THE SIMS SPEECH

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 36, 11 August 1921, Page 7

THE SIMS SPEECH

"JACKASSES WITH VOTES"

CAUSE OF THE REPRIMAND.

During June several cable messages reported the recall and reprimand of Admiral Sims for a speech be made in London, but the cable reports gave no indication of the words which led to the incident. These are given in the English papers - ' Mr. Deraby, Secretary of the United States Navy, sent a ■ cable message to Admiral Sims as follows :— "I have read with amazement certain extracts from a\ speech purported to have been made by you ,in addressing the English-Speaking Union at a luncheon in London on 7th June, .as.follows :— v 'I do not want to touch on the Irish question, for I know nothing about it, but there are many in our counta.7 who technically are Americans, some of them naturalised, and 'some born there, but none of them Americans at all. They are Americans when they want money, but Sinn Femers on the platform. They 1 are making war on America to-day. The simple truth of it is that they have, the blood of British fad American boys on their hands for the obstructions they placed in the way of the most effective operation of the Allied naval forces during the war. They are like zebras, either black horses with white Btripes, or white horses with black stripes, but We know they are not horses, they are asses; but each of these asses has. a vote, and there are lots of them.' "You are quoted as having advised the British to- ignore any resolution by these jade-asses' votes. "The Irish question,' you are quoted as saying,' 'is partly anAmerican question. Eleven years agp I made a prophecy that came true. I will venture on another now. The Englishspeaking people aw coining together in th« band* of comradeship, and they are going to run this round the globe. I should like to see an inter-English-speak-ing policy, and when we have that we shall have peace and prosperity.' * "You will inform the Department immediately by cable whether or .not you were correctly quoted, and made such statements at the time and place in queetion.—(Signed) Edwin Denby." Mr. I>enby told the Washington correspondents that he had cabled to Admiral Sims, on his own initiative, with oat consuHine President Harding. He added: "We want officers to write freely and to express their opinions whenever they see fit, but we don't want them, to say things which may prejudice the interests of the service or the country." It is recalled here (says the London Daily Telegraph's New York representa.tive) that Admiral Sims has always been very outspoken, and was reprimanded by President Tait for his famous ""blood" is thicker than water " speech at the Guildhall. There is evidence here that the Irish-American politicians will seek to make things very warm for their critic. Senator M'Connick aaid: "It is grossly improper for a naval officer abroad to' asperse the loyalty of a great number of his fellow-citizens." To Senator James Reed the admiral's talk was " simply ' nauseating"." Congressman Manly hoped President Hardinjj would publicly rebuke the admiral. " Ammunition is supplied for the Irish-American campaign by the New York office of the Manchester Guardian, which sends to the American newspaper press an editorial quotation from the Guardian rebuking Admiral Sims and declaring that ' Admiral Sims assimilated himself to an intemperate kind of-Englieh party man.' This censure, coining from an English , source, will add fnel to the flame." Interviewed in London by a prew re- ! preeentatrve, Admiral Sims said: " I stand by all I said; every word of it. I shall sot repudiate a single word which I have said, and I see nothingl un-American in it, even if Senator M'Cormick 'does. Up to the present I: have received no cable from Mr. Denby, as reported, asking me to say by cable whether I, was correctly reported. Of course, it may be on its way, and if I do receive it I, shall reply to it on the lines that I. have indicated to you—namely, tha-t I stand by all that I have said."