The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1905-09-29
REFORMS ARE NEEDED,
In Naval Branch of Military
Service.
NAVY YARD POWER PLANTS
To be combined-President is
at Work.

WEEKLY LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
The President has appointed Assis-
tant Secretary Of the Navy Darling
and Assistant Secretary Of War
oliver special hoard to conduct an
Investigation OF the army and navy,
alaur lines similar to those being
followed by the Keep Commission in
theft investigation Of the federal de-
naftments. The President has be-
coule Impressed with the idea that
there il quite as much red tape in
the conduct Of army and navy affairs
a. there is in the government depart
meats as lle expects that; the investi-
CATION and report which the Assis-
tant Secretaries named will make
point the way to radical reforms in
these branches Of the military estab.
llshment.
II is probable that the obstacles
placed in the way Of combining the
power plants at the various navy
Yards have served largely to call at
tcntion Of the President to the neces.
sity Of reform in the military section
OF the government. 1t will be re-
called that for years the Secretaries
Of the Navy have urged that material
economy could be effected by the
combination OF the various power
plants In navy yards into One large
and efficient plant. in each yard. but
naval officers have, until the advent
Of Secretary Ronaparte on the scene.
managed In one way or another to
prevent the accomplishment Of the
reroru. AS a result it has been no
uncomInon occurrence for single
navy yard to maintain five or six
power plants, each under the super
vision OF a different officer. The
officers favored the plan because 1t
made each ''monarch Of all he sur
yeyed", so to speak, and because by
requiring more officers at a yard 1t
made more shore and less sea duty to
be performed. Members OF Congress
supported the officers because IT
made more laborers' places to be
judiciously used On the eve Of cleo
,ions, "'tnore jobs to 20 around" To
Assistant Secretary Darling, backed
by the courage OF the President, Is
due the fact that the power plants
are now being combined, but the re-
form should not stop here, say those
Officers who will consent to discuss
the subject with frankness.
The attention OF your corrcspon-
dent has been called, for instance,
to the fact that In a single navy yard
there are eight machine shops, hve
joiners shops. dvc paint shops. four
pattern shops, four tin shops, four
fuel oil plants, four testing labora-
tories, three electrical work shops
three copper shops, thirty-two store
houses under separate roofs, thirteen
coal sheds and bins under separate
roofs aud dfty different piles OF ma
terial not under cover. There were
formerly ia this yard six power plants
but these have not been consolidated
aud one up-to-date plant furnishes
power for the entire yard with ma
teral economy. II the other plants
were consolidated there would be a
large reduction IN the force OF EN-
poyecs and solne reduction 10 the
number of officers with a proportion
ate Increase 10 the economy OF ad-
miuistratiou, and OF course more
officers released for sea service.
There Is another direction 10 wnlcn
material economy could be effected 10
the administration OF the navy al
though thero is some question wneth'
er membcrs Of Congress will permit
auy changes in this direction. Inis
IN the case OF heavy expenditures lot
navy yards which changed conditions
have rendered obsolete, 10 SO far as
their strategic value Is concerned
y,
This is, for Instance, true OF tne
Portsmouth navy yard which was re-
garded of great strategic value 10 tne
days OF the old navy but wh'cn nas
uow become only a source-of expense