Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-06-23
SIMS HOMECOMING WAS
NOT A PRETTY SPECTACLE
No Credit Due Any Of the Factions Con-
tributlns to the Painful Episodes
Started by His Injudieious Anti
Sim Eeip Speecb
Sim Fein Speech

Sim Fein Speech
LNOIK who. loving excitement and novel
J. thrills. find ordinary hot weather diver
sions tiresome. viewed the arrival of Ad-
mira Sims on his native shores as one of
the great events of the week And such it
was. 1t was an event that brightly re-
fected the mingled lights of tragedy and
comedy.
The admiral is proud old sea dog of the
sea dogs, hardened by perilS and discomfort
and discipline and heavy responsibilities
His holiday was cut short. He was jerked
out Of England. in full view of staring
world. by a harsh cablegram from his boss
He has been coldly rebuked by many of
those who speak with authority in England
for the traditional fair mindedness and the
good sporting instincts of the representative
British.
These arc painful experiences for man
of the admral's rank and place. for SEN
Sitivc and extraordinarily able officer who
has behind him a lifetime of exalted service
TO his country. Painful, too. doubtless. will
be the private sessions in the Navy Depart
mcnt. Sims probably will face the music
without quains. For it is extremely doubt
full whether any punishment mctcd out to
him can BE- as subty painful as the private
sessions of Admiral Sims with Admiral Sims.
Men of courage normally are fair dealers,
and Sims is man of courage. Yet he did.
in moment Of heat. in an emotional lapse
from the rules of tact and good taste, offer
Il wantOn nffrout to some millions of his own
countrymcn and to other millions elsewhere
who. in our own and others wars. have
never been found lacking in ralor and devo-
ton to high principles. He dragged the
question of Irish politics into an after
luncheon speech and tied it up with American
NJ in n
epigrams.
4 man Of Sims fiber cannot do that sort
Of thing and be quite happy afterward. be
cause the questions related to present day
Ireland are too complex. too tragic to be
discussed anywhere without profound knowl-
edge and infinite forbenrance. Good ad-
mrals do not say what they do not mean.
as Sims knows better than any one else.
And that conviction probably involves for
the GRANT old officer punishment severer
than that which any one else can put upon
him.
The spectacle of a thousand policemen
ranged in protective columns at the ad-
miral's pier was therefore funny painful
or humliatng according to your particular
point Cf view. But in the last analysis it
did little credit to Admiral Sims. Certainly
il reflected no credit at all upon the moro
violent and hot headed persons who had it
in their mind to visit reprisals on him there
and then and it reflected no credit on the
opposing groups. who. in their fervid parti
sanship with the admiral and their applause
for his speech. revealed not a love of logic
or rational regard for American British
solidarity. but desire to find new WAYS to
express old and ugly race and religious
prejUdiCes.
The few folk who were seemingly ready
ba ui11 no
the last to help either toward peace and
happiness in Ireland or the cause of better
relationships between the United States and
other English speaking countries.
Speeches like that delivered by Admiral
Sims are hurt and a hindrance. rather than
a help to the cause In which they are de-
lyerpd Sims irritated too many Of his own
countrymen-men who ordinarily try to view
the English Irish complex without prejudice
of any sort. He caused reactions in the
United States which in turn rritated mul
titudes Of Britons who are as angry and as
bewildercd as the Irish themselves at the
| spectacle of violence and bloodshed and dis
order in the neighborng island. And there
you are.
What the loudly vocal partisans aid oppo
| nents of Admiral Sims forgot is that the
| admiral always has had a quick and acrid
| way of speech. He spoke as harshly ot
| Secretary Daniels and others as he spoke
| about the activities of the Sim Fein.
| To understand his psychology and the
original causes Of an unhappy incident it is
necessary to remember that Sims has spent
a long and laborious life in the hard routine
| Of the navy, where inevitable codes cnrour
! age no shred of sympathy, no shadow 0I
| regard, for the pretensions of those who are
without authority. Discipline, order ac'
| Ccptancr-thesc are the guiding rules Of the
fighting ships. The quarterback has no in
terest in abstract questions generated out o.
| human aspirations. II is no temple of the
| democratic ideal It could not be, withou
| disaster.
Somewhere in the background Of Admira
| Sims mind there appears to have been
dim thought Of a world ruled for its owl
| good as Quartcrdecks are ruled. But th'
world today cannot be ruled after the man
ner of the quarterback. Peoples will nspir
| md hope and strive and question afte
ideals If their own.
So m admiral - even an admiral whit
functions as brilliantly as Sims within tn
wide radius Of his normal activities - i
wholly without authority 20 b" the voice o
a government or n nation. This the ad
miral probably has learned in bufeting
storm more troubling than any that he eve
encountered upon deep waters Because h
was wrong he ought to be disciplined. An
because he was wrong you have to feel in
way sorry for him.
| AukiNc AMI MAD