Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 1920)
in TQ) RIEF Klu Hi REEZY BITS OF NEWS P MANIAC WITH AXE KILLS 4, WOUNDS 2. Brooklyn, Conn., Jan. 17. Victor Lipponcnn, tged 38, a farmer of West Brooklyn, ran amuck with an axe, killed three persons, woUndcd two others, caused the death of his four-days-old baby, and then hanged himself. His first blow was for his wife, who, although wounded, escaped by rolling from the bed. A neighbor woman who had attended Mrs. Lip ponenne then was killed, her fall ing body crushing the infant. Hitching up"" a bobsled, the maniac drove to two neighbor's homes. At one he killed a man in sight of his family and at the other fatally wounded an 18-year-old girl anil probably mortally injured her mother. OMAHA, THE GATE CITY OF THE WEST, OFFERS YOU GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES. JLJL1 Sunday Bee VOL. XLIX NO. 1 Eiitwwl u wcmt.eliM Mthf Mty 28, I9M. oi Oauha P. o. mi l 3. I7. OMAHA, SUNDAY MORNING, JANUARY 18, 1920. . t tLffiJ&J7ES 85i! FIVE CENTS. THE WEATHER: Unsettled weather, probably with snow Sunday and Monday; rising temperatures Monday in cast and central portions. Hoarlr toinptrm turrit S . m., . m., 7 . m., It a. m . , t a. m. 10 . m, , 11 . ...15 ...15 ...17 IS soon .19 m.. m.. ......IB St 84 3 2 ......tl 21 mm JD-KjiBE ... EX-KAISER HELPS STRENGTHEN DIKES. Amerongen, Jan. 17. The former kaiser worked two hours Saturday helping the Bentinck . castle staff strengthen the castle dikes which are threatened by the rising of the Rhine. NO GROUP TO DICTATE TO DEMOCRATS Cummings DAUGHTER OF SECRETARY OF INTERIOR TO WED. Washington, Jan. 17. The secre tary of interior and Mrs. Lane have announced the engagement of their only daughter, Nancy, to Phillip C. Kauffmann, son of Mr. and Mrs. Victor Kauffmann of this(city. The wedding will take place in the late Spring. SHORTAGE OF TOBACCO RESULTS IN RIOTING. t Murcia, Spain, Jan. 17. Three gendarmes and five civilians were wounded in the course of demon strations here over the shortage of tobacco. Tobacco stores were at tacked, by the populace, and when gendarmes appeared there was fighting which was subdued only after the arrival of reinforcements. USE MACHINE GUNS ' TO SCATTER CROWDS. Badajose, Spain, Jan. 17. Serious disturbances occurred at Lisbon during Thursday night as a result of '. the resignation of the cabinet, according to stories reaching here. Republican guards patrolled the streets and machine guns were used to scatter the crowds, which at times became threatening. Dispatches from Oporto, where a bakers" strike is in progress, say that a bomb was exploded in the street. , ; Persons in the crowd were in jured.. DE KOVEN NUMBERS TO BE PLAYED AT HIS FUNERAL. New'York, Jan. 17. Reginald De Koven's compositions will feature the musical program at his funeral services in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine here Tuesday. The or gan voluntary will be from his latest opera, "Rip Van Winkle," and ex cept jhehymn's, the composer's own work will make up the musical num bers. He died .in Chicago Thursday.-,- v . . i Bishop Burch of the. New ork dioces of the Prdtestant Episcopal church,, and Rev. George William Douglas, a relative of the family, will officiate. The cathedral choir will S:BK..,' '. ' CHARGE IMMORALITY AT NAVAL STATION. Washington, Jan. 17. Immediate investigation of charges of immoral-itv- among inmates at the Ports mouth naval prison, transmitted to the Navy department by agents of the department office last October, will be made by the naval author ities. Assistant Secretary Roosevelt announced rpon his return from an inspection' of the prison. Mr. Roosevelt said he could not explain why the charges of immoral "ity, lodged vith the Navy department in October, never had been acted upon by the "department or brought to the attention of Commander Os borne before his recent visit to the ptison. .,, ' PINK EYE AFFLICTS DEER ON RESERVE. Ogdcn, Jan. 17. Forest service of ficials received word from J. C. Roak, supervisor of the Kaibab for est in northern Arizona, that an out break of opthalmea or pink eye is affecting many of the 15.000 head of deer on the preserve, just north of the Grand canyon. The Kaibab, he said, is declared by forest men to b the largest forest in the United