The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-02-27
.OULD N'T
DEFEAT
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seen by the army forces on the
Sims opposed a unified air serv-
ice.
The air force operating with the
tent naval officers, who have lived
their lives in the navy, said Sims.
"I would be afraid Of pilots, no
matter how fine, they were, who
were not fully experienced in naval
operations" he said.
do you think that airplanes will
be vitality important in the next
naval warp asked Congressman
Perkins Rep.l of New Jersey.
Planes Predominate-
al think airplanes viii play pre-
dominant part replied Sims.
with an air and submarine force,
adequately but not excessively de
VeIoped, we would render It tmpos-
sibble for an enemy to send over
a naval fleet to infIict its policies
upon u.s."
without the aid Of a1rplanes, the
American fleet could not carry on
attack in the home waters Of an
enemy" said Sims.
''Yous know, fleet can only go
so far and then It must. come
home" said Sims. IF we. took
our fleet across the ocean, we
would have to pull the ball Of our
thumb against our nose or. make
some other gesture and then come
home
Sims placed great emphasis upon
submarines.
."No fleet can exist in the. face
Of submarines unless 1t is running
at full speed and f. 1is-1agging.
do You mean that aircraft vii.
be. the decisive factor in the next
war" asked Perkins.
Command Is In. Air.
''The nation that commands the
air over. g, land or q sea force viii
bring either to submission" replied
Sims. THE only way to fight
guns, and anti aircraft fire is extreme
and anti-aircraft fire is extremely
4 think the navy, therefore,
should build light afrp1ane carriers
instead Of cruisers" ~
Sims assailed Conservatism in
the navy.
'It's ! curious thing he said.
''but you can't change the minds
Of the navy conservatives. You
have to shed their. blood before
they charge. or they'll hang on until
some disaster comes along.
II cant impress this upon you
too much.
with an adequate air and sub.
N"
Was Not Impressed. !.
Sims said he was mot seriously
impressed" by the report Of the
Navy General Board on the relative
value Of the battleship and airplane.
III tell you the reason" he said.
About the time that it was an
nounced that the inquiry was 10 be
made, the Secretary Of the Navy
got out a statement saying the
battleship was the backbone Of the
fleet. OF course, the opinion OF
Secretary of the Navy has no great
military value, but it might carry
some weight with the men who
were to write the report. II seems
to me that 1t was foragone con.
ciusion what the report would he"
Neither was he impressed, Sims
said. by the tests Of the battleship
Washington.
"If an air bomb does nothing
moro than slow down a battlesflip,
1t means the loss of that ship to the
battle fleet" Sims said.
Unification Of the air force in
England has destroyed its effective.
ness. Sims said.
''As a result the British have
practically turned the air force over
to the navy" he added
His Career Tr0ubIOus
Wont you tell us OF your career
In the navy?" asked Perkins.
well, my career In the navy has
been largely getting ). into trouble
with the principal dignitaries," re-
piled Sims.
Describing the first American
battleship. Sims said:
1T is astounding that white men
in this stage OF civilization could
have built ship like that"
He referred to the Kentucky.
Practically all the reports OF his
work in the navy have been de-
Stroyed, Sims said. ''I have q let.
ter saying the department ordered
them burned. That Is the extent
TO which opposition will go when
one crittcizes things" he declared.
During the first three years OF
the war, before we went in, our
Government did not take advantage
Of the privilege Of a neutral to
send men abroad to study condi-
TONS" said Sims.
Refused Aid, He Says.
Sims said he was refused aid
from Washington during the first
few months that he was in Eng