The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-07
wR. w,1Doo avn THE NAvr.
The Heap" thst nlects Pre.o
v.r,o,s Pts.s FOE Rsorgssisstion.

1 v.r,o,- p,s.s FOE Responsibilities.
| wAsutNorov. Oct o.-Assistant secretaI, ,
McAdoo IN a pIea for acceleratinR promotion IN
/ the navy. which he presents in the pages OF the
/ North American Rsvfetr. illustrates the preseht
| rate Of progression by imagining the 'So nn,
| officers proceeding In indian hle, py NasH'
| Academy graduating classes, through an en-
closure Just large enough 10 accommodate the
| whole and entering and leaving through com
mon entrance and exit. The common entrance
| IL the Naval Academy, and, aside from casual
| ties due TO death, resignation, or dismissal the
| procession moves steadily along, without change
Of order. until the exit the retiring age IS
reached" This Ia very true. but, after ALL u u
not a popularity OF the navy. IL Is found also
in the army, up TO the grade OF general officer,
where the principle Of selection Is substituted
for that OF seniority. II Cotnmodoree were
chosen from among the Captains by the selec-
ton Of the President, and Rear Admirals, in
like manner. from the Commodore. we should
have com plete analogy in this respect between
the two services, save for q few promotions In
the army by transfer 10 the stan. Promotion
II always slow in time Of peace, when IL goes by
seniority only;. and yet this has been the rule
hitherto, and still finds many advocates, be-
cause, II slow, it Is at least sure. When selec-
ton takes Its place, there may come an uneasy
sense Of the possibility of being passed over
In the principal measure now pending for the
reorganization Of the personnel, that Of the
Joint commission, seniority is tempered by
selection only in most limited degree. Selec-
tion is substituted for promotion TO flag rank;
and as the Commodores are TO be abolished the
President appoints Rear Admirals from the list
of Captains q board of Rear Admirals selecting
three names for each vacancy from the list of
Captains for the Presidents consideration. The
breaking Of 1.-THE Indian file" Is not secured in
the bill now pending by substituting selection
instead Of seniority in the grades below Cap
tain. There is, Il Is true, q system Of involun-
tary retirements, and boards Of officers are to
select candidates for such retirement in order
to procure a certain minimum Of vacancies each
year, this being sufficient to furnish in turn the
desired number OF annual promotions TO the
grades Of Commander and LieutenantCo Com
mander each year. But that Is a little different
from changing the Indian file by passing some
over the heads Of the others along the route.
II must be said however, that In All the prom m
Austria, promotion is partly by selection and
partly by seniority; and in Germany the officers
MI. Me4doo present. also the block to pro;
motion, caused by what Is known as the hump"
near the head Of the procession which Is likely.
when II comes TO the top, to create q long check
composed Of those who entered the navy when
abnormally large classes were graduated at the
eNea 70 en ra% the lsS9 10 sG 70 Is Ie
them suffer from the results Of q war measure
like this Besides, when the hump Is once
deieterious. according TO Mt. McAdoo, like the he
present stagnation. only in different way:
with 4: s.s. a. s 81 w
ing scarcely time change Into the uniforms OF
s%s Ss%Ss. s%saas.s .s1siss d ,tsr new sr.ds.s
the n E1s
tnem IN the rnnbs VIII pc precIpitated forward from
Ssys Their new iiss snsraved thslr s:sins Cards
before they md themselves on the retired list.
And here comes In another idea. Men who
have been subordinates all their lives will. after
their habits Of dependence have become fixed.
This evil viii exist on large scale at the perioi
In the future just spoken OF and It Is one OF the
main arguments for the changes now contem-
Joint Commission on the Navy Is TO bring officers
to command aud flag rank at an earlier period
grades. corrsspondingly decreasing those in the
mented by compulsory retirements, and Ppt TO
create Q reserve list for certain shore duties.
hs .Dssa Of setss Of
Officers entering the service between 1850 and
1857. inclusive. with provision for transfer to
According 70 Mr.. McAdoo., the effect upon
the personnel Of existing conditions Is TO beget
perfunctory execution Of the routine require
asserting that this is the tendency OF Existing
conditions, but IL would be unfair not TO qualify
THIS statement by saying that q high sense OF
honor and devotion to their profession keeps the
standard OF conduct and fidelity TO the Interests
GERS. IN spite OF oil their Encouragement"
Then there Is something 10 be done for the en- |
listed men. and promotion TO the grade of war
rant oficer, the possibility Of getting a commits
eion, and incentives for continuous service are |
dwelt upon.
One impression which might be conveyed by |
Mr.. McAdoos article Is that the plan of re- |
organization 10 not quite as being perfected
As has been commonly understood. The general |
belief Is that the joint commission had various |
plans before Il. and. after months OF considera.
ton, drew up specific bill. OF more than sixty |
sections This measure had as its basis the bill |
oi Secretary Herbert regarding the line upon |
stan. the Naval Academy, the marine corps and |
the enlisted men. IL also understood that this
Oil represented the conclusion Of the labOrs of |
the joint commission, and that about all that |
report The reason why the bill was not eported |
was understood TO be the difficulty In getting
2 meeting Of the Joint commission In the wan
Ing days of the last session of Congress.
this agreement Of the joint commission which
would seem 20 be Q key point in the discussion.
He speaks or I'VE different general plans having
been proposed to the Commission, the second Oh
larry" which be then proceeds TO describe, with
oat mentioning any action Of the Joint commits
OF course it H. true that. SO long as the bill
.d9pted by the Joint commission - not reported
Q Congress Il Is capable Of recall, and in that
,ense tho various plans mentioned by Mr.. Me-
1000 are still capable OF consideration, IL |
0oks however, as II this body has done about
III that Il can do with these and that Congress
Is discussion at the coming saasion