States. NATIONAL GUARDSMAN ARRESTED FOR MURDER. Burlington, Colo., Jan. 17. Bailey f Stone, alias Jack Bailey, a member of the Colorado National Guard and who was stationed near Oak Creek, Colo., during the recent coal strike, was arrested here by Sheriff Charles Nieman of Kit Carson county on a charge of murder. He is wanted in Missouri. . , FRENCH GIRLS OF 18 KT. VARIETY ONLY. Chicago, Jan. 17. Former soldiers who plan to send presents to ac quaintances in France must first make certain their gifts measure up to French custom standards, P. W. Kunning. assistant district manager of the Chicago department of for eign commerce, said in explaining why "many articles had failed to reach their destination. "The French government requires that gold be 18 carat or better and that silver measure up to an equally high standard before it can be sent through the customs house," Mr. Kunning said. "Many men have scut diamond engagement rings across that cost several hundred dol lar.. But they were set in gold bands of 16 or 17-carat gold. This is a common standard here, but the French government refused to pass them. The result was thafthe men have received indignant letters from girls accusing them of neglect" MRS. ROOSEVELT BACK FROM TRIP TO BRAZIL. New York, Jan. 17. Mrs. Theo dore Roosevelt today completed a round trip to Brazil for the benefit of her health. She left New York on November .19 and returned here today on the steamship Vauban, on which she had departed. Her son, Kermit, accompanied her to Rio Ja neiro from New York, but remained in 'Brazil on business., Mrs. Roose- velt returned alone. t Chairman of Democratic Na tional Committee . Makes Statement Relative to Con duct of Coming Campaign. "GOING TO CONSIDER TREATY AS AMERICANS" Will Give Out Formal An 4 nouncement Soon as to Dem ocratic Campaign for Funds To Clear Up Rumors. New York, Jan. 17. The demo cratic party will conduct its presi dential campaign without regard to group interests, Hbmer S. Cum mings, chairman of the democratic national committee declared today. Mr. Cummings, here to attend a meeting of the committee on ar rangements for the San Francisco convention, so sated when asked whether the party intended to un dertake any propaganda to over come the reported defection of cer tain Irish and other elements op posed to ratification of the peace treaty in its present form. ."We are going to consider the treaty and other issues as Amer icans," he asserted. "I am unalter ably opposed to considering this question in any other way. Per sonally, I believe racial objections to the peace treaty are more noise than anvthins else. Those who are shouting the loudest haven't been strong for us any way.". Endorse Peace Treaty. Mr. Cummings pointed to the fact that the national committee had en dorse the peace treaty as submitted by tne president and was standing pat on that issue. " Those who be lieved that the treaty was inimical to the political aspirations ot the Irish oeoole were wronsr. lie said. The treaty and the league of na tions, he declared, would be a real bencht to all the small nations. Chairman Cummings announced that so many misstatements , had been made as to the democratic campaign for funds that he would issue a formal statement soon,' re plying to them. "I feel that the chairmen of the national committees should not en ter into a personal controversy,", he said, but the criticism against us has become almost libelous and I feel compelled to issue a formal re ply and make our position clear." Name Sumcommittee. The only business transacted by thecommittee on arrangements was appointments of six subcommittees to handle various phases ot the con vention plans. ' No. other meeting of the full committee is expected until about June 1, wnen both tTie nation al committee and the arrangements committee will assemble in San Francisco to make the final conven tion plans. The temporary chair man probably will be named then. Women were represented on the committee of arrangements today for the first time in the party's his- Continued on Pane Two, Column Four,) Music Teacher Freed Of Murdering Wife And Colonel Butler - Brown wood,. Tex., Jan. 17. Three and a half years under the cloud of a murder charge, Harry J. Spanell, a former Texas music teacher, is free by actiorf of a district court jury. The verdict came after two hours' deliberation., V His third trial in connection with the shooting to death of his wife, Mrs. Crystal Spanell, and Col. M. C. Butler at Alpine, Tex., July 20, 1916, ended in his acquittal.' Though' o:: trial for slaying Col onel Butler, Uvlinically the jury did not pass on hi.