The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-12-03
NAVAL PERSONNEL.
Promotion Of Officers by Strict Seniorii,
Not Good prinoiple,

VI lnc army. tnht theN form body
whose interests should hc close 20 the
heart Of every good American. In
return the most rigid performance Of
duty should H. cNactcd from them
The reward should hc ample whom
they do their best. and nothing less
than their best should bc tolerated |,
is idle to hope for the best results
when the m"u in thc senior grndcs
come To those grades late iu life and
serve too short time In them. IN to
the rank of lieutenant commander pro
motion in the navy should hc rs nov
10y seniority. subject. however. to such
rigid tests MS would eliminate the un
lit After the grade uf lieutenant com
mandcr-tha is when We come To the
grade OF coInmlnd rank the unit
should hc eliminated In such manner
that only the cuuspicuuusy III would
remain, and sea- service should bc a
principal test Of fitness Those who
are passed 10y should after "a certain
length of service IN their respective
grades be retired. Of a given number
of men IL may well be- that almost nlI
would make good llcutcnants and
m"st Of them good Lieutenant com
mandcrs. while only minority viii
lie TT Ia hc captains aud but three or
four to bc admirals. Those who oil
jcct To promotion otherwise than hy
mere seniority should rrfcr, uuon thp
elementary fact that no hu,iucss In
private life could hr successfully man
aged II thos" Whu enter at the lowest
rungs Of tie ladder should each i'm
turn IL hc lived become the head of
the firm. lis active director and retire
after lie had held the position a few
months. ON It's face such "A scheme Is
an ahsurdiiN. Chances for impropcr
favoritism can lie minimlzcd by
properly formed board such as the
board OF last June which did such con.
scientious and excellent work in elm
ination.
III all that ought to he done cannot
now be done, at least let beginning
be made. In my last three annual
messages and In n special message 10
the last congress the necessity for log
islation that will cause officers of the
iihe OF the navy 10 reach the grades
or captain and rear admiral at less ad.
Vanced ages and which will cause them
10 nave more sea training and cy.
perlencc in the highly responsible ,lu
Ties of those grades, so that they may
become thoroughly skillful In handling
batlleships. divisions, squndrons and
fleets In action, has been fully explain
ed ana urgently recommended Tpon
this subject the secretary of the navy |
has submitted detailed and definite |
which have received |
my approval and which II enacted I'm. |
10 law VIII accomplish what is immc. |
iiately necessary and will. as compar- /
ed with existing law, make II saving |
)f more than s5,OOoOO0 during the next |
seven years. The navy personnel act |
Df 1879 has accomplished all that was
expected OF II In providing satisfactory /
periods Of service In the several sub-
ordinate grades, from the grade of cn.
sign TO the grade Of lieutenant com.
but the law Is Inadequate In
he upper grades and will continue TO
be inadequate on account OF the cx-
OF the personnel since It's en-.
lctment. Your attention Is invited TO
he following quotations from the re.
Iort OF the personnel board of 1906. OF
which the assistant secretary OF the
navy was president:
Congress has authorized n consider
lble Increase in the number of mid
hipmen ut the Naval academy. and
hcse midshipmon upon graduation are
promoted To ensign aud lieutenant dun
or gradej. But no provision has been
made for n corresponding Increase II
he upper grades, IN" result being that
he lower grades win become 50 con
'cstcd that midshipman now in one
II the lowest classes nj ANNAPOLIS may
possibly not he promoted to lieutenant
lntll he Is between forty-ivc and fifty
ears of age. So il will continue un.
.er the present law, congestlng at the
op and cougcsting at the bottom. The
ountry fails TO get from the officer
II the service the best that Is In them
" not providing opportunity for their
ormal development and training. Thr
'oard believes that this works n scri
ms dctriment 10 the efficiency of thr
avy and is n real menace to the pub
c safety"
As stated In my special message to
he last congress, II am firmly of the
plnion that unless the present coudi {
Ion OF the higher commissioned per.
onnel Is rcctifed by judlcIous leglsla.
lon the future Of our navy viii ~ 4
xsnIt /.