The New York herald., 1921-07-18
DANIELS CONDEMNED,
Sims UPHELD IN FEUD,
in REPORT TO SENATE
Chairman Hale's Majority
of Naval Committee Finds
Secretary's Support of
Admiral Inadequate.
THIRD OF FLEET READY
No Realization by Wilson
or Daniels That Safety of
U. S. Depended on Quick
Aid to Allies.
COURSE DELAYED VICTORY
Harding Is Asked to Appoint
Commission to Apply Les
sons of War to Navy
Department.
COURSE DELAYED VICTORY

Special Despatch to THE New YORK HEzALA
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. C., July II.
The navy was unprepared for was
at the beginning of hostilities with
Germany in 1917, its organization
now Is not what it should be, Rear
Admiral William S. Sims was justi.
fed in making his sensational dis
closures more than a year ago re.
flecting upon Secretary Of the Navy
Daniels. for failure to furnish ade
quate support to the operations Of
the Grand fleet, and the whole ques.
tion Of reorganization of the navy
should be investigated by commits.
sion to be appointed by President
Harding.
These are outstanding features set
forth in report made public to-day
by majority Of a subcommittee Of
the Senate Naval Affairs Committee,
which more than year ago investi-
gated the charges made against Sec.
retary Daniels by Admiral Sims, In.
volving not only dispute about
medal awards but also the alleged
state Of unpreparedness of the navy
and its operations during the world
war. The majority report is signed
by three Republicans, Senators Hale
(Me.), Ball (Md.) and Keyes IN. H..
Practically every important finding
of the Republican majority is dis
puted by minority report, signed
by Senators Pittman New and
Trammell (Fla.), Democrats. They
contend that the navy was we'll pre-
pared, that every possible support
was accorded to Admiral Sims and
those associated with him in coopera.
tion with the allied Grand fleet. that
Admiral Sims was not justified In
the charges he made. which among
other things asserted that hundreds
of thousands of lives were sacrificed
uselessly and s15.000,000,0 900 need
lessly spent.
Many Naval Phases Covered.
The report does not deal with the
question Of medal awards. findings
in that phase Of the investigation
having been made public more than
year ago. The report consists OF a
review of about 1000 pages of closely
printed testimony. covering prac-
tically every phase of naval warfare,
the conclusions of the majority and
minority report occupying 225 pages
in themselves.
I'VE recommend that commission
be appointed by the President to con.
slider the question of the organiza-
tion of the Navy Department" the
majority report emphasizes. "and tho
changes recommended by officers OF
the navy in course OF this investi.
cation, and to recommend to the Con.
gress such changes, II any. in said
organization as it shall deem ad.
visable."
The recommendation suggests the
inclusion of civilians as well as naval
officers on the commission.
It is further recommended that a
purely professional commission review
the Sims Daniels testimony. together
with other matter In the possession
of the Navy Department, and make
a confidential report to the Secretary,
OF the Navy for the purpose of putting
in practice the naval lessons Of tho
war
In its general condemnation of tha
conduct of the war on the part of
Secretary Daniels the majority report.
by inference at least. includes Presi-
dent Wilson within It's scope.
Great Public Service by Sims.
A condensation OF the summarized
findings OF the majority report fol-
lows:
Rear Admiral Sims was within his
rights in making public his letter Of
condemnation Of January Z. 1920. con-
cerning certain naval lessons Of the
war. and performed a great public SER
vice TO his country. being actuated
by the highest motives.
Although Secretary Daniels main.
tanned that the navy was ready from
stem to stern" the facts disclosed
show that not more than one third
Of the vessels of the fleet we're in
proper condition when war was de-
clared. and that II took from two TO
six months to put the remainder OF
the feet in such condition: and that
with the possible exception Of cJpitai