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Show GREAT POWERS VESTED II THE GHIEFSABRDAD Rear Admiral Fletcher and Major General Sibert Replaced Re-placed by an Order of Sims and Pershing. AUTHORITY TO ACT NOT QUESTIONED Specific Causes of Removal Not Given, but Other Officers Offi-cers Were Thought to Be Better for Service. i : . WASHINGTON, Jan. 4. Further proof of the sweeping character of the powers vested in the commanders-in-chief of the American naval and military forces in Europe Eu-rope has been disclosed in connection with the return to this country for duty of Rear Admiral William B. Fletcher, former for-mer head of the naval department in French waters, and Major General William Wil-liam I Sibert, who commanded the firet American troops sent to France. Confirmation was given today to reports re-ports that Admiral Fletcher had been replaced re-placed by Rear Admiral Wilson because Vice Admiral Sims felt that the latter officer was better fitted for the particular particu-lar duties imposed by the post. Similarly, it is understood, although there was no formal announcement from the war department, de-partment, that the return of General Sibert was due to General Pershing's conclusion con-clusion that the arduous task of training a division in France could be performed better by another officer. Why Sims Acted. The fact' that. Admiral Fletcher's return re-turn to await assignment to duty, probably prob-ably as commandant of an Important navy yard, coincided with publication of reports re-ports that investigation of the loss of the American army transport Antilles with sixty-seven 1 lives foreshadowed a naval shake-up, led to the direct connection connec-tion of these two incidents. It was explained ex-plained officially today, however, that the decision to replace Fletcher had been made by Admiral Sims prior to the sinking sink-ing of the transport. The question reviewed by Admiral Sims in reaching his decision, it is understood, had to do with the use made of the limited number of destroyers or other craft assigned as-signed to convoy work. The number has been greatly increased recently. Will Frame Policy. Both the war and navy departments face the necessity of framing a policy to be followed with relation to publication of the names of officers who may be relieved re-lieved from responsible posts for the good of the service. The question is said to be a delicate one, because the officers in volved may have proved unsatisfactory only for a very special and limited class of duties. In such cases officials feel that it is hardly fair to announce that they have been removed for inefficiency, as it might servo to blight their careers. It is indicated, however, that where there is direct evidence of culpability there will be no hesitation In publishing names and such circumstances as military mili-tary consideration will permit. There is no case before either department depart-ment that warrants such action, it is said, so far as officers of any Important rank are concerned. The decisions of the commanders abroad on all questions of the sending home of officers under their command is absolute I and will not "be questioned here unless some gross miscarriage of justice or mis-, use of power is disclosed. |