PROLONGING THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 144, 13 March 1920, Page 7

PROLONGING THE WAR

'UNITED STATES: NAVY DEPART- ; : ' MBXT BLAMED. . • • • Washington, March 11; .. Admiral Sims, ■ giving evidence before the Senate Navai. Investigation Committee, said .tho failure, of the-Navy Department to act quickly upon recommendiir tions.and to: plncp the entire., jiaval r.e-; sources-, of 'the;'Unite(L-States' at 4he posal-of' the Allies within.,six.months 'after.; America had ..entered /the .conflict,' prolonged the war'at least-four months. Admiral- Sims declared that ho was sorely embarrassed by the lack of confidence and co-operation in- the . Navy Department during* the most trying days of the -war,, aria; repeatedly, asked 1 it, to. relievo him of the command if ho hnd lost its confidence.'' During the first year "there.was no co-operation with the Allies, and there were petty jealousies and other friction. Afterwards/ there was an improvement'. :

. Admiral"fiims, also said that the .United States .kept the. main fleet i»' .home waters, - ' partly thwmjfh .fear' bf invasion, and partly because it wished .'to possess tlie, fleet, intact after the war , .ended. Simultaneously, the Naval Department kept- assuring the Allies of its'intention to co-operate in European .'witters to tho ftniest extent. '.. .. .

Sinis added that' Britain a'ake<i 'in 'August) 1917, for.a .squadron of.Amqrican coal-burningwarships, .but the Isaval Department d«l. not send,'them for., several. months'. The .Department's .policy was obviously "safety -firsthand the Allies . nwt.", When-the squadron'was sent.'it was not .homogeneous, and was conso: cinentlv of small value for fighting.—Aus.N.Z.' Cable Assn.