- ""lilt, or -innocence of this charge, bu. stained his plea that acquittal three years ago at his first trial on the charge of murder ing his wife had in effect cleared him of. Butler's murder. Coant Condemned to Death For Assassination of Eisner rnn;.-t Tr.ii 17 fount Arco Val- lev was sentenced to death yesterday tor tne assassination -or rwuri r.is mr the Bavarian nremier. at Mu nich" February 21. 1919. Count Arco vaney was on tne witness stand all day in the court, which was guarded, insideand out by troops. Describing events which led to the assassination, the count said: "I shot him from behind because he betrayed my fatherland." Names Special Counsel ' To Prosecute Radicals New-York, Jan. 17. State Attor ney General Newton ,: announced that he had selected John B. Stanchfield and Martin W.i Little ton to act as-special counsel-to the judiciary committee at the, trial of the five suspended . socialists, v . LEARN OF PLOT TO OVERTHROW U.S. GOVERNMENT Governor of Arkansas Gets Or ders to Have All T roops in Readiness for Action. . ' Little Rock, Jan. 17. Gov. C. H. Brough, addressing a state meeting of merchants, said he had been given confidential information by the War department that a nationwide plot to overthrow the government had been discovered. The plot, he said, was of serious proportions. He said the War department had asked him to have all Arkansas troops in readi ness: Strictly Confidential. Maj. Henry F. Fredeman, asa! '. ant adjuta.it general, said the letur referred to had been received by him from Col. John B. Rose, chairman of the organization committee of the National Guard association o fthe United States and that it had been shown Governor Brough "in the strictest confidence." Colonel Rose, according to the let tier, based his assertions on informa tion given him confidentially by the intelligence department of the army." Extent of Plot Unknown. Kansas City, Mo., Jan. 17. In formation of the discovery of a plot to overthrow the United States gov ernment came to Assistant Adjutant General Freedman of Arkansas just a few days ago, said Governor Brough of that state, in Kansas City. ''The' message gave no intimation of the extent of the plot, nor of the time at which it might be expected to come to a head," said Governor Brough. ' DEATH WINS IN RACE WITH t PLANE MA Special Serum Necessary to SaveJJves of Two of Family Who Ate Poisoned Olives Ar rives Too Late in New York, PHYSICIANS HOPE TO SAVE ONE MEMBER Antitoxin Obtained in Wash ington, Where It Was Being Used by U. S. Bureau of Animal Industries. . PLEA FOR ERROR WRIT DENIED BY SUPREME COURT High Tribunal Has No Juris diction in Cole Case, Judge Decides. Washington, Jan. 17. (Special Telegram.) Attorney F, M. Tyrrell of Lincoln presented formally to Justicf VanDevanter this morning, before the conference of justices of the supreme court began, a request that he be permitted to file a writ of error in the case of Aison Di Cole, convicted ot the murder of Mrs. Lul.u Vogt at Elba in 1917. Justice VanDevanter late this afternoon saw Mr. Tyrrell in the office of Clerk James Maher and after examining the records in the case denied permission to file the writ on the grounds that there was no federal question involved. He stated he would attach his views to the petition later. Mr. Tyrrell left tonight for Lincoln. Mr. Tyrell came to Washington Friday in an 11th hour effort to save Cole's life. Cole, with his partner in crime, Allen V. Grammer, son-in-law of the murdered woman, was sentenced to die yesterday at the Nebraska penitentiary between 6 a. m. and 6 p. m. Because of pending legal action in United States circuit court. Gover nor McKelvie reprieved Cole, and postponed the date for execution of both men to January 30. This is the fourth time the execution of these men has been postponed. i iew ioric, Jan. i. ueall: won a double victory in a grim race with an express train and a government mail airplane tonight