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THE WEATHER ..- Bala Wednesday Bad preb. ahly Tharsdsyj colder Than . WATCH LABEL. a fm pasts, rMWl Un Mere tolmtoa sad afsM iMtet dBaw May server VOL. CXI, NO. 35. SIXTEEN PAGES TODAY. RALEIGH, N. C MORNING, FEBRUARY 4, 1920. SIXTEEN PAGES TODAY. PRICE! FIVE CENTS . - u I l .'xj y a v . w w ,-, -,a r -.vy ii i i wul ."-aw ' - y i rs 11 1 '" i i ' . Vj INFLUENZA GAINS RAPIDLY !fi MANY TS OF STATE Total of Reported New Cases To Stats Board Reached I . '1,903 Yesterday , EMERGENCY HOSPITAL IN RALEIGH READY TO OPEN Dr. Ahrons Believe! That There ; ; Have Been 2,000 Oases Infln r ensa 1 Here: Situation at Methodist Orphanage It Im proving; Lee County Schools Closed Because of Epidemic Beports received, at the State Board f Health yesterday indicate that th epidemie of influents in North Carolina if spreading unchecked, and ia daily training; headway in communities that hitherto have bees untouched. Total ; new eases for the day reached 1,903, ; ne re nil hundred mora than has been re- j sported on any single day previously. . Numbers of eountiea reported y eater ' day for the ftrat time sines the epl demiq became prevalent 10 dayi ago. I and their totals, include all eases that bars developed, and are not clamed by i the Health Department as "new- eases 1 in the. sense that they havs developed during the past 48 hours. There are but scattering eases of pneumonia sad very few deaths reported. The epidemie continues most 'wide spread' in the Piedmont and monntaia ' sections of 'the State. Asherille eon- i tinuet to lead the list of cities report' ins. with 35 eases yesterday. Win ston-Balera eomes ia for second place in the list with 310 new eases, and Mor- ganton snd Burke county third with 208. ' Preparations were completed Tester- ' day for opening an smergoney hospital here to take ears or any continues, in crease in the number of eases. Dr, Ahrons, county health officer, asked the ceunty commissioners for an appropria tion to assist ia maintaining the hospi tal in the event that it is necessary to open it. He was assured that aid would . bs extended, Since the recurrence of the epidemie Tiers there have been 733 eass officially TDorted In the City, but Dr. Ahrons be .lieves that this is less than 60 per cent of the "number "of nsM that have ae- 'ttually developed in the city. Only , I part of the medical practitioners in the 4.ity( -W asserted, arc reporting eases ( treated by thm and indications are that '' Raleigh has had as many aa 2,000 eases. " Bequests ts the Southern headquart ers of the Bed Cross in Atlanta, for two nurses to be assigned to ths hospi tal when it is opened here, yesterday failed' to leave promise of , aid. The rfcMDital will be located in ths free clinic building adjoining the Bex hoe pUal. r Nurses employed in county health - work will , be assigned? to the hospital for duty, but these are only a few of the necessary names for such duty. Considerable deffieulty ia being merieneed in securing nurses. ' The situation at the Methodist Or ' nhanam was materially improved yea Aerday, and most of the 800 children whs were stricken there arereeovenng, No new eases of either pneumonia or iafluensa developed. Ths condition of Bussell Nelson, the IS year old boy who v has been desperately .ill with pneu monia, remained unchanged. " Tea new eases of iafluensa developed during the day at State College, making a total of 42 for the past five days. Nobs of the eases being treated there are regarded as serious and a number i of those first to be taken ill are ready to leave the infirmary. So far the die- ease has not appeared in any of the other educational institutions in the city, although there were twe suspect . casts at Meredith college last night. Beoortod cases to the State Board vestcrday ware as follows t - Bertie, 40; Burke, ISO; Cabarrus, 54; Cherokee, 17; Chowan, SO; Cleveland, 45: Cumberland. 15: Durham, 16; For eyth, 21; Gaston, 11: Halifax, 25; Johnston. 100: lee, 18: Lenoir, a; lit coin, 100; Martin, 7; New Hanover, 9; Northamotoa. 0: Hoke, 7: Randolph, 6; Richmond, 1 Boekingham, 35; Rowan, 135; Butherford, 61; Hampton, ij tan Jr. 6; Surry. 42: Wake, C6; Wash ington, 9; Wilkes, 8; Wilson, 102; Yancey. 23, - Cities reported aa follows Aaheville. 