New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-21
NAVAL PERSONNEL REFORM.
STAFF OFFICERS UP IN ARMS AGAINST
THE TWO BILLS.
TUE ,rxr BENEFITED BY THE PROPOSED
CHANGEs-THE OTHER BRANCHES HEEO-
,rssry ur,MIlLArrD AND HAMPERED.

/
c,.SGEs-rHE OTHER BRANCHES NEED
,rssry urMIIIArrD AND HAMMERED
fay TELEGRAPH 70 THE TnEprNE'l
Washington, Jan. 2o.-Stan ofhcers OF ''.e va -
making vigorous fight against '"e 80 M.
House bills 20 reorgonizs the naval peFson'e' 49,
tIou.. b,I prov!des that the equalization vi ~
49,, 81 Inc and staff officers VIII not anect o'n'
cars now in the stan. but only those hereai'e. "
enter. The Senate bill puts the cnahge in'' $50.
n, once and materially reduces the pay =. 80
staff grades Both bis contain certain o'' 49,.
vra. ohisc,ionab.e TO the staff. and through ''ef
friends in both houses these officers are s 800 ~.
earnest effort to XII the measures or 10 nave Wv
unacceptable sections stricken out =.
Tho engineers medica, and pay corps seem 20 70
the most active in opposing the pending DIS y IL
cars ~ these branches contend that bo,n the pue'
49, >,svor hi,ls II adopted. would work extreme
hardsh!n In their cases. besides denying them GER
tain rights and privileges necessary 10 'her o" 90
the general good OF the naval service. ,'hp'
Is given 10 the point that whereas the ihten''o W
Congress IN first considering the subject w"'
frame legislation beneficial to all corps. U"is ~,
,i,s or,cers and few marine officers VIII derive
advantage from the propositions pstore '"e 'e""''
and House. Al . .,t.>A
Special objection by the staff onicers Is ,,e
AGAINST no less than six sections OF the pehu'"S
r,e,sure, Against tie provision which advances zen
comnodores OF the line the rank OF rear-aofnr8'
:, Is c,n,end,d that stan chiefs OF bureau VINO nov
have the relative rank and pay OF commooo'e' VIZ
no mt In Grade 70 which no line officers are as
signed tina, OF post captain. and receive o''F ''s
nav ~ cantons Of the line 500 year Jess IMAM
a, n-sssnt The section should make stan cnlslS
of bureau rear -admras. or. AT least give ''e'' ~
rank OF commodore. and not anect their pay -
argued The medical and engineer corps are as-'
cr.cv,d because the two bills reduce tnelr NUM-
hsrs the measures providing for five less officers III
aacn corps than is now authorized by law ins
engineer corps objects TO having only ten o''s' "
the highest grade engineer directors. Inc VS
OF the corps say that with the present system" -
nav which is based longevity, IL Is NO. I'm
portant how they are graded. but with the aues
~ nay dependent, upon rank. as proposed an un-
ust discrimination Is made, 10 their deU'ine",' :.
not having as many officers In the grace 10 ""'.n
IS given the highest pay as are allowed LOT o'nss
stan corps especially AS the & ss dnirors and
engineers are dissatisfied with me ps1po sS nuts
r,nvement OF grades. which. II +. ciaiineu, ~
fewer Of their in the grades q IL
commander and aboys nan suR nI~ authorized
Tor example whereas the pending o.s 2n'y Seav the
promSSn OF officers below at least two years. III
said The same objection apples 20 ene All stan
ofcers OBJECT to wording Of the Ss defining
their grades and rank which as they rt1isles
They say that they want their protessora d s
ana s aan Hrny and that they Will be satisfied with
Il Is in Relation to Section as OF the Two bills tn MAJ
with respect to which they urging their treh a
under ..rs; intsrprSaSn name ns
s;s officers ,ss OF c"mmssoned or warranted The
performance OF duty There Is seemns ~. Orders
sa ossT, no essctSr 90 or oer OF the Of
ship but they resent the idea Ina hsy o Sny hem
No military organization at home or a9roa ho,Ssr
grades an officers commission by making tns NIECE
subject TO the caprice OF A cadet or Warrant hf
4 Is contendei by the staff. BY making the p
read that staff officers are to Ss anG ocs ere and the
ofcer OF the deck. the ends OF discipline '"'' ''
The stan Objects earnestly 70 being nea;
or disposses OF rights in the matter OF sSs'
Sy aw what no pay the "s refer
young. vigorous captans by nond service demon
sirated their Illness for active duty. The establish.
ment Of the list is an Injustice 10 0 lS
stan officers ulcers should not loeked to make the
scheme acceptable to of Young line Officers
who have shown special meri. or are Geseu sv
that OF thev Woud not object to equalization Of
pay provided that they could by longevity gam inc
p ns S S refining ay wa En-:
ization OF pay will make the salaries OF assisnn'
slaE KS sea ana wSe ali snsans receive $500 hs
second i've years. The proposition also fses ,S 49,
stan officer may obtain while Line officers Ulcers d ms
as captains al sea ana s ee On or Squadron
Under the provisions Of the bills the chief o, the
Bureau of Yards and Docks is to be inc ,s os
The civil engineers object strongly TO TINS iealad a.
They say that the head OF that bureau mas ,octs
With the construction OF buildings quay a., them:
ETC. for which their special training wen calling in
charge OF the work will not operate 10 ronsst,on
interests of the Navy. and that the PrupI sns 70
estops the senior civil engineer from ever nat,rs
the head OF a corps OF when ne Is INC
chief. ... ~ hsve yone
Ofcers OF the engineer corps appear 70 nne most
into the objectionable features or tne pS
seriously They look upon the pending PR PSsarins,
MOI only with respect to their uimeliae ossa. n
hui also as 10 their future effect They say .1 MA
either bill should pass. no nducemen, wiz nd that
on "a naval cadets 10 enter their corps ANU @
the corps viii eventually become retreat sss Az
men Who remain In service for the niohesns,s s"nd
wantages but who lack the professional prlae ams
ssai necessary to make officer ~ a. ~ ma al drsctnS
the machinery OF modern ships OF war ns he
pont advanced Is that naval cadets wnne , ~
academy look forward to certain rank anu ",stli.
II null command psbar,e Ss Ir1 bills and
having lower status in the matter OF pay: Stan
cannof he expected to seect the stan corps 90 ~
oSscers contend that their various ana serious ~ IL
econs the Butler and Meyer S's rernayes Of
the line II there was disposition 70 49,