Show NAVY I SLOW To IO ACCEPT Admiral Says War Was Prolonged Prolonged Prolonged Pro Pro- longed by hy Action of Department Department Department De De- De- De Which Ignored I His Requests for Action Br fly Associated t rn-n. rn w ASHINGTON March 10 Rear Admiral Sims gave the Senate naval investigating committee commit commit- tee today loday what he ho asserted was indisputable indis- indis evidence that the navy nary department de dc- dc fell down completely durin during during dur dur- in ing the first six months of the war Numerous messages cs sent by the admiral ad ad- i miral to the navy ry department during the early days das of Americas America's participation participation participation pation in the conflict and other d documents documents docu docu- cu- cu ments were offered as' as proof that despite de do- spite the officers officer's urgent and reiterated reiterated reiter reiter- requests that every available vessel yes ves essel sd sel be he sent to the critical area of submarine submarine submarino sub sub- marine marino activities the department neither followed his llis recommendations nor informed him Jim of its plans and policies Six months after the Unit United d States entered tho the war the admiral said the department adopted many of the policies he lie had urged from the tho first Irs t. t Tho lack of or wholehearted American operation co-operation with the tho allies from the start tho the admiral said resulted In pro prolongation longa of ot tho tle war until November 1918 when it could have been ended In July needless sacrifice of ot lives expenditure of oC which might ht have havo been boen saved and gain of or tons of or shipping If It the thc navy nay department had hind acted promptly ho asserted asserted assorted as as- sorted tho the United Stats States would have had a million instead of or soldiers sol eel diers In ir Franco France lI by the tho time the Ger- Ger Continued on Pago Page 2 2 SIMS SAYS NAVY WAS SLOW TO END FIGHT Continued from Page 1 mans began tho the great Creat drive on the western front In March arch InS 1018 I C Canned t d Much Embarrassment Explaining Explaining- that his recommendations many times were made after arter conferences conferences confer confer- with the allied naval commanders command command- ers Admiral Sims said the tho failure of ot the department to keep him properly n ru q to tn lt Its and A was a source e of t r ni-r great t embarrassment ent to him Instead most of at his Information re regarding regarding re- re garding American naval plans ho he said was obtained accidentally at the admiralty admiralty admiralty ad ad- or through visiting visiting- officers on merchantmen When he advised that tho convoy system proposed by the British alty be put into immediate tEl operation Admiral Sims said ho rec received ived a cablegram cablegram cable cable- gram from Secretary Daniels stating that in Sin regard reg-ard to convoy I consider that American naval esses having baving armed guards are arc safer when sailing lUng independently Later adoption of the convoy system ho he said indicated the of or his recommendation Taking up the tho situation created by bythe bythe the submarine menace tho the admiral said that in June 1917 he ho told the de department department de- de the efforts then being made mado to curb tho the U-boats U was not not succeedIng succeeding succeeding succeed succeed- ing and the necessity a aln was presented presented presented pre pre- of or sending all destro destroyers ers tugs tuSS yachts and other craft crall which can reach tho the critical area by themselves or towed part way Misunderstood Situation Tho The department in reply repy he be said said I stated that the department recognizes the necessity of ot sending all aU antisubmarine antisubmarine antisubmarine marine craft which can bo be spared from rom home homo waters Into active European waters wa wa- tore and when n such craft become available available avaU avail avail- able will send them and announced Q l tn In I. I to v r fr v s UI j way and that It would consider the question of ot supplying additional nava naval forces other than antisubmarine craft whenever the tho advisability of ot BO so doing Is justified justified- This reply the admiral said sal convinced convinced convinced con con- vinced him that the department en entirely entirely en- en n- n misunderstood the situation and caused him to appeal to Ambassador Page Pago for tor assistance In a letter to the ambassador on June he made most of or the assertions that brought brough I the present investigation reviewed the entire situation quoted from messages I exchanged with the tho department am and I closed with the statement that the war var will be won v or lost within the next few months for if tho shipping losses continue at tho present rate 1 It I must bo be lost because tho the allies can cannot cannot I Inot not win The admiral admix did not say what was the rC result of ot the letter |