when two more members of the Paul Dclbene family, poisoned from eating olives, died in Fordham hospital owing to the late arrival of the special serum necessary to save their lives. Hos pital physicians, however, hope to save the life of the one surviving member of the family of seven, a 10-year-old girl, with serum, received from Washington. Another package of serum which was bein.sy rushed eastward from Chicago by mail airplane failed to arrive, the machine having been dis abled and forced fo land at Black Oak, Ind. The fluid was reported to have been transferred to a mail train and is expected to arrive early to morrow. Too Late to Save Him. Had it not been for delays caused by storms it is believed the serum brought by train from Washington would have arrived in time to save the life of Angelo Delbene, who diSd before the fluid could be adminis tered. His brother, Dominick, who also died, received one injection aud rallied slightly. His illness, how ever, was too far advanced and he lived but . two hours after being treated. An injection was made in the arm of Conchctta Delbene. 10 years old, a daughter of Paul Delbene, who is also seriously ill, having eaten one of the poisoned olives. She has a chance for recovery, physicians said. Obtained in Washington. The serum, which arrived tonight, was obtained in Washington, where it was being used for experiments by the United States bureau of ani mal industries. The members of the family who have , already died from the olive poisoning are Paul Delbene, his wife, their two sons, Antonio and Dominick, and two brothers of Paul Delbene, Angelo and Dominick. Health Commissioner CopcJand announced tonight that ' he had traced the poisoned olives to an east side store. The olives originally came from California, he said. There were 48 cases in the shipment, but it was learned that part of them had been consumed without harmful results. O'Hara Sentenced to One to Eight Years On Girls' Charge ' Joseph O'Hara, 2512 Leavenworth street, was sentenced to the peniten tiary for one to eight years by Dis trict Judge Troup yesterday after his motion for a new trial had been overruled. O'Hara was found " guilty by a jury in District Judge Redick's court December 12 of assault with intent to commit a statutory crime. Three other men were indicted with him, charged with taking Eva Turpquist and Belia Anderson, lS-yeaj'-old girls, in an automobile to a lonely road west of the city late thenight of September 13. The girl3 both testified that the men attacked them." Stanley Fox, another of the men, was found guilty of criminal assault two weeks ago. Thomas Sullivan, a married man, "jumped" his bond of $500, aftec the conviction of O'Hara, and was not here for trial two weeks ago. Fox was then placed on trial. "Pussyfoot" Johnson Glad : Prohibition Is Effective London, Jan. 17. William E. (Pusseyfoot) Johnson the American Anti-Saloon league organizer, in the course of a speech referred to the going into effect in the United States of the prohibition amendment. "This is a solemn moment for me," Mr. Johnson declared, "because from this day the flag of my coun try will no longer float ovfr any brewery or distfillery. My flg is clear, and from beginning to end our statute books will direct war against this traffic in human misery and de bauchery." Mr. Johnson 'said he was. looking forward to the success of the pro hibition campaign in England The Passing Show of-1920 -g. t ww please come h WWV- ' Ve FATE OF DAVIS AGAIN RESTS IN HANDOF JURY Second Trial of Man Charged With Assault on Mayor Completed Last Evening. Johnsori Takes Steps To Have His Name on Ballot in Nebraska Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 17. Initial steps by United States Senator Hi ram W. Johnson, republican of Cali fornia, to have his name placed on the Nebraska presidential preference primary ballot have been taken. This was learned here today when Secretary of State D. M. Amsberry announced the receipt from Senator Johnson of a telegram asking for the final date on which a candidate may qualify for the primary and in quiring as to what requirements are necessary for the riling of petitions to place a candidate's name on the ballot. ' ..,-' Mr. Amsberry rcplie'd, giving March 24 as the last day for filing petitions, which must have the sig natures of 100 voters , in each congressional-district. The primaries, both republican and democratic, will be held April 20. 