The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-07-18
CONVzCTS REVOLT: SET
FIRE TO PENZTEN7ZARY::
FIVE RIOT CALLS GIVEN
PARTY LINES DRAWN
nv SIMS DISPUTE
Republicans Support Sims Charges
While the Democrats Uphold Dan
iels, Wilson and Benson.

Washington, ID. c.. July lS.-A di
ametric conflict of views between Re
| publicans and Democrats as to tn,
| justification for Rear Admiral William
$. Sims charges of misdirection and
delay on the part of the American
naval administration during the early
months of the war was shown in the
majority and minority reports pub
lished to-day of the Senate naval com
mittee's investigation of the controver.
sy between Admiral Sims and former
Secretary Daniels.
Assailed by the majority for having
pursued what it declared was a self
defensive. aggressive and non help
fm policy" during the early stages of
the war, the naval administration un-
der Secretary Daniels was upheld in
the minority report as amply vindi-
Gated by the uniform success of our
operations" and as deserving the
hearty commendation of this com
mittee and of the American people.
Charging many sins of omission and
commission both in the matter of pre-
paredness and in naval prosecution of
the war, the majority report severely
scored Mr.. Daniels, former President
Wilson and Rear Admiral Albert s.
Benson, former chief~of operations, as
the responsible administrative officers
These officials were warmly defended
in the minority report in line with
its opposite view in the controversy.
Admiral Sims, the commander in chief
OF the naval operations overseas dur
ing the war, was commended by the
majority and sssailed by the minority.
Opposed to the majority charges that
many serious delays in the naval oper- |
ations resulted from the mon sggres-
sive policy" pursued prior to 1918 was
the declaration of the minority that |
"at no time did the navy fail to per- |
form promptly and efficiently every |
task that was imposed upon it"
The Republican majority report was
,icned by Senators Hale OF Maine;
Ball, Delaware and Keyes of New
while that the minority
,ore the signatures of Senators Pitt
nan, Nevada and Trammel of Florida.
Both quoted at length from the scores
i witnesses heard during the inquiry.
The majority report presented two
one for the appoint
nent of commission of naval officers
o study the application of lessons of
he war to the American navy and the
ther for presidential commission in
luding civilians, to study and recon-
iend reforms in the naval organiza-
ion. The minority made no recommen-
alton.
In supporting, against the opinion
{ the minority, many of Admiral
inns charges, the majority, as did
he minority report, dealt conspicu-
usly with the admiral's overshadow-
" charge that the navy department :
elays in prosecuting the war were
stimated TO have cost unnecessarily
tating that it seemed Inevitable that |:
ad these delays not occurred, the /.
merican expeditionary forces might /,
ave brought about an allied victory :
arlier than they actually did, the ma.
,rity report added:
THE extent to which these DELAYS :
,iled to shorten the war is altogether :
The charge of unnecessary cost in !;
yes and money was declared by the I,
inority to be "monstrous" and with
NJ foundation the report adding that
dmiral Sims had failed absolutely I
, produce any evidence 70 sustain this '
'rious charge"
The evidence. the report said, showed y
beyond a shadow of doubt that the =
my was transported abroad as fast :
it was ready" y y