The National tribune., 1907-01-31
NAVAL OFFICERS
As LOBBYISTS.
Senator Hale Loses Patience and Clears
the Capitol Corridors Of Them.

Senator Hale, within a few days, has
been stirring up the officers of the
Navy. A considerable contingent of
those officers. from the rank of Ensign
up to the rank of Admiral, find ways of
getting themselves stationed in Wash
ington. The duties here are light, but
the officers get very busy in short or
der, urging Congress to do this thing
and that thing, to increase salaries and
to tighten the duties of the Naval Ser
vice. AS every naval officer was ap-
pointed to the Naval Academy by some
Senator or member, he usually has a
little pull, and he goes to the Capitol 70
importune for the favors the Navy
wants.
Recently it has been the Personnel
bill. The Navy officers want Congress
to create a reserve. to which. officers
can be retired, so that younger men will
command ships. There are probably
some good features in the proposition.
1t Is generally conceded that officers at
tain command too late in life to be of
the greatest service to the Government.
OF course, all the officers are for It,
especially all the younger officers, for
it would mean that every mothers son
Of them would become an Admiral if
ne lived long enough.
Mr.. Hale, as Chairman of the Naval
Committee. thinks. and justly so. that
he knows as well what ought to be
done for the Navy as a lot Of officers
who are seeking promotion for their
own selfish ends. He does not like to
have them haunting the corridors of
the Capitol and buttOnholing Senators
and members of Congress. 1t Is axiom
attic around the big White Dome that no
L.. al
penetrate to Senator Hale's inside COM
mittee room and discuss naval legisla-
ton with him. The youngster would
get some wholesome advice, and woula
not be anxious to repeat the venture.
But officers in numbers have been
trying to circumvent Senator Hale by
winning votes in the Senate for their
Personnel bill, altho it Is taken for
granted that Senator Hales committee
will think the subject too large a one
to be considered at this brief session of
Congress. They have become SO bold in
their operations and had effected such
a close organization that the senior
Maine Senator thought it high time to
give them scare. Accordingly he in
troduced a resolution citing an Execu-
tive order by President Roosevelt, Jan.
81, 1902, against solicitation for legisla-
ton by officers and employees of the
Government and also citing the Navy
regulations on the subject, and asked
for an investigation by the Secretary of
the Navy to ascertain whether the or
der is being violated by any of the Off
GERS of his Department.
The press dispatches indicated that
Mr.. Hale's resolution was not received
as cordially in the Senate as he might
like. On the contrary, he accomplish
ed with it the very purpose he had in
tended. That was an agitation of the
subject before the Senate and a discus
sion by Senators pro and con. all of
which would call attention anew to the
regulations and impress upon naval OFF,
GERS the offenses they have been COM
mitting.
On Mr.. Hale's own motion the reso-
luton of inquiry was referred back to |
his own committee, and probably moth
ing more will be heard of it. Senators
did not like to commit themselves to
the idea that Navy officer should not
under any circumstances consult with
his Congressional friend about legisla-
ton that would further his own profess
Sional prospects. But the agitation of
the subject of Navy lobbying has clear
ed the Capitol corridors of these Off
GERS, and some of them are a little more
attentive to their duties In the Depart
ment.
When President Roosevelt issued his
order in 1902 it was intended to apply
to letter carriers and postal clerks, who
had been maintaining lobby here in
Washington and even threatening TO
defeat members for reelection who
would not vote them an increase in pay.
They did get revenge upon Representa-
tive Loud, of California, Chairman of
the Post Office Committee, whom they
defeated for reelection. The effect OF
the order was to clear the corridors of
the Capitol of letter carriers. Mr.. Hale
thinks if the letter carriers should have
been forbidden to lobby for legislation
naval officers should be denied the priv
ilege of lobbying. He had opportunity
during the debate to show very effect
ually what the Navy officers bad been
doing