12 Influenza Deaths . In Chicago Saturday Chicago, Jan. 17. Twelve deaths were caused in Chicago Saturday by influenza and 1.002 new cases of in fluenza were reported. The disease is spreading more rapidly than it did a year ago- but the death rate is smaller. Milwaukee, Wis., Jan. 1. The second death here within aweck from Spanish' influenza occurred Saturday. Milwaukee now has a total of 241 known cases of in fluenza, of which 151 were reported Saturday. y Nebraska Takes Second , Place in Stock Show Denver. Jan. 17. Kansas 'carried off the first prize awarded in the national western stock show win ning the collegiate students stock judging contest. Universities of Nebraska, Wyom ing. Colorado and Kansas took part. Nebraska ranked second f The case of George Davis was given to the jury at 5:45 yester day afternoon after a trial which be gan last Monday morning. This was the second trial of Davis on the charges of assault to murder and assault to do great bodily in jury to Mayor Smith the night of the court house riot, September 29, 1919. After fhe first trial the jury was unable to agree on a verdict after 40 hours of deliberation. Davis was charged with striking a blow on the right side of the mayor's head which rendered him unconscious. This ,was after the mayor had been dragged from the court house and had defied the mob. The mayor declared at bbth trials, that he was positive in his indentification of Davis. , ' 1 Large Crowd Present. A large crpwd listened to the closing arguments yesterday after noon by County Attorney Shotwell and Chief Deputy County. Attorney Coffey for the state and by Eugene O'Sullivan and William Jamieson for Davis. . '' '" The George Davis case' has be come the best known of those grow ing out of the court house riots. Nearly two weeks have been con sumed on the two trials of Davis, on the charges of assault upon Mayor Smith. , The first trial began De cember 15, arid the case was given to the jury December 18. Two days later the jury was discharged with out reaching an agreement on a ver dict. Order Second Trial. County Attorney Shotwell ordered the second trial to begin last Mon day. Nearly two days were con sumed in getting a jury. The evi dence - was completed yesterday morning and the case was given to the jury ye? terday afternoon after arguments lasting four hours. Davis is a wholesale and retail peddler of fruits and vegetables. He lives with his sister at 1512 North Twenty-eighth street. He is 32 years ol8 and a large man. " Mayor Smith first identified him November 5 as the man who struck him the night of the riot by a pho tograph ' taken from the , police (Continued on Pntre Two, Column One.) British Labor Party Head Gives Government Warning London, Jan. 17. Arthur Hender son, leader of the labor party in parliament, in a. letter dealing with the Russian situation is quoted as follows: "If the government refusing even to consider repeated offers of peace from the Soviets, involves the coun try in war over vast areas of Eu rope and Asia, the labor party will resist to the uttermost such an un necessary and reckless military ad venture masquerading: as a war "of defense" " HOPE FOR ACTION ON TREATY THIS MONTH VANISHES Hitchcock Demands Radical Modification in Reserva tions Program. Washington, Jan. 17. Hopes for final action by the senate on the peace treaty this month virtually had Vanished tonight. Efforts of republican and demo cratic leaders to adjust disputes over reservations will be continued next week, but the time required for negotiations with the rank and file of the senate and the debate which will follow in the senate itself are expected generally t'o preclude final action before February, at the earliest. Two sessions of the bi-partisan "round table" committees were held today and considerable progress to ward agreement on minor reserva tions was reported. Leaders on both sides said little progress had been made in the preliminary discussion recently of the reservations affecting Article X and the Monroe doctrine. Repub lican leaders, including those of the "mild reservations" faction, appear ed as insistent as ever