Show OWN LETTER PUTS POIS I NAVY MAN N BAD j jI jI I I I Captain Lannig Disputed Sims Plan Once WASHINGTON March arch 23 After i.-After After Captain Captain Cap Cap- tam tain Harris Laning former chief of navigation had told the senate committee Investigating the Sims Sims-Daniels row today that the navy had been without without without with with- out a comprehensive plan for war and that caos virtually existed existed Senator I I Trammell Dem Florida confronted I the captain with a letter he had written I Ito to Admiral Sims on August IS 18 18 1918 1913 saying saying say say- that sa 1 bur bureau bu bu- bu- bu ing he was not convinced the r reau au ot of operations had erred in its general general general gen gen- eral plans and saying sayin al also that had some of Sims' Sims recommendations been I adopted trous they would have hate been disastrous disastrous Senator Trammell contended that LatIn Lating's LanIng's Lat Lan In Ings Ing's s letter was a complete contradiction of some of the Sims char charges es and also some of the charges in Laning's statement statement state state- ment of Wednesday but the captain contended contended contended con con- tended his letter referred to a period inthe inthe in inthe the war Will later than that involved in in the charges by Admiral Sims DANIELS ATTACKED on the part of Secretary Secretary Sec See Daniels Daniels' was responsible for A JJ a serious shortage of personnel which proved pro the Initial handicap of the navy in the war Captain Leigh C C. Palmer war time chief of the bureau of navigation tion testified today The Captain Palme Palmes declared was unable to appreciate the necessity for obtaining and training men in advance advance ad ad- vance yance of an actual declaration of war Even after fter war was declared the witness said he used to say We Ve have too many reserves now IGNORED HIS ORDERS Just before the United States Joined the allies when the bureau of navIgation navigation navigation tion was striving to recruit naval na re reserves reserves re- re serves the witness continued Secretary Daniels ordered enrollment in the reserve stopped It d Did you jou ou stop asked Chairman Hale No o. o we needed men and went right ahead I 1 talked to Mr Daniels the other day and he doesn't remember anything about that said the witness but he did order me roe me to stop enrollment t then and and I several other times Umes I SAYS NAVY LACKED MEN Captain Ir told the committee that when war was declared the navy Was short regular and anti reserve enlisted enlist enlist- ed men and about 2500 officers from Its peace time requirements and at least I additional men and many more of officers officers of- of were needed for destroyers as soon as war was deClared The witness said congress was was' not to blame blain as It gave everything the department asked for Replying to a a. question by Chairman Hale Captain Palmer declared that Secretary Secretary Sec See Daniels did all he could to help get men in the critical da days s 's oJ of the spring of 1917 The secretary he said backed up an all n efforts to get enlisted men roen He was anxious to get them |