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Show FLEETS COMMANDER IS A HOME LOVER ? I 1k x y-SKX v Mm litt I lllll I W0&Ws$ fill 4l wSPJ a: i ' "Vice Admiral Sims, Who Heads Destroyer Flotilla Flo-tilla Aiding to Ward Off Submarines, W as a Confirmed Bachelor Until He Met a St. Louis ' Girl in Petrograd-1 Now He Spends All Available Time -with His Family. JJjj?2 A ylLLIAM S. SIMS, the first vice SSspxl admiral of the United States navy, appointed by President Wilson bc- fcause he Is tho man upon vhom the president depends more than any other v . for results In tho naval war against Goi- many, married a St, Louis girl. Mlas Anne p E. Hitchcock, daughter of the late Etha.n Ji1 Allen Hitchcock, who was secretary of the interior under President Roosevelt. v Admiral Sims la a Roosevoltian typo of f Oghter, and is now In personal command of tho American flotilla In Eritish waters that is already busy at the work of atop- . Pbig the dovaslallng U-boat that threats' threat-s' fma to paralyze tho commerce of tho allies' E W America. Notwithstanding that he Is one of tho Xnost enthusiastic red-blooded fighters in tho American navy, Admiral Sims Is tho jj, moBt domestic man In tho servlco, in all likelihood, and spends as much of his i! time as conditions permit with his wife &nd five children at their home in New- port. R. I. 1 Until he married Miss Hitchcock in 1005, Capt. Sims was regarded as a con- jS. tinned bachelor by his associates in tho BV"I'Vj'' nicc nIs niarriago, th6 navy men leaPhavc been compelled to revise their esli- " mates of him completely. Ho is the j proudest father In tho land; has a large Eamlly of children, ranging in ago from bno year to ten years, lie delights in nothing moro than in tho society of hl3 .wife and chldren, and he is tnclr con- t 6tant companion In spite of tho fact tr.at Tor many years ho has been, possibly, the most active representative of the Amorl- jhk can navy in European councils. j He Is tho close friend of Sir John Jclll- t"i coe, and Lord Bcrcsford, tho big men of w the English navy, "and knows practlcjilly T T- evcrj Important navaK head in Europo .' en both aides of tho present jrrcat war. Admiral Sims Is the best typo of red-blooded red-blooded American. Ho Is so frank In 1 Bpeech that former President Taft once Jrlmanded him for a talk ho made at IHKt-'jfondon while the guest of the lord raayo 1 1 Tho speech is ono of the things that may give Admiral Sims' namo a distinguished distin-guished placo In tho Hall of Fame, evon If it was regarded as undiplomatic at tho time. In It ho expressed the sentiment that "blood is thicker than water," by stating that "Every drop of blood in tho United Slates, and every dollar, will bo used for the defense of England If over she is attacked by an external enemy." Tho German Government immediately protested against the statement of Sims, which gained wide publicity, and It wan in response to this protest that President Taft administered his mild roprlmand. "Bendy for Action at Once!" Another Incident that will live In history, his-tory, that Indicates tho truo American typo of Admiral Sims, is tho recent declaration dec-laration of tho -vice admiral then a rear admiral to the English commandor upon the arrival of the American flotilla in British waters. "When will you bo ready for action?" the Englishman lo said to havo asked. "We are ready for action at once," was the ready respnuso of Admiral Sims. "We prepared for action on tho way across." These episodes Jllustrato tho mettle of tho peppery American commander, who I3 so wrapped up in his family and home that ho spends virtually every hour that la not dovoted to tho actual work of tho navy, with lire. Sims and their children. For several years ho has boon tho head of tho War College at Newport, and has been able to bo with his family part of tho time. L.lko all navy men who are In actual charge of ships, it is necessary for hirn to spend much of his time at sea, nnd Admiral Sims hns not hung back to mingle with his little ones when duty calls him to tho firing Mno across the ocean. It is a safe bet that Admiral Sims will bo close to tho fighting where It la thickest In the weeks and months to come, whllo the nation watches the war on the deadly .U-boat, which Jhc allies have been unable to check without American Amer-ican aid. And of all the nation, none will watch with moro interest tho progress of tho American flotilla In British waters than tho former St. Louis girl who Is thi mother of Admiral Sims' children. Mrs. Sims, tho second daughter of Ethan Allen Hitchcock, married her distinguished dis-tinguished husband In Washington, "after a romance that began In Petrograd, whon that capital was knerfvn as St. Petersburg Peters-burg and her father was tho American ambassudor to Russia. Commandor Sims, a3 ho was then, met tho beautiful daughter daugh-ter of tho American ambassador in tho course of an ofllcial visit to Russia. Confirmed Con-firmed bachelor as he was considered at tho time, ho nevertheless bocamo cx-t cx-t tremely Interested in Anno Hitchcock at this meeting in a distant land. A novelist nov-elist would, no doubt, say It was a case of lovo at first sight on tho part of tho rising young naval expert, although his naval associates believed that his bride was