that there be no change in the principles of these reservations. Some of the demo crats in the conference were said to indicate a disposition to meet the republicans' demands on these res ervations, but the attitude of Sen ator Hitchcock, administration leader, in demanding radical modi fications, was understood to be un changed. " . ), Hoover Thinks Lifting 4 Blockade of Russia 11 r i r i i i m rinisn Doisneviki MAYOR WILL NOT ASK NOMINATION F O R GOVERNOR Denies Ambition, But Speech Indicates He Would Ac cept if Drafted Into ' The Fight. HOME OFFICE DIDN'T BACK UP ADMIRAL Commander of Americar Naval Forces Overseas Charges Lack of Co-Operation Hindered His Efforts.' . TOLD TO BEWARE OF BRITISH ENDEAVORS "United States Would as Soon Fight British as Germans " He Was Told, According ta Evidence Given Senators. vyi Washington, Jan. 17. Removal of tne blockade on soviet Russia has knocked one of their "greatest pi ops" from under the bolsheviki, Herbert Hoover said in a statement here. ! Speaking from his knowledge of world conditions, the former direc tor of European relief, said the soviet government had laid every failure of socialism on the blockade and used ic as a stimulus for raising armies on the groun.l that the Russians were fighting to save themselves from starvation. With' the blockade re moved in large part, Mr. Hoover said, the "bolshevik tyranny' will face collapse when it fails to relieve suffering." j t , Mr. Hoover thought Russia had no jommodities, wheat, flax or cotton, for export, since starvation is acute in the larger cities and the people almost in rags. The peasants were said to have sufficient food. , Wood Alcohol Manufacturers Won't Sell to Retail Trade Chicago, Jan. 17. Manufacturers of wood alcohol have agreed not to supply the product to the retail trade in the future. H. J. Pfeffcr, western manager of the United States Indus trial Alcohol company, told the city council committee on health. , Mr. Pfeffer appeared before the committee in connection with a pro nosed ordinance to license and regu late the sale of wood and denatured alcohol. . "I am not, and do not desire o be, a candidate for any public office," asserted Mavor Ed P. -Smith, at the conclusion of a vigorous address last night at the Paxton hotel, where 164 of his friends and employes of the city hall attended an "Ed P. Smith for Governor" dinner. ', It was the. concensus of opinion after the function that the mayor's gubernatorial candidacy remains an open question and that he may enter the rac. When the question was put to him at the close of the meet ing, the mayor replied that his speech was his answer. . .; Attacks Code Bill. The outstanding feature of the mayor's address was an attack on Governor McKelvie's code bill form of state government, which the mayor dsnounced as more autoceatic than any government in Europe. His words had the ring of a ''keynote address" of one outlining his state policies. He charged the governor with getting his "autocratic" code, bill through the legislature while Nebraska boys were in Europe fight ing to overthrow autocracy. ' The real purpose for which the dinner had been called, that -of launching the mayor's boom for gov ernor, was not settled to tile satis faction of the promoters "It appears as if the mayor may vet be a candidate for governor." saiiji J. W. Ctitright. "He didn't say he would not be a candidate for governor," remarked W. C. Lambert, corporation counsel. Waits for Draft "J thought he meant that he would submit to the draft," .was the opinion of C. Vincent. "May 1 be he is like Herbert Hoover, who said he was not a candidate, but ," asserted one of the women. Many of tUe attendants compared mental notes after the meeting, wondering whether the mayor will accept the filing of his name for the primaries. "I can't plead ignorance of the talk during the. last few weeks by enthusiastic and misguided friends." the mayor said in the conclusion of his speech. "During the last two years I have tried to give Omaha the best that was in me as mayor. It has not all been weeks of pleas ure not years of profit. I am ready and willing to give mv last drop of blood to this state. I feel that I have given this town my energy and means until both are somewhat exhausted. yThere are some things, (Continued on Pae 10-A, Column 4.) Countess of Warwick Named Candidate for Parliament T.