135. Winston-Salem, 210; Greensboro, 85; Horgaaton, CSj-Bal- ' eigh, 93. " ! '-'? Wilson la Prepared. f Wilson. Feb. S- Fifteen new cases of influenza were reported to the health department Monday bringing the total . number sines the outbreak to 102. Should the malady become epidemic, Wilson is ' in a state of preparedness t meet the onslaught. Several classes of volunteer nurse have been trained to meet sack an emergency. ;; - ' . 1U Cum at' Lexlagteau ' Lexington, Feb. 3. A total of S53 cases of inflneaxa hav4 been reported ' te Dr. E. T. Lonr, eounty health officer. sinee January 23. The contagion is anreadins- rcDorts indicate thronich sev ersl sections of the county, being most - active 'in Silver Hill township and ia and around Lexington, practically all cases reported are said to be as mild forms of la grippe, utn wan nair a dosea severe cases have been reported nad only twe eases of pneumonia. No restrictive measures are being enforced as yet slthouga a number of .public meetings have been voluntarily called (iff. ', ' ' ' . ' Increasing st Klnstoa. . Kinston, Feb. 3. The number ef in fluanss esses hers If steadily increasing, physicians say. Some eases of pneu monia have been - reported. - Medical raea continue to urge the exercise of every precaution by individuals, and Conrtnsed en. Pate Tw.) ' i PAR REVISE FREIGHT RATES TO POINTS NORTH NEW BERN ApBliratien has beea filed with . the Rkhatead District Freight Cenv .masatoa br the Nerfelk-Seataern Railway ceacarriag, fr aa lacrosse ia f Night rates to potato la North Carolina enjoying at present a arte based ea water cn petition, bat are ia actsaUty witheat any wator freight service. The rate asked for weald place these aetata ea a parity . with interior aelata la the State. New Bern, aad point north ait noted ea navigable waters, are In ( claded la the district that wlU be a g acted. The matter has heea act for a hearing ia Rlchasead at 14 ' o'clock the snerning af February 13, aad aay who are iaterested la the matter are Invited ta sabmlt their argaaaeats at that time, Wilmington sad other cities that havs wstcr freight service, are not inclidcd in the proposed increase. Ths State Cerperatiae) Cemmieaiea waa aetined by the Bieanraad Cam atiaatea yeeterdsy that apsUestlea - bad been maae for the increased . rate, ' aad the Ceeasalaelea In tarn .notified the eommorrlal bedlea. ef the aeinto that wtU be Inclsded la the re-arraagemeat ef freight tsriKs. Nethlag has beea hearel as to what ateaa will be taken by them to peaa the appllcaUoa af ths nllrases. ' Secretary M. B. Beasnaa, ef the Kaleigh Chamber of Ceaimerce, yes. teraiay get lata eoaunaaicatloa with orgaaisatieae ia tewas afected aad aaggeated a ceafereace before ac tiea ia taken. Several years age the railroads ea tabUahed to 11 petals aa navigable waters a freight rate based ea wster - ceaspetltlea aa Inter-state freights. , The rats is somewhat knrer than . that accorded to interior cities of the Bute aa later-state traffic' Altaoegh pessaaud af ths theor. etlcal advantage ef water cempetl ties, the railroads maiataia bat few of the points sUaated aa navigable waters have had aay freight service -by water, aad rail reads have been allewiag a' competitive rate ta coat petitlos that deee net, to aay ceaaidersbla exteat, exist. Fer this reaaoa they are petitioning the District Commission far a re-adjast-meat ef rates. Palate speelncslly taeatlened la the petition are New Bern, Bean fart, Jamasvilla, Moreeead City, Elizabeth City, Plymeath, Washmr tea, WilUanaatoa, Roaaeke River Laadlng. Cashls River, SalaMa Creek, Nags Head aad Cslambla Creek. ... , . Nomination ; Would Be Wise Statesmanship For Party, Says Governor - DECLARES FOOD BOSS ESSENTIALLY A DEMOCRAT In Besponse To Bequest From Press, Governor Comes Out For Hoover and Forecasts That Neither Bepuhlican Be svetionaries If or Democratio Banawavs Will Select Man Pinning hit faith on Herbert Hoover's Democracy, Governor Bickett yesterday declared his belief thtt it would be wins statesmanship for the pemocratie parry ts nominate sun lor president. The. Governor fined p on ths Hoover ticket when the New York World, through its representative here, asked him for aa expression of his tpinion. . in Hoover, said the governor, "tht nation would find a worthy successor to our present immortal chieftain. Hs if the one