New-York tribune., 1922-12-19
Philippines at
Mercy of Foe,
Sims w arms
Guam Also Could BE Seized
by japan or Any Other
Power, Retired Admiral
Informs Financiers Here
us. Hamstrung in Pacific
Insists Small Military Force
Could Convert Important
Island TO Young Gibraltar

Guam or the Philippines can be
taken BY any government that wants
them 70 long as they remain barren Of
military defenses, Rear Admiral VIII
liam s. Sims (retired), said yesterday
I'm a talk Of the necessity for nation
vide education 20 prevent the scrap
ming Of the American navy. lie spoke
before seyenty-fye fnanciers and bu'i-
ness mon who met At the invitation Of
william Hamlin Childs under the
auspices Of the National Security
League AZ the Union League Club,
ANY nation said Admiral Sims.
"can spit on the Philippines and you
can't stop Il. Il can take the Philip
mines any time IL wants 20. II We got
into trouble with any one In the West
orn Pacific Il could take Guam away.
We couldn't stop II because Guam Is
undefonded. II could be taken By the
troops Of Japan"
Admiral Sims explained that with
out a nearby base a feet could not eT-
Isl westward Of Guam II Il had 10 de-
pend on food and supplies a point
1900 miles away. To support a feet In
the Philippines. he said. would require
300 ships going out 10 the feet with
supplies and 300 ships going back
Wants Guam Gibraltar
eve are hamstrung in the Pacihc.-
declared Admiral Sims summing up
this feature OF the naval situation,
"and there is no need FOR II az all"
BY eypending, he said, one-haf the
cost Of n battleship the little island
OF Guam could be made a young
Gibralt r." 10 IL impossible, however,
Admiral Sims declared, 10 convince
Congress Of this need. or Of the need
for q personnel Of az least 10000 men
In the navy because the Congressman
believe that such legislation has not
the support Of the American people.
lie declared that the compromise Of
Congress in providing a naval per
sonnel Of $4,000 is just a little over
20 per cent Of an adequate personnel,
and said that a navy manned by 70
per cent personnel doesn't stand a
chance with one manned 100 per cent
strong.
Great Britain and Japan. Admiral
Sims added, are much stronger than
the United States, even with the Amer
lean navy fully manned. Especially
in the case OF Great Britain is this
true, he pointed out, because the Eng
lish have their merchant marine.
1T is just as impossible" he de-
clared, "for a feet to move without
a merchant marine as II is for an army
to proceed without its lines Of commu-
nieation."
Military knowledge Necessary
The one great lack in this country,
Admiral Sims said. is n knowledge even
among the well-informed citizens Of
military strategy. Not a college or
university in the land, to his knowl-
edge, he said, has an instructor in
strategy, while abroad there is praeti-
cally not a college without such man.
This accounts, according 70 the ad-
miral. for the ignorance In matters
military and makes legislation which
has for It's purpose the defense and
safety Of the country impossible.
II don't want TO say hard things
about any country, including our own"
he said, discussing the possibility Of
total disarmament, but nations In
their dealings are not honest. l.
they've got the force they show the
other fellow where 10 sign on the
dotted line. It's a crude way Of put
ting Il / know, but it's the truth.'