the navy and mere woman had no chance to entrap his affections. Whatever tho facts, it is certain that Commander Sims mado it a point to ace Miss Hitchcock several times whllo ho was detailed in St. Petersburg on business busi-ness with her Illustrious father. When Ambascador Hitchcock becamo secretary of the interior under President Roosevelt. Roose-velt. Capt. Sims made it a point to vi3it hlm-and his pretty daughter In Waah-Ington. Waah-Ington. It was In Washington that Capt. Sims courtud Miss Hitchcock, and when ho won her hand President Roosevelt added to the luster of the wedding celebration cele-bration by attondlng it in person. Roosevelt had taken nn Interest in Capt. Sims a short tlmo bofo'ro when he heard of a young naval officer who was boldly criticising the gunnery of American Ameri-can seamen and tho methods of target practice In vogue In tho navy. An Investigation In-vestigation convinced Roosevolt that young Sims was right and that tho American Amer-ican navy, famod for tho marksmanship of Its sailors, was In dangor of losing Its prestige unless a radical chango In navy practlcos occurred. It was a lucky day for Sims whon President Roosevelt decided that his criticism was Justified. Tho older heads of tho navy, woro wrothy at tho youtii; upstart's actions, but tho prosldont got squarely behind him and ordorcd a complete com-plete change of methods In accordance with tho views expressed so boldly by tho young Sims. Experience has JustlfloJ tho conlldonco of Roosevelt In Sims' contention, con-tention, and tho American navy Is now a much moro effeetlvo organization for battling than It would have been If no chango had boon forced. Tho Incident gavo Sims much publicity, not only in I1I3 own country, but abroad; and In the years that followed ho camo to bo looked upon as a leader among tho naval authorities au-thorities of tho world. He had insisted upon applying the samo methods In American target prac-tlco prac-tlco that provallod in the British navy, which was tho rocognized naval powor of tho world. Tho advantagca of this were apparent to tho technical experts, and wore not lost upon President RooBe-volL RooBe-volL Admiral Sims has never underestimated underesti-mated tho value of tho English method in navy affairs, and today tho world is forced to acknowledge that his pattern deserved tho confldonco which ho reposed In it. It may bo that Admiral Sims acquired his respect for tho English naval machine ma-chine partly because of hl3 ancestry and birth. He was born in Canada, and his mother was an English woman. His father romoved to Pennsylvania while William was still a young boy, and his rearing has been entirely In tho United Admiral and Mrs. Sims and Their Five Interesting Children States. It is moro than probftble that his interest in English naval methods was excited by tho obvious high quality of that naval r service. Tho greatest naval authorities of all nations havo shown a similar keon interest In and respect for Enclish naval methods. Admiral Sims Is woll known to many St. LoulsanB who havo mot him In Washington and Newport, but ho ha'J mado few visits to tho former homo of his wife and those wero always, of necessity, neces-sity, brief stops. Mrs. John F. Sheploy. 03 Torlland place, wlfo of tho president of tho St. Louis Union Trust Company, In a sister-in-law of Admiral Sims. Mrs, Sheploy was MIsb Sarah Hitchcock, eld-ost eld-ost daughter of tho lato Ethan Alien Hitchcock. Sims visited St. Louis about four years ago and mado an addre&s at tho St. Louis Club, on tho subject of tho navy and tho kind of training neoded to make It tho greatest of all navies. Ho said on that occasion that tho navy needed baseball playors moro than any other class of mon to mako it ofllclent. Tho great Amorican outdoor sport is tho! best training that naval mon can indulgo. Admiral Sims contondod. Ho said this fact has como lo bo recognized by the Bhrowd Japanese, and that la why tho Japs havo adopted baseball a3 a national nation-al bport. It trains the oyo, the muscle and tho mind of tho player in Just tho way that will fit a man for ofllclent work on a war vessel, Sims said. Sims is a closo student of many angles of naval affairs that would not appeal to tho avorago naval loader bocauso thoy are not so alluring as tho spectacular end of tho game tho gun fighting. Ho Is a member of that school, if it may bo described ns such, that lays stress on such matters as tho character, physical, mental and moral, of tho men who coin-poso coin-poso tho navy. Ho bolioves that a navy can bo no atrongor than its weakest point, and that tho personnel as woll as tho ships must bo kept up to a high standard stand-ard if good results aro expected. Another theory that Admiral Sims has harped on considerably in tho last threo years, In tho faco of somo dlscourago-mont dlscourago-mont in government circles, Is tho Importance Im-portance of battlo crulaors as units of a gTcat navy. The American navy is otrlklngly doflclent In these boats, whllo it haa droadnaughts In abundance. Tho battlo crulsor is a lighter and a speedier boat, and it is Admiral Sims' thoory that it must be present in numbers to onabin dreadnaughts lo attain their maximum of ofllclency. Tho government authorities authori-ties havo been persuaded partially