New Britain herald., 1925-02-27
SIMS OPPOSES UNIFIED AIR FORCE
 - Believes That U. s. Should Have Many Pliers NAVY BACKBONE BROKEN
Sea Forces Should Command Air From Shore out---Not Much Im- pressed by Finding of speical Navy Board--ships Not Strong Enough.

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 Board--ships Not Strong Enough.
 Washington, Feb. 27.--Rear Ad- miral William Sims, retired, today Vigorously opposed before the house aircraft committee the creation of unified air service as urged by Briga- dier General Mitchell, assistant army air chief.
 The witness predicted that "the
 capital ship of the future" would be
 an airplane carrier. Questioned about navy administration in gen.
 eral, he charged that the naval offi- cers in high positions are not in
 sympathy with the naval war col
 lege. Secretary Daniels permitted
 himself to be surrounded by officers
 who had not attended the college,
 he said. and Secretaries Denby and Wilbur continued with the same
 officers.
 Another witness on today's list was J. A. Roche on aerodynamic engineer at McCook field near Dayton, O.. summoned for further questioning on recent wind tunnel tests on air. plane specifications submitted by J. I V. Martin a New York manufacturer and rejected by the army in 1920. The committee ordered the recent tests after Mir. Martin had complain cd that his rejected specifications called for better plans than those in use by the army today.
 Secretary Weeks, whom the com- mittee voted yesterday to recall was not on the list of those to be exam ined today, members deciding to postpone the questioning of the war secretary until tomorrow.
 Admiral Sims read to the com- mittee an article written by him in July, 1923, declaring the airplane will hold the key of power in the next war. Bombing tests against the German battleship Ostfriesland. the article said showed that rela- lively small bombs could sink vessel and that no surface ship could long escape destruction if ex- posed to an, attack from the air.
 Even those who claim the bat tleship is the backbone of the feet he said, "admit fleet must have an adequate njr force"
 The admiral declared that when two fleets meet at sea, "the one with the largest air force will be the ul- innate victor, as it can destroy the 1 others air force and then bomb the | ships at will.'
 The Panama Canal could be de- tended against capture, he said, If | protected by a greater air force than | that of the attacking fleet. He pre- dicted an era of competitive build- ing of mobile naval air forces"
 If Japan should attack Hawaii with a fleet of twelve airplane car riers, other auxiliary craft and no battleships. he said she would have an advantage over "our fleet of bat tleships and the Langley"
 Such Japanese fleet, he declar- ed, would be able to bomb down" the Hawaiian defenses and destroy the planes defending the Island.
 The admiral endorsed the building up of a powerful air force by the United States, however. and declared the airplane would play a predomi- nate part in the next war.
 Couple the airplane with the sub- marine, the admiral said and an enemy fleet cannot exist unless steaming a zigzag course at full speed"
 If a fleet comes up against ours with more airplane carriers and can command the air, don't see how we can win," he added. 'lf there is anything know about the navy. 1t is gunfire, and after making all cal if an anti-aircraft gunner hits an air. plane.
 You'll fire the guns, of course, and the noise will relieve the ten sion.
 In opposing unified air service, { Admiral Sims said the navy needed naval officers familiar with navy tac- tics, operating it's aircraft. <
 The air force from the shore I out" he said, must be commanded i by the navy and I think with the f submarine and aircraft properly de- f veloped, not necessarily excessively, < we can protect ourselves from an g enemy coming across the sea-" f
 Not Impressed By Report, S
 Asked for his opinion of the re- $ cent report of the special navy board | which held that the battleship re- mains the first line of defense, the I admiral replied: I
 q wasn't much impressed with { the report, The day after it was C issued the secretary of the navy Is I sued q statement heartily approving i 1t, but opinion of the secretary on I highly technical matter like this S doesn't amount to much" [
 "The findings of the board were [ just what a lot of people thought | they would be- q
 The recent bombing tests on the ll Washington, the admiral added, likewise did not impress him. For some unknown reason, he said, the distance at which the depth charges were exploded had been kept secret"
 Would our navy be in first class condition for battle if we put on bis- ters and elevated the guns?" asked Representative Perkins, republican, r New Jersey.
 "I don't thing so." answered the adding that depth charges Y like those used against the Washing I ton probably. would have blown the blisters off" F
 AS understand the special boards report" asked Perkins, "the p remains the backbone of a the navy; it that right?" p
 yet, is is. but it's broken" an- ? swered Sims. c