man endowed with .the genius and the grace to carry ta glorious com pletion ths unfinished window Jn Alb din'a Tower.' Governor Bickett is not ths only Hoover champion in Raleigh. Numbers era stalwart Democrats are ready te throw their hats ia the air for the man who is being pushed so vigorously for the nomination in certain quarters. utaers who might oe tor him, are not certain of his Uemocratie strips. And nun others, who are for MeAdoo first but bars scant hope that Democ racy can win with hia banner at the mast head, are biding their time with Hoover as second choice. . - 1 Gere roar's Stotemeai." The Governor's statement to the New York World follows i "For tome tune prior to the World t now famous pronouncement. I Waa of opinion that it would be wise statesman ship for the Democratic party to nomin ate Hoover for president. The fact that 'ha has no entangling -political past ia certainly not a millstone around his neck in the psesent state of the pub lie mind. There is a widespread feeling among the ninety aad nine that a little new blood woald make for wholesome growth. .- "One thiag is reasonably certain. Neither the reactionaries in the Repub lican party nor the runaways ia the vemoeratie party ars going to asms the next president of the United States. Barring; : ths president himself, Mr. Hoover makes a more powerful dual apt peal to the sanity and to ths imagine' tion af the people than any other man. lie woald seem to be an answer to the prayer of the pious ei tinea who said, 'lord, scad na a man who can be a progressive without losing his head, and conservative without hardening his heart.' ' .. .. . . . . "In its finest sense Hoover is essen tially a Democrat, Hia record daring the - world war and his recent writings convince one that hs adequately com- 4 11 1 . , (Centiaaed aa rage Two.) Aannal Harneaa Evsnt 1250. 71st Ilaecs,. Steepler Pinehurrt today t:45. SAdT. BICKETT JOINS IN i aomiovER SENATE TO REMP !E Ot TAPE OVER TREA1 . Many Parliamentary Tangles Carried Down When It Failed of Ratification CLOTURE RULE BOTHERS TALKING SENATORS MOST To Becommit Treaty To For eign Eolations Committee To ' Bemove Bestrictions; Sena tor Borah Issues Statement . Claiming Viscount Grey and ' Uoyd George Back Him Up Washington, Feb. 8. Senate leaders, preparing to bring ths peace treaty again to thf surface of Senate considera tion next week . took up today ths problem of clearing awsy the wreckage of tangled parliamentary red tape which the treaty carried down with it when it failed of ratification last November. Not the least of their troubles was the cloture which was invoked to choke off debate just before the ratification vote and which Vice President Marshall is expected to hold must come back in to the Senate Slong with the treaty. The leaders want some sort of cloture but they do not want to be string halted by so stringent a rule under which msny Senators already have ex hausted their full quota of time. Te Avoid Dlfflcnlty. The method apparently most in favor for avoiding this-difficulty is to re commit the treaty to the- Foreign Rela tions committee a move which parlia mentary experts say would automati cally rid it of its cloture restrictions. ' A statement declaring the recent let ter ef Viscount Grey and the cablegram of Lloyd George bore out the conten tions of the treaty's, irreconcilable foes waa issued tonight by Senator Borah, Republican, Idaho. It said: "The weakening and injury to the league which some apprehend from ths American reservations would not bs felt in. practice,- Thus Viscount Grey disposes, of all reservations and re nounces them ag utterly Ineffective and worthless. The sad part of it is that he is entirely ftorreet. These proposed rsssrvations do not Protect our inde pendence. Tiur do not protect America at all." They: are itmplyUte' flirnsy 'ex- ente.jer railing -to ao wast it if the plain duty of patriotic men te do. They krs the answer of party polities to the demsad by foreign governments to sur render oar independence. ' . ' One Question Involved. . The Grey interview snd Lloyd George's cablegram ought to convince anyone that thore is just one question involved in 'this controversy -that is, shall ws enter the League or shall we stay out of it. 