The Washington herald., 1907-01-13

There is a fierce battle waging in the
navy. It has gone so far that the hint is
given from an exalted source that too
much activity against the naval person
mel bill. the draft Of which has been sub
mittcd TO Congress in special message
Of the President, will lead to trials bv
court-martial Of the cuiprits. The bill
failed 10 provide for the stan CORDS and
/ the Marine Corps in its scheme Of relief
and improvement although those
/ branches were asked 10 submit their de-
sires, which was done by means Of re-
ports and supplemental reports from spe-
Cial sub-bOards appointed as aids 10 the
main personnel board, which had the As
sistant Secretary Of the Navy at It's head
1t docs not appear why the STAFF Corps
and the Marine Corps were omitted from
the departmental draft Of the personnel
bill, although it is announced that the
defect viii be corrected by submitting to
/ Congress all that the Staff Corps asked
with the vital exception Of the request for
the same titles which are now enpIoved
to designate the various grades in the line
branch Of the navy
The staff will have none Of this. 1t must
have titles along with the other recon-
mendatons submitted TO Congress. Tho
line, on the other hand, is determined
to resist the enCroachment So the matter
stands, with much feeling on each side Of
the question, and a determination that the
bill shall not pass with the desired titles
for the staff, and an equally firm resoIu-
ton that the bill shall not pass without
the titles
In the meantime. it is disclosed that
many line officers, including the midship-
men under instruction at Annapolis. who
are interested in the enactment of tho
BILL are writing to Congressman and
| Senator's, while no such freedom 70 ex-
press a contrary view is permitted other
officers of the navy, who certainly have a
right to be heard on the subject The
situation is remarkable in that sort Of
industry which, although on the side Of
an administrative measure, must be re-
garded as in violation of the naval regu-
latons, to say nothing of a special order
Of the President that officers shall not
employ themselves in communications in
lSltAtu ~ liillut4tt OF control legislation.
1t ought to be fair for one set of officers
who oppose, as it is for another set who
favor, a pending bill to exercise their
powers Of speech and the common right
to use the mails. No harm can come 10
a merit0rious measure by allowing both
sides TO be heard, and least Of all will il
be detrimental 20 the dignity and eff
cheney of the naval commissioned person.
mel to discuss the proposition of giving to
staff officers the titles used by their
brethren Of the line Il Is evident that
naval personnel legislation is checked ef-
fectlvely by this internal rumpus. and it
Is perhaps a good thing that the bill is
not az this session TO be subject to Con-
gressionaI consideration. II would be GER
tain to expose the whole silly resistance
to giving the staf officers so-caIIed
line titles
Ia the meantime. It would be well fer
President Roosevelt TO ascertain how II is
that naval officers are deluging Congress
with the request for the enactment OF
certain legislation. They have no more
right 10 do this than ii is permitted the
nava! officers 20 act Ia that way when
they do not want the bill passed.