Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-08
MORE MEN WAN TED
Secretary Herbert's Ideas in the Form of a
Joint Resolution.
Provision Also for COmnissfoning
; Officers and Chartering Vessels I'm
Cases Of Emergency.

The Secretary of the Navy has written a
letter to the chairman of the Senate COM
nijttee on naval affairs in support of his
recommendation for an increase in the
enlisted force of the United States navy.
His ideas are embodied in the form of a
| joint resolution, the first section of which
authorizes the Secretary of the Navy to
erlist for service in the navy as many ad-
ditionaf men as he may deem necessary
not ito exceed one thousand, ard appro-
priating $3SO00O for that purpose. The sec
| ond section provides that Whenever an
exigency may exist which, in the judgment
OF the President, renders their services
necessary, tine Secretary Of the Navy is
further authorized to enlist for period of
Two years, unless sooner discharged, such
OF the naval militia as may be required for
the purpose of manning vessels not having
run crews and such other ships as. under
conferred by section of this resolution,
the President may decide to call into serv-
Ice; provided, that men so enlisted shall
De discharged whenever in the Judgment
OF the PRESIDENT the exigency under which
| their services were required shall have
passed.
For Commissioned Officers.
Section provides that If, upon the enlist
ment of men for temporary service in case
OF exfsency, as provided in the second Sec
ton of this resolution, it shall appear
necessary, the Secretary of the Navy is
hereby authorized to appoint and commits
sion such additional officers, not above the
the efficient organization and command of
the men so enlisted: provided. that such
oncers shall serve only during the continu-
ance OF the exigency under which their
services ss are required, and provided, further
mat officers so appointed shall be assigned
10 DUTY with rank and Fay of the grades
established by existing law
section recites that whenever in the
Judgment of the President. an exigency ex-
lists rendering such action necessary the
secretary Of the Navy Is authorized to
charter. for temporary service any private
vessel or vessels which may be required for
purposes. at such rates of compensation
and upon such terms and conditions as
may be deemed proper for the protection
OF the public interest.
Need of Men Emphasized.
In his letter Secretary Herbert says that
in his last annual report he called atten-
ton to the urgent and constantly growing
necessity for strengthening the enlisted
force of the navy. The number of men
authorized by existing law to be enlisted
In the navy" he says, lis barely sufficient
to equip the vessels which are at any one
tine In commission. If new vessel is to
De sent to sea, some ship in service must
go out of commission and the enlisted men
on the one be transferred to the other If by
reason of any public exigency it should
become necessary to place all the vessels
of our navy in actual service at the same
time 1t would be impossible to do SO for
want of crews to man them, and there
does not appear to be any authority of law
under which the Secretary of the Navy or
the President could in such a case increase
the enlisted force. even temporarily, to
meet the emergency The joint resolu-
rafa n1 To
Secretary says in order to make suitable
provision for emergencies which may at
any moment occur. and which might arise
at a time when Congress is not in session