'When we enter the League we -are there for all purposes and our reservations will never be felt nor even respected. "It has been known la Washington for weeks that ths Lodge reservations were entirely, satisfactory to the Eng lish premier.; He would have said so publicly long ago, but he did not desire to offend the President. But after in effort to reach the President through Viscount Grey which failed, and after a full study and after consultation with the greatest lawyers -of London and some in this counter it was concluded that reservations construed by a politi es! body from whose construction there was no appeal would be whollv worth- lees. So Lloyd George cabled 'Lodge reservstions satisfactory, ws want the United States to enter the Leasne. Come into my parlor, said ths spider w ine ny. i wui take my own time in advising yon how to get out." - SEIZE CARGO OF LIQUOR -- WORTH FIVE MILLIONS Yarmouth Sailed ' From New York For Havana But Put Back Into New York New .York, Feb. 3. Ths Black Star steamship , Yarmouth, .which soiled for Havana last month with a $4,800,000 cargo ol wniakey, only to put back here for repairs, was seised by the govern ment late today. Supervising Federal Prohibition Inspector Slievlin-.fonnally notified the captain - that the vessel could not depart and announced that tomorrow he would begin unloading ths liquor for storage ia bonded . ware houses. . '' ,,-.; Counsel for the owners, a corporation composed of negroes, nnnonneed that he would apply to the Federal court for an injunction restraining Shevlin from interfering with the ship or its cargo. A guard of 13 prohibition agents has been on board sinee workmea recently were discovered trying to make off from the ship in a small boat with 60 bottles of whiskey. " Captain Coekburn. the negro master ef the Yarmouth, appeared before Bhev. lia today to -explain how 14 eases of whiskey got from the vessel's hold to aa upper deck under a large tarpaulin, where prohibition agents found it. He said it had been moved so that a pas senger's baggage might be unloaded. When the ship sprang a leak off the New Jersey coast, after it sailed a few hours before prohibition went into ef feet, the captaisf said, 600 easel of whiskey were throws overboard to right a heavy starboard list Hs said he came back to New York instead of making for Norfolk as he preferred the North ern port. ' ' - . ; I ' ; Asstrisa Children to Italy." Vienna. Jan. 10, (By - Mail.) Ten thousand Austrian children are now go ing to Italy as guests of various mum- eipalitief. - They will remain for . the winter, many thousands more are in Switzerland, Germany, Holland and the Scandinavian countries. VRECKAC l.J1f CROWD , ORKED'MEIO RUNFOR SENATOR One of Defendants In Trial Makes "Humiliating" State ment To The Jury ATTORNEY FOR NEWBERRY BRINGS TESTIMONY OUT He Was Used By Bepuhlicans To Prevent Henry, Ford From . Getting Democratic Votes In Primary; Newspaper Man Tells of Efforts To Hire Him As "Political Secretary" Grand Bapidt, Mich, Teh. I. First evidence in the election conspiracy trial of Senator Newberry snd 122 i defendants, was introduced today, when J. G. Hayden, Washington eorrespon dent of The Detroit News,' and James F. Sweinhart, head of that paper's New York bureau, gave testimony bearing on the Newberry publicity campaign. Pre vious to the calling of these witnesses. James W. Heime, candidate for United States Senator In ths 1918 Democratic primary ia Michigan, and one of the defendants, mads to the. jury a state ment which hs. said was "humiliating." Helme'a papsaranee was unheralded. It followed a statement by James- O, Murfln, who opened for the defense, that Heime had been "worked ' by the New berry campaign committee into making the race against Henry Ford. Alurna explained to the jury that thia was done to prevent Democratic votes being east for Ford m the Republican primary. He Admits "Being Worked." "I was 'worked.' as Mr. Mur fin told you." said Heime. "I am making this statement ' because I seem to occupy a position apart from the other defendants but the recital is i d!, humiliating. Heime said that Samuel O'DeU. an other defendant, who was State treas urer in 1918, told him that if hs ''beat Ford in the - Democratic primary and Ford won the Bepublieation nomina tion," all the Republicans would turn to him in the general election. Heime concluded with