Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-06
VACATIONS STAY DISCRETION
Navy Department Arranges Reasonably
Long Holidays for Enlisted Men.
ROOSEVELT FAMILY RE URNs HOME
Civil Service Commission shows Sue
cess of work Rs Applied 60 SOW
LabOrers by Keeping
ont Men with Mere Pull.

WASHINGTON, April 5.-The men Of the
battleship squadron are TO be given a net
leave Of ter days when the vessels are
locked for repairs in about a month and
a half. This squadron is made up OF Kear-
sarge. Alabama, Illinois. Massachusetts,, In
diana and Iowa. The men on Maine also
will be given similar leave.
When the vessels Of the squadron reach
the mouth Of Chesapeake bay from the
south, where they have been during the
winter, they are to be reviewed by Admiral
Dewey and Rear Admiral Taylor, the chief
of the bureau Of navigation, after which
most Of them will proceed to the northern
navy yards for docking and repairs. The
department feels the men are entitled to
this vacation after their long winter work.
Hereafter It will be the aim to allow the
enlisted men two reasonable long vacations
each year, one after the winter and an
other after the summers work is finished.
Incidentally, the oficials think the double
vacation will tend to iminis assertions.
Ketcham is Improving.
Representative John H. Ketcham Of New
York, who has been i'll for some time, was
taken to New York today. Though some
what improved the patient showed the eff
fects of his sickness and was still weak.
He was accompanied by several relatives,
a physician and two trained nurses.
Mrs. Roosevelt Returns Home.
Mrs. Roosevelt and her children, who
have been on a cruise on Mayfower. re-
turned to Washington this afternoon. A
carriage from the White House met the
party at the boat and drove them home.
All the family are we'll and greatly bene-
hted by the weeks outing.
Miss Alice Roosevelt returned to Wash
ington tonight from her visit to Governor
Hunts family in Porto Rico.
Government LabOrers Improve.
The Civil Service commission today gave
out the following statement as to the work.
ing of the recently established regulations
for the appointment Of laborers in the de-
partments:
Regulations to govern the appointment
Of unclassihed laborers in the departments
in accordance with the presidents order
of July 3, 1902, have been adopted for four
departments as well as for the Smith
sonian institution and the government
'oficers charged with the execution of
from applications for appointments based
on other considerations than the needs
of the service. In determining the rela-
tive fitness of applicants, physical quail
fcations are probably the most important
Physicians of the force of the commission
rate each applicant on his physical con-
dition. Age is another element Affecting
the general rating of applicants, as are
also industry and adaptabiity.
The treasury department IS one of those
in which the system has been longest es
tablished. Its register and board on March
4 was headed by six eligibles emitted &c
preference by reason of their military oil
naval service, OF whom five already have
been appointed. The tNyenty-four elig,blei
nextin line nave general averages running
from 50 to $3.50 per cent. On physical con
dition they are rated at 9S and onIy -four
are followed by sixty, the lowest having
a general average of 9l.10 and all having
a rating of 95 on physical condition. Only
mine of these sixty are over 40 years of age
The entire register contains 40 names oil
persons with a general average oil 10 OF
more. zen