New-York tribune., 1921-06-13
God Thanked for Sims
BY Preacher IN Sermon
Reu. F. b. Harris Praises the
admiral, While Speaker Al,
Irish Meeting Scores Him

The Rev. Frederick Brown Harris
thanked God for Admiral Sims last
night in his sermon at Grace Methodist
Church, 104th Street near Broadway,
and Major Michael A. Kelly. of the 69th
Regiment, called the outspoken sailor
traitor in a speech at a meeting Of
Henry Gay McCracken Council of the
American Association for the Recogni-
tion of the Irish Republic.
The meeting was at Central Opera
House, 205 East Sixty-seventh Street.
Many of the speakers referred to the
remarks made in England by Admiral
Sims concerning the Sim Fein and the
American sentiment concerning it, but
none Of the others was so bitter as
Major Kelly
He asserted that Admiral Sims went
to London to click the boots of roy
atty" and that when he was stationed
in England in 1917 he had said: 81 am
glad to serve under the Union Jack"
"Only traitor would haul down the
Stars and Stripes for a foreign flag"
said Major Kelly. Admiral Sims re-
ceived medals from the government of
the United States and from Great Brit
ain. He refused to wear the American
medals because he found that a few
Irishmen had won similar ones, but he
said he was proud to wear the British
medals"
The attitude of Admiral Sims, Major
Kelly continued, was IAN insult to the
Twenty per cent of the men who
volunteered before the draft were OF
Irish descent, he said, and of those
draftt into the army the men Of irish
descent made the best showing, while
fewer of them claimed exemption.
Other speakers were Monsignor Den
mis- O'Connor, who announced that the
Irish were going to parade on Fifth
Avenue July to show their American
ism, and Charles F. Connolly, who said
that such statements as those attrib-
uted to Admiral Sims were of benefit
to the Irish cause because they showed
the thoroughness Of British propa-
ganda.
The pastor of Grace Methodist Church
said in his sermon:
"At last voice is heard. Thank
God that one American in public life,
caring more for his spiritual kin than
his official skin, did not include in his
baggage WueIi iC CiOSSCQ Vic OCCdki,
made safe by him and our allies, the
nuzzle of the cowardly and discreet
silence. Here is one man who speaks
plain English, without an accent and
without apology Apparently he seri-
ously thinks that maintaining and fos-
tering a league of English-speaking
people is more important business than
adjusting diplomatic and political
weather vanes to catch the blast
of Irish-American and pro-German
throats and votes.
"There is at least one important thing
in which Admiral Sims differs from those
who, at long distance, fight for free
DOM He knows what he is talking
about. He has qualified as an expert
He stood on the bridge with the immor-
tal fleet which combed the North Sea
for the cowardIy assassins Of the deep,
while certain vociferous groups were, as
he declared, giving aid and comfort to
the butchers of Berlin and gazing with
sneering faces at England, with her back
tx. the wall, fighting for the civilization
of the world"
In closing DR.. Harris said: "The one
hope of civilization is the closest con-
cord and cooperation between the Stars
and Stripes and the Union Jack"