aa explanation trtat Bis motive was 'to eliminate one of the millionaires ram the eabtiura. ."Spending money l-s ftmtia.iey bs fegst, but I am ar idealist and hold it to be a -moral wrojg, he ssid. After some legal skiimiahins Har den was placed on the stand as the first witness, fie estified to con venation in December, 1017, erith Frederick Cody and Truman : H. - Newberry, - then a Lieutenant Commander ia the nary. He said on direct examination that Cody tried to hire him as campaign manager for Newberry, Oa eroas examination by Martin W. Littleton ha agreed htat the job was that of a "political secretary" with headquarters in Detroit and duties of examinging- political sentiment in Michigan. . Had Plenty af Money. - ' Hayden said Cody told him that the Newberry'B .were "immensely wealthy" but that he had advised both Cody and Newberry ot -to make a "barrel cam paign." Be said Newberry agreed with him and . they mentioned the Mitchel amyoralty campaign in New York and the Herrick campaign in Ohio as ex amples of wasted expenditures. The testimony also touched a visit of Cody to Washington in which the latter told Hayden .M. Paul King, meanwhile so 1 acted for campaign manager would not take a cent and that King had ex plained when he accepted the position that ''he wanted a chance at some of the legal business of ths Newberry concerns.'' Sweinhart testified to meeting Cody in Kew York in January, 1D18, aad be ing told that Hayden would be made such a financially attractive offer that ha could not afford to refuse it." Sweinhart also related that Cody, con versins ia New York ressrdina the New berry candidacy had aaid: "It will be a great time for the hoys in Michigan because they will spent a barrel of money.". ; V. ' Prior ta the introduction of testimony Allen V. Bees, attorney for three of the defendants, objected to further pro ceedings on the ground that ths indict ment was insufficient in that it did not (Continued an Page Two.) ' SECRETARY BAKER WILL ' VISIT NEW BERN SOON Head of War Department Ac cepts The Invitation of Cham -ber of Commerce The Newt and Observer Bureeor . 003 District National Bank Bldg. By Ik E. POWELL, i (By Special Leased Wire.) ; Washington, D. C' Feb. 3. Secretary of War Baker this afternoon accepted the invitation of the New Bern Cham ber of Commerce to attend its re-organization dinner on the evening of February 47. Mrs. Baker, the mother of the Socrtsry; it now visiting friends in -New Bern. : . ' . - ' Secretary Baker accepted the Invita tion after Senator Lee 8. Overman and Charles L. Abernethy, of New Bern, called st his office this sftcrnoon and urged him to attend. ' The Secretary pleaded a business ' engagement in Cleveland when Mr. Abernethy inter rnpted: . .- '. .' , "Now, Mr. Seertary, I came to Wash ington after you. We want yon to be there." ,-:c, Mr. Baker agreed, promising Senator Overman and Mr. Abernethy that he would be on hand. The latter made a special trip here to urge his presence. Frank SpruilU of Bocky Mount, end George B. Elliott, Atlantic Coast Line lawyers, were here today en business. Sims Fails To Recommend Fleet Commander For Medal But Includes His Shore Aide TAKES EMPHATlt Naval Secretary Outlines To Committee Two Chief Differ ences In Views ADMIRAL PLACES SHORE DUTY ABOVE SEA SERVICE Secretary Holds That Distin guished Service' Medal May Be Awarded To Commander Who Loses Ship: Admiral Sims Has Spent Most of Life On Shore Duty Washington, Feb. Making up the contentions of Bear Admiral William 8. Sims ,in the matter of Naval medal awards point by point, Secretary Dan iels in his appearance today before the Senate investigating sub-committee, took direct aad emphatic issue with the ad miral. Flanked by voluminous records from the Navy Department, the Secre tary went into detail explaining change he made ia conferring decorations at recommended by the commanding offi cers of the Navy and the Knight Board of Medal Awards. Ths Naval Secretary outlined to the committee the two chief differences be' tweea his views aad the views held by Admiral Sims ia the awarding of med als. These were at variance as to ths importance of service at sea, aad .serv ice on shoro and' differences oa the question whether a Distinguished Serv ice Medal should be awarded nnder any circumstances to a commander of a ship sunk or seriously damaged by enemy submarines or mines.' r .': ;, ., f Admiral Ok Shore Daty.