("ilT(lfttl Tan 1 7 TK fmmca rt Warwick has been chosen as the I prospective candidate for Parliament from East Walthamslo by' the labor pa?ty. . 1 Washington, Jan. 17. Investiga tion by a. senate subcommittee of awards of naval war decorations took a new angle today when Rear Admiral William S. Sims, the only witness heard so far, laid before the committee a long letter entitled "certain naval lessons of the great war," written by him to Secretary Daniels, arraigning many aspects of the Navy department's conduct of the war. Lack of full co-operation with the commander . of American naval forces' overseas, the post filled by Admiral Sims throughout the war, was the general criticism made, but tne letter contained also a statement that just before he left for London, Admiral Sims was told "not to let the British pull the wool over your eyes," and that the United States would as scon fight the British as the Germans. Who issued these orders was not brought out during the hearing, but Admiral Sims said afterwards the statement had been made to him by "a high official." ' Wants Wider Enquiry. Introduction of the letter prompted Chairman Hale, republican, Maine, to announce that he would ask'th". full naval committee Monday to au thorize his subcommittee to makt a wider inquiry or.' to appoint another subcommittee to investigate the conduct of the war by the Navy department. . .. . Wants Wider Inquiry. In a statement relative to Admiral Sims' letter,' Secretary Daniels said he had referred it to ;the general board "with directions to, give con sideration to it and to all other com munications riirectrd tn thp rfpiiart. j mcnt concerning the -lessons of the n war. The letter declares it important as a guide in future wars that "a just estimate be made of the errors of policy, atactics, strategy and admin istration that were committed bv our navy," and adds that it is for that purpose that "the most serious of these errors" are summarized. Then follows the recital of the of ficers assigned to London "on bare ly 48 hours notice' in March, 1917, and this statement regarding his in structions: ' ' . Received Verbal Orders. "Brief orders were delivered to me verbally in Washington. No formal instructions or statement of the Navy department's plan or policv were received at that time, though I received the following admoni tion: -"'Don't let the British pull the wool over your eyes. It is none of our business pulling theiKchest nuts out of the tire. We would as soon fight the British as the Ger mans.'" The letter contained more than 7,000 words and was written Janu ary 7. Admiral Sims read it today at the request of Chairman Hale. It reviewed Admiral Sims' experi ences and said that at tfie time he left for Europe, he had no idea that ne was to command American naval forces abroad in event of war, then impending. As soon as he arrived in London, the letter said, Admiral Sims real ized that the Naval department did not comprehend the seriousness of the submarine menace, due to the insufficient scope of the American intelligence service. ' Serious Situation. "A review of the cables sent to the Navy department in April, 1917." the letter said, "shows that the situ ation was very serious and that the enemy was rapidly winning the war by the destruction of merchant ship ping. Throughout the following year numerous cables and letters of the most urgent possible character were sent with the object of im pressing on 'the department the vital necessity of our maximum effort being exerted in European waters with the least possible delay, but without producing the desired re sult." The Navy department was re peatedly told, the letter said, that it was a matter of simple arithme tical calculation to determine that the allies must lose the war if the rate of ship loss continued. , "For some reason, which has never been explained," Admiral Sims wfote, "the Navy department durinc at lpat tlic first iv mnntVis of the war, failed to put into actual practice any co-operation with the allies a policy required for winning the war with the least nrnsihl Ar. lay." The letter charged that not until July, 1917, did the Navy department (Contloufd on ri Two, Column One.) f V f J
