The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-10
He Declares that Officers To Man the
Ships Now Built and Building Are
the Greatest Requirement.
GOV. CUMMINS ON THE TARIFF
IowA.s EXECUTIVE ExPoUNDs THE
aTowA IDEA WITH FORCE.
Changed Conditions Make Necessary
Changes I'm the Schedules-Other
Phases of National Politics.

CHICAGO. Oct. s-The thirty-first ami
versary Of Chicaso's big fire was observed
tonight by banquets given under the aus
pices OF the Marquette and Lake Side clubs.
Speakers of national prominence were pres
ent at both banquets. At the Auditorium
Hotel five hundred members of the Mar
quette Club and their guests gathered in
the banquet hall, which had been appro-
priateiy decorated William L. Bush. pres
ident Of the club, acted as POSTMASTER.
After the invocation. by the Rev. Frank
Gunsaulus. Secretary OF the Navy
William II. Moody was introduced,
for whom the banqueters arose in a body
and cheered enthusiastically. Secretary
Moody responded to the toast 1.-THE Navy"
He said In part:
'"The most imperative need of the navy
to-day Is Of additional officers. 1 cannot
overstate this need. 1t demands the in
slant attention Of Congress Even though
the short session of Congress Is coming
and there Is little opportunity for general
legislation, IL Is the duty of the Republican
party, with power and responsibility in
both houses, to consider and meet this need
at that session. There should not be even
a years delay. 1t takes longer to make
an oficer of Junior rank than it does to
build a battelship, and conditions will not
permit US to daily with the question. II Is
continue the building of ships, 1 do not
wish them unless at the same time provi-
sion is made for officers and men to man
refer has been approaching. To-day It is
acute. -Four years from now II will be des-
perate unless there Is early action.
These are strong statements and de-
mand proof will endeavor to furnish IT.
In doing so will omit all details which
are not essential, although / cannot es-
cape details entirely no The lst Of January
discussion OF the present relation OF the
number OF officers TO the duties which are
d 81 them bosrd sbny We first
the ships which may then be counted as
serviceable demand a minimum 1237
officers of the line. There were at that
kinds courts-martial, inspection instruc-
ton at the Naval Academy, recruiting.
ordnance and others which 1 will not
enumerate.
SHORE DUTY AND TRANSFERS.
Some part of the shore duty, / have
thought. acting upon professional advice,
unnecessary, and II has been discontinued.
Some stations on shore have been aboI-
ished because, with conflicting demands of
the service. had no choice. There is to-
day a less number of officers upon shore
duty than on the LIST of January 1t will
be the policy of my administration to abol-
fsh such duties on shore as are not es-
sehtial to the efficiency of our navy as a
whole or to the proper development of the
individual officer.
another in Pacific waters, another in
Asiatic waters. another in South Atlantic
. waters, another in North Atlantic waters,
another just constituted with duties in or
about the Caribbean sea, there must al
q ways be a certain number of officers in
transit from one point OF duty TO another.
For instance. there recently landed In San
Francisco on their return from the Philip
pines more than fifty officers, withdrawn
for the time being in the course of their
journey from duties Of any kind. A small
estimate of the officers in transit to and
from stations is seventy. We can count at
least at all times upon an average of thirty
officers on the SICK iisi and thirty more
on leave. which has been. of recent years
a rare thing for the younger officers.
1.-The requirements which have stated.
IL will be seen, called on Jan. / for 1,63l
officers. There were on the date named
l023 officers, including midshipmen. or COZ
less than needed. II is true that in time
fraction say one-fourth. OF our ships out
of commission. undergoing repairs and nm
provements. Suppose this to be so, II
would reduce the shortage by one-half
but stin we would be 800 short of our re-
quirements and with every effort and a
detachment from every possible point OF
detached without imperiling the efficiency
OF the navy there is still, even in time OF
peace, a present existing deficiency.
but how of the future? 1t Is the part
of prudence to look ahead. Ii Is especially
my own duty to speak and speak In nc
uncertain tones We have between sixty
and seventy ships authorized and In process
OF construction, many of them of the most
important and powerful types. To mar
them all demands 49S officers. again allow
ing the absolute minimum number, allow
ing, for instance. seventeen officers TO q
battleship although Germany has twenty
France twenty-six and England thirty
three officers for the same type of ship
Allowing the same proportion OF officers In
transit. shore duty, sick and leave
II will require 62S officers to produce the 40,
demanded by our new ships In the mean
time. officers will be dying or leaving the
service through disability or by resigna.
ton. IL four years 1t is estimated that
ated in this manner. We have, therefore
by this computation 7S3 officers to be pro-
vided for our ships now in process of con
structiOn, which we may expect TO com
plete within four years. This number, add
ed to the sol which to-day lack, shows
that in four years in order to officer oul
that in four years, in order TO officer oul
CURED $50 more officers than we have to-
OFFICERS IN SIGHT.
This is leaving out of account the Off
GERS that might be demanded and that il
the last war were actually used to office
the auxiliary vessels which would com
into the navy In time of war; This woult
at least require all OF the officers released
from any ships which might be out OF com
mission. L DcueNe lHGl nave
rather than overstated the needs OF tn
service by the computation which 1 hav
offered you. Whence are these officers &
come? j am informed that in those fou
years we can expect under existing condi
tions about 355 graduates of the Nava
Academy. This still leaves US more thai
q thousand officers less than the prope
complement.
Is. ~'1he law allows promotion from tn
ranks OF not exceeding six per annum. Per
haps this number might DE 10 advantag
increased somewhat. But the duties of
modern naval officer varied and com
plcx They exact broad range of knowl
edge and training which must be begu
in early life and continue necessarily unit
the highest rank is reached In the mail
II is true that our reliance for the suppl
OF officers must be In the young representa-
tixes OF great democracy who edu
Gated at the academy at Annapolis. The
Gather there from all sections of the lano
representing all classes of people The
abandon civil life, enter the Nation 5 sery
ice as their life's career, and from boy
hood their training is directed 10 the dutie
OF an exactfng profession.
Congress alone can deal with this ques
ffon / believe IL 10 be the duty OF Con
ere-s TO face IL speedily and courageously
4 doubt not that IL will be done. IL IL
& not done and action does not follow
will not be many years before We shall sc
oar splendid ships decaying In our harbor
as Idle as painted ships upon a painte
IOWA AND THE TARIFF.
"The Iowa Pattern and the Tariff" wa
discussed by Governor Albert b. Cummin,
Of Iowa Governor Cummins spoke direct