- . ;: Assorting that Admiral Kims while Oft irhore duty "both ld-th, Spanish-Americas, and World War,- "demonstrated ability, ot high order,' Secretary Daaiele said t'the position of Bear Ad' miral films ia placing shore' duty above sea duty in the danger nones, is ne doubt, influenced by his own record. z Figures vers presented by Mn. Daniel showing that during the Inst twenty-five years Admiral Sims had served about It years on shore duty snd nine years at sea. - "- - ';".'' ' Secretary Daniels' sUtemeatment- be fore the committee-follows: , There art' two fundamental differ ences between the vjews of the Beere Isry of the 'Navy snd Bear Admiral Sims ia the award of meuals. la his statement in his letter of December 17, Bean. Admiral Sims lays down this propositios: - : "All Individual duties afloat ars i. necessarily of , seeoadary import- - anco in comparison with the vital importance of directing all opera- - tions, in such manner as to ia-veore-tbe success of the- whole."- ' The Secretary of the Navy stated the principle which ho holds ought to gov ern in his letter of January i, 1819 1 "My judgment is that individual . duties ashore are always aad neces sarily of secondary importance to duties aflloat. There are a few ex- eeptions, ts ia the instance of serv- ice of the highest character. The navy exists on sea. The only exeuse v for any naval officer being on shore St all is that a certain number mast perform shore duties in order to furnish supplies snd plan for the maintenance and operation of the "'fleet.'' ,' " fskss Logical Complaint. Bear Admiral Sims is his letter fol lows the logic of the principle he enun ciated when ht complained that all nine teen of the members ef bis staff, most ef them in subordinate positions, nearly all on shore duty in London, were not awarded tht Distinguished Service Mednl while that medal had beea awarded to officers and men who met the attack of the submarine and bore themselves ia the supreme crisis with poise, with utter fesrlessness, aad calm and resourceful leadership. Ths mem bers of his staff, like Bear Admiral Twining, his ehief-ef-staff, and -others charged with "a duty of great respon sibility" were awarded the Distingushed Service Medal,' while others oa his staff, who were serving nnder orden on shore in positions ' of less responsibility, re ceived the Navy Cross. For these nine teen officers the board awarded six Dis tinguished Service Medals aad thirteen Navy Crosses. I changed three Distin guished Service Medals to Navy Crosses snd three Navy Crosses to Distinguished Service Medals, approving the action of the board in the other esses. : , The position of Bear Admiral Bims la placing shore duty above sea duty in the danger sone it, no doubt, in fluenced by his Own record. During ths tlast 25 years he hat served about IS years on shore duty and about years oa ses duty. During the Span ish-American War he was ths C. 8. Na val Attache at Parif and fit. Peters burg, aad during tht great World War ha served oa shore, spending most of his time in London, though he had the titU of "Commander Of U. B. Naval Forces in European Waters and "Na val Attache" at London. So rarely did he take a set trip, that in hia book he tells the following story of one of tht few times he was afloat, ' going then with the Brit th Admiral who had beea placed by Bear Admiral Bims ia otn- (Centiased aa Page Eight.) . ' SSUE1HW ! W1LSON NARROWLY MISSES INFLUENZA. GRAYSON SAYS; NO TRIP SOUTH Jl'ST NOW Waahiagtoa, Feb. I. President Wilson ceatracted a cold seversl days sga aad had a narrow escape from lafineaaa, hia physician,! Rear Ad miral Crayeoa, said today. Every precsatlea la new being take ta pro tect the P resides t. Dr. Craysea aaid, snd ao screen with even the sta ple! en af a cold. Is permitted ta eater his roaau " Dr. Grsysea said the P reddest wss steadily, thoegh slowly, improving sad Is allowed te walk sheet the sec- sad Seer of ths White B Wsshlngtoa, Feb. J.