DANIELS AND SIMS.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 3929, 9 February 1920, Page 2

DANIELS AND SIMS.

the; navy scandal.

<.U? Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (Aus.-N.Z. (Jable Association.)

Washington; February 7. Mr. Daniels, .Secretary to the "United States Navy. in his evidence 'before the. Senate Investigating Committee, said alter Congress had passed a law 1.-enniUinir foreign decorations, President Wilson directed the State Department to notify European Governments that tho United States did not wisJi any decorations. Jn the meantime Admirals Rodman, Strauss, and Sims had r accepted decorations. Rodman and Strauss desired to refuse, but accented lest the refusal should offend Britain. Admiral Sims held that tho decoration would have a. valuable effect on morale and fighting efficiency. Mr. Daniels further alleged that Admiral Sims had told the Congressional representatives at Paris djiring the 'war that General Pershiug had failed 1o bivak the German lines and that the American navy had played , a small part compared with the British. Daniels accordingly refused Sims' decorations because he had become a British propagandist. Daniels said Sims wanted to'leave the control of the seas to firoat Britain, which lie (witness) would call "an un-American .policy." The United States must follow one of two courses: She must have a .League of Nations with a mobile police force of the soa to which sho would contribute as. much as any nation; if not this, then her duty was as plain as a nikestafl: she must have incomparably the biggest navy in the world.