The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-18
IN THE HOUSE.
The Navy Personnel Bill-Severai Amend
ments Made.

| hs Navy IeTsOnnel Blll-SeFeral Amend
ments Made.
Washington, Jan. 1.-THE house TO-
day passed the naval personnel bill
without division on the final passa ge.
| thus accomplishing what the officers of
! the navy have striven for during more
than decade. By it's provisions, the
line and the engineer corps are welded
into an amalgamated line. staff officers
are given positive rank, but their COM
mand is limited to their own corps and
q system of voluntary agreed compul-
sorry retirement on three quarters pay
of the next higher rank of the 40 off,
GERS year is established. which is des-
1Snated to remove the congestion in the
lower rank at As. The bill also prac-
tically equaliZes their pay with that
OF army officers. Three important
amendments were adopted; one creates
d Judge advocate corps, another abol-
lshes prize money and third provides
for the retirement on three quarters
pay of enlisted men and petty officers
in the navy after 80 years service But
the most important change in the bill
as reported, was the addition, after a
hard fight, of substitute for the CT
ganization of the marine corps, by
which the corps is to consist of 5000
enlisted men and petty officers with
general officers and staff. This will in
crease the marine corps by 1900 men
and increase the cost of it's mainten-
ance $1500,000. Several unimportant
bills were passed by unanimous consent
before the personnel bill was taken up.
Immediately after reading the jour-
nal, McCleary, rep. Mimi, on behalf
of the banking and currency commit
tee, made statement to the effect the
vote on the currency bill reported at
the last session had been irregularly
taken in committee and he therefore
asked the bill be recommitted. There
was no objection and the bill was 1e-
committed. The house then went into
committee of the whole and resumed
consideration Of the naval personnel
bill. Bailey moved to strike from sec
ton the following provfso:
And provided further nothing con-
tanned in this section shall be con-
strued to prevent the retirement of Off
GERS with the rank and pay of COM
modore.
The rank of commodore, he said, was
abolished in the active list by the bill.
Why should it be continued on the re-
tired list?
Mr.. Loud, rep, Cal, in some criticism
of the bill, said the complaint that na-
val officers under the present system
did not reach command rank early
enough was due to the fact there were
not enough ships. Advancement was
as rapid in the navy as in the mer-
chant service. He made some sarcastic
references to the deep-sea sailors on
the committee, who lived in West Tir-
slnla and other interior states. Mr.
Bailey's amendment was lost, 60-112.
Mr.. Bailey then offered an amend
ment to strike out from section eight
the section providing for compulsory
retremenD the provision for retirement
of officers with the pay and rank of
the next higher grade.
Mr.. Foss said that an inducement
had to be held out to the officers to
voluntarily retire. Mr.. Bailey said he
hardly expected such frankness from
the gentleman in charge of the bill
You seek" Mr.. Bailey declared, "to
place premium on retirement from
the service. You propose to hire men
to quit in order that the lower Off
GERS may be promoted more rapidly,
and you propose to follow this with
similar bill for retirement from army
The amendment was lost, 70 to 70,
whereupon Mr.. Bailey moved to strike
out the whole section. Mr.. Bailey then
said in principle he opposed the whole
retirement system. Mr.. Denton, rep,
w Va, said that and the following
section were the vital ones in the bill
Voluntary retirement from the lower
grades would not only prevent stag
nation. but it would be economical in
that officers would be retired in the
lower grades instead of remaining in
the service, being rushed through the
higher grades and then retired in the
highest rank at three-quarters pay.
Mr. Cummings, in supporting the pro-
posed retirement system, said: This
bill is to promote the efficiency of the
navy and looking at the Philippines,
Russia, Germany and France. I say
you will need an efficient navy within
the next 10 years" The amendment
was defeated, So to 81. Mr. Southland,
rep, o., on behalf of the committee.
offered an amendment, which was
adopted, creating regular judge advo-
cate corps to consist of one judge ad-
vocate general. one assistant judge ad-
vocate, one deputy judge advocate and
two judges.
Mr.. Simpson, pop. Kan, moved to
strike out the provision abolishing the
two years sea course for naval ca
diets. 1t was defeated
Mr.. Foss offered a committee sub
stitute for section IA, providing that
boatswains, gunners, carpenters and
sailmakers shall, after three years
from the date of the warrants, be
commissioned chief boatswains, chief
that they shall on promotion have the
same pay and allowances now allowed
second lieutenants in the marine corps,
1t was adopted.
Another amendment abolishing prize
money Tor the capture or destruction
of the enemys ships in time of war
was adopted without debate or divis-
ion. Mr.. Cummings offered a commit
tee amendment for the retirement of
enlisted men and petty officers of the
navy after 30 years service on three
quarters pay, service in the civil or
Spanish-American war to be computed
as double time. Mr.. Simpson asked
why enlisted men We're not placed on
an equality with officers and retired as
of the highest grade. Mr.. Cummings
replied that the object of the amend
ment was to place the enlisted men of
the navy on an equality with those of
the army. 1t was those officers that
had served in the civil war or who
We're forced out of the service who were
retired as of the next higher grade.
Mr.. Cummings amendment was
adopted. Mr.. Meyer, dem, Iowa, on
behalf of the committee offered sub