- President Wllsae ta net likely to leave Wash Ingtaa for seme tiara, his physician. Rear Admiral Craysea, Intimated to day, la dlscaaslng reports free a rleae Beet lees ef the cenatry concern ing lmscaclag trips. With the Preei dent steadily improving, Dr. Cray sea said hs thseght it weald be wise to chant his coarse e-f treat meat. Daniels Shows Feeling In Re futing Sims' Assertion That Navy Didn't Fight ' ' ": T ' (By The Associated Pttas.Y W ashington, Feb. 3. Secretary Dan iels made .formal answer today to criticism by Bear Ad hiral William S, Sims and others ef ths policy followed in awarding war deco'mtions, appear ing nefore the, Senate mb-committee Investigating' the' awards. Mr. Daniels reafKnned the views which Jmi him hs alter some of th reeommen-laiJoos for deeoraiioae, supporting hit contentions fth a' long carefully prepared shite meat going Sato the medal situation in detail. Other charges mads by Admiral fims ss to ths preparedness ef the navy at the start of the war and the degree of co-operation with allied admiralties were not taken up directly, Mr. Dan iels eonflning his testimony wholly to the medal controversy. When the Sec retary concluded Chairman Hale of the sub-committee adjourned the hearing until Friday to permit committee mem bers to study Mr. Daniels' statement. " . Secretary Shows Feeling. The Naval Secretary at several points in the two aad half hour reading of his prepared statement showed consid erable feeling, particularly when he countered the statement of Admiral 8ims that the .American navy "did no lighting during the war." Ia thia con nection Mr. Daniels vigorously pound ins: the table told the committee that it waa well that AdmixarSims had not made ouch aa arrisn.;tb the men op erating American vessels in ths wet sone for if he did "he would have had a revolt in his own command. At another point, ths Secretary de parted from his written statement to declare that Admiral Sims, as a result of personal differences with Admiral Henry U. Wilson, former Commander of . American naval - forces off the French.- coast. .kad : omitted Wilson's same from the list of officers recom mended for distinguished service medals. ' On the controverted point of import anee of sea service as compared to ser rice ashore, Mr. Daniels said he had not aad would never "approve a disparity between awards given men who served on shore as -compared with the men who went to ten." Admiral Sims, he escorted, probably advocated high awards for many officers who served on staff duty ashore aad few awards for officers who went to sea because "most of Admiral Sims duty . in the navy bss been on shore. ' Backed l' By History. Turning to the second fundamental difference between his views and those of Admiral Sims, Secretary Daniels said that many other admirals of the navy and the Knight board of medal awards had established a precedent that men officers of ships torpedoed or mined should be decorated whenever their conduct was meritorious and reflected credit on the service. He reed at length from accounts of naval actions during all of the wars the United Stntee has beea engsged ia to support his conten tion that ths policy of decorating brave officers, even though they lost their ships, was established early ia Ameri can naval history and always had been followed. ; v, ; s '- Concluding his testimony with ,a de ntal of Admiral Sims' charge that "navy nrrale has been shot to pieces throngn the' method followed in cwsrding hon ors, Secretary Daniels declared thai there was nothing the matter with the morale of the naxy except a shortage of enlisted men in mnny ratings and in mffieient pay for the officers and mea left, . : -' :: Aadltorlasn Will Be. Completed. ' Wilmintrton. Feb. 8. Completion of work oa the city auditorium at the Old Market House oa South tront street is to be accomplished as soon a the tity sells a vacant- lot at the corner of Sixth aad Castle streets, the returns of - which will be used for this pur- jpose. REAFFIRMS VIEWS ON NAVAL AWARDS ADMIRAL NO! SAFE PEON TO FOLLOW Secretary Daniels Reads Letter To Senate Committee Show ing Jealous Spirit WANTED CHIEF OF STAFF REWARDED WITH HONOR While, Becommehdinf Every Other Admiral Abroad For,, 1 D. S. M., Sims Omits To Bec ommend Tot Any Award Ad miral Wilson, Head of Naval Forces Off French Coast The News and Observer Buresu, ' 03 District National Bank Bldg., V By B. E. POWELL. , m. 8...1.1 r.....i Washington, Feb. 3. Appearing today before the Senate sub-committee investi gating naval awards, Secretary Daniels directed attention to ths