion seem to have been to look to the future of the United States apart from the allies in case the latter might be defeated or in case a peace without victory" might be made.
 The majority declared further that we are forced to conclude that our naval unpreparedness. though great. was not the principal reason
 
 States naval forces" as "inevitably the facts force the conclusion that the principal cause of their delay was the selfdefensive, non- aggressive. 1 non helpful policy imposed on the navy by the administration through Secretary Daniels"
 Of the direct issues between the naval secretary and Admiral Sims, the majority said:
 We find that to a large degree to Rear Admiral Sims belongs the credit for bringing about the convoy sys- | tenn
 We find that Read Admiral Sims was not properly advised as to the | policy of the department or as to the forces being sent him. that his re- | quests were not acceded to readily. and that his request was not pro- vided with an adequate staff.
 We find that this general lack of support on the part of the navy de- partment greatly embarrassed and I>delayed his negotiations with the allied naval commanders. ssAdrnira1 Sims was Justified in oC-