to follow fol-low Admiral Sims' advice, but tho navy program docs not satisfy him as yet in thiB respect. Sims' Hecord. Admiral Sims was born in Port Hope, Ont., Canada, in 185S, and entered the navy as a cadet midshipman in 1S76, from Pennsylvania. Ho was graduated from tho Naval Academy In 1BS0. In tho period Immediately preceding tho Spanish-American war, Rear Admiral Sims, thon a lieutenant, was naval at-tacho at-tacho at Parla, and was Intrusted with tho responsibility of buying ships and supplies sup-plies for tho navy. Ho remained In Paris until 1000, when ho was sont to tho Asiatic Asi-atic station and assigned to duty on the battleship Kentucky. Ho wn3 later float intelligence ofllcer on the staff of tho commandor In chief of tho Asiatic station, serving In that capacity undor Rear Admirals Rcmoy and Rodgers. It was whllo on this tour of duty that ho bocamo Intimately associated with Capt. (now rear admiral) Sir Percy Scott of tho British navy. Capt, Scott's ship had, at that time, nindo remarkable scores in tar-got tar-got practlco undor now mothods dovised by Its commander. Liout. Sims becamo thoroughly familiar with theso mothods H HI 1? J'J.' - 1 ill? I Big38' ) II s-e -? f II of training in naval gunnery and ac- V qualnted tho Navy Department with IjH In the autumn of 1002, by direction of V' President Roosevolt, Lieut. Sims was or- V dured to tho Navy Department and placed. V H at tho head of tho offlco of naval prac- H tlce. Ho remained In that position for j nearly seven vcars, and It was during H this timo that great improvement was V V mado In our navy In gunnery and ord- H nance. In order to keep In touch with tho H latest Improvements n other navies ho Vl mado trips to England each year, confer- Itl ring with experts in gunnery and ord. Ipl nance, especially with Scott, who was II knighted and mado rear admiral for his K M services In improving tho gunnery of the It 11 British warships. Ho came In contact M with Sir John Jelllcoo and other nfficers M who arc now directing th( operations oC M the British navy. Served Aboard Ship. ,.. ) M Vr lM In February, 1009, while a commander, ! H he was assigned to command the battle- s f ship Minnesota of tho Atlantic fleet, ( H which ship he commanded for moro than rS two years. Ho then wont to the Naval g War College at Nowport for a two-year jm course, and during tho second year of Iji H his course was a member of the staff of fij H tho war college Kj H After tho completion of this courso ho 1 H was mado commander of tho torpedo flo- 1 H tilla of the Atlantic fleet. In 1915 he jH H was assigned to command tho new Kj H drcadnaught Nevada. A year later ho IP. H was mado president of the Naval War 1 l! jH College and commandant of the Second JH Naval District Ho was promoted to ' !i lf rear admiral Inst August, being- ono of j ij tho flrst captains promoted to this rank, ! M on recommendation of tho Selection 1 Board. H After the outbreak of tho war Rear Admiral Sims held conferences with tho 1 British and French naval ofllclals as to 1 I M tho bost mothods of co-operation of tho j navies of tho nations at war with Ger- j 'H many. 1 f It Is understood that Rear Admiral - H Sims had been a strong supporter for f lmmedlato and effoctlvo naval co-opera- k ! tlon betwocn tho British and Amorican Ljl navies In an offensivo campaign against Pl U-boats. It is also understood that ho was partly responsible for tho quick ac- j j tion taken by this government in dis- j ! patching destroyers to tho barred zono. j With tho rank of vico admiral, ho will ' jH be among tho ranking British offlcors. I Rear Admiral Sims' record to dato In ( (jl tho navy has boon marked by a progres- 'H olvo determination to Improve whatever ho has taken chargo of and to make the I servlco second to none in efficiency. j LH Sims has been a conspicuous figure In j jH the navy on Jiumorous occasions. On (vH January 10, 1011, President Taft deoided ' (jf that Commander Sims should bo publicly j reprimanded for his speoch of a few days I !H previous at a dinner givon in London by I . tho lord mayor in which Sims declared j H that if Great Britain ever was soriously H threatened sho could depond on "ovory H man, ovorj' dollar, ovory drop of blood," H In the United Statos. H On January 3, 1010, in a signed stato- H mont, wldoly publlstcd, Sims said tho only naval lesson In tho European war had been thnt victory was to tho strong. He . ventured to say ho believed that naval H offlcors had loarnod no lessons of lmpor- jl tanco from tho few naval clashes of tho ll central and allied powors. but said that, liH on tho other hand, tho man In tho street H had learned a great deal. wl ''Ho has learned that battleships aro no ll good; that submarines wore moro powor- KH ful nnd mucli cheaper, and the battlo ll cruisers wero tlio real thing, overahndow- ll lng oven tho submorslbles," he said. At all periods of his naval caroor Sims H has been a champion of tho battlo cruiser. H Sims called tho battlo of Jutland "use- ll less." Ho said tho British galnod nothing f WM worth while, excepting tho Arm convic- VB tion that battlo cruisers woro needed and WM that they woro tho typo essential to ( I successful navy. sjl Admiral Sims represented the United H Stutcs In tho allied war council In Paris, H |