faet that Ad miral Sima omitted to recommend Ad miral Henry B. Wilson, who commanded the American naval force off the French const, for a distinguished service medsl and read to the committee Sims' letter to the Secretary protesting the appoint ment of Admiral Wilton to the com mand of the fleet. Between the lines of the Bims Utter can be read the jealousy which moved Admiral Sims to leave off Admiral Wil son, who, the Secretary said, hsd a "record of most distinguished service in s place ef great responsibility." Ad miral Sims did not leave oil the list, however, his aide in London, Comman der J. V. Babcoek.' The Secretary told the committee that if this officer wss the "everything" in the Navy aeroef the seas, as Admiral Sims had represented him to be be would. nave sent him to I do not. believe in having two super men to do a one man's job, said the Secretary. - , Slme Claimed Privilege Alone. - - Mr. Daniels read hit statements before) ft. a niV.AMi.tMu am .L : -L TJ-: dexter, bitter-ender in the treaty fght and candidate for the Kepublicaa' pres idential nomination, sat in place of Truman H. Newberry Senator from Michigan, who is en trial charged with obtaining hit election by fraud and cor ruption. It it probable that Mr. Poia dexter will conduct the cross eismins tion of Mr. Daniels when he appears before the committee again. ea Satur day. In his statement the Secretary said : Ia his hearing before your commit tee. Admiral Sims testimony discloses that neither the Board of awards nor the Secretory of the Navy would be jus tified in following bis recommendations. He claimed throughout that he was the only man qualified to say what honor should be given to the officers and men nnder his command 'and that he alone should fix their relative merit.' Sims FeltAggrtevenT" "In bis testimony. Beat Admiral 8ims, referring to what he called the. mistakes of the Secretary eaid: "Lrt me read this ease to you which if a flagrant case: Commander J. V Babcoek whose assistance was invalua ble to me. He was not only by aide but; be was my chief of staff and my ev erything. I do not hesitate to state thst there is no officer in the United States Navy to whom the people owe so muclu gratitude for the success of our op orations on the other side a that men. I recommended him for a D. S. M. and it was cut down to a Navy cross. I do. not care a cent if the Secretary mad no other change. That is the stuff that is destructive of the morale of the ser vice. ' . ,. ;. .c v.. f "It I had supposed Commander Bah eoek was 'the everything in the Navy across tho seas, I certainly would havw sent him to represent the Navy instead of Admiral Sims. I do not believe in having two supermen to do one msnh' job. The Knight Board considered his ease and gave him a Navy Cross and 1" approved its findings. Wilson's Heroic Service. "Let me cite one single instance to show whyjt was impossible to exelu-"" si voly accept .the recommendations of Admiral Sims. It can be best shown by way f contrast. . He recommended a young officer, holding a subordinate pe s.uon who, so far as the records dis close, did his duty well. But in bis own report snd in the report ef the Board of Awards, while recommending every other admiral abroad for iD.ll M he omits to recommend forsny award i . , . . . . .. a auungnianea armirni wno nad ins 01 rection ef the naval ships based on the French coast - and in command ef all naval activities in France.- I refer to Admiral Henrv B. Wilson, at nrunt commander-in-chief' of the Atlsntio fleet No officer in the nsvy abroad rcn. dered more distinguished service then Admiral Wilson. The greater part ef the two million soldiers who went to Franea were escorted into French ports by forces directly under Admiral Wil ton's command who directed the move ments of the convoys through the wan tone, dealt, with, the army jn all mat-i 'era with reference to embarkation, and also protected the transports on their re-, turn through the war tone. He cooperated; not only with our army and the r rencn, navv. but wss the man of all naval offl eers ibroed to whom the department lCeatiaaed aa Psge Twe.)
The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)
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Feb. 4, 1920, edition 1
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