Bisbee daily review., 1908-12-03
LAST APPEAL
WILL Be MADE
FOR THE NAVY
Roosevelt Win Use the Last
Days of His Official Life In
Urging Needed Reform On
Congress.

WASHINGTON, Dec. NAVAL re-
form is one Of the subjects to which
President Roosevelt Is going to devote
especial effort during his last congress
sional session. The president wants:
Establishment of a general staff for
the navy, similar to that which was
established under Secretary Root for
the army. r6s
A guarantee of the rapid expansion
of naval power In the future, which
means authorization by the coming
session of four new hattleships.
General reorganization of the
scheme of naval administration.
The naval reformers are hopeful of
getting some important results the
coming session. Their hopes have
been increased greatly since II was
made probable that Chairman Hale
will leave the naval committee and
become head of appropriations. SEN
ator Hale is regarded as tho most
powerful exponent of tae old order of
things in the navy. He, has been a
despot in his committee simply be.
cause so many of It's members have
navy yards to look after, and any
one who would undertake to interfere
with the plans Of the chairman stood
in danger of having his navy yard
icipped on the list of desirable insti-
buttons. -ss--,~-s. .rs
The demand for a general stan has
been pressed for sorue years. The re-
formers hope 1t viii come now. They
believe that a great deal was accom-
pllsned in the campaign last winter,
which opened when the Reuterdahi ar
-. a.,
fects in the navy. It is therefor II
garded as highly significant that with
in a day or two another article by
Reuterdahl will appear in a popular
magazine, giving a new chapter of
criticism of the navy, and including
an interview with President Roose-
welt. .rr
There was a fine fuss over the Reu-
terdahl article of a year ago; various
people were proved to have provided
material for it; and to do so was a
high misdemeanor in the service. The
president might have made things
very hot for a lot of people, but he
didn't He declined to excite himself
at all. Instead, Reuterdahl, after all
the row, was allowed to accompany
the fleet when it started around the
world. He left il after the trip around
South America end came home to
write some more undertaking articles
about the navy. He stood well en-
ough with the president to be able
to secure an authorized interview
which will appear in his forthcoming
article, quoting the president Other
newspaper and magazine writer's. who
have tried. will recognize that the
man who gets an authorized interview
wsh the president is doing quite well
Powerful and devoted patron as he
has been, it is a fact that the presl-
dent has always met determined op-
position inside the navy organization
His expansion program of course
meets the most enthusiastic approval;
for it his name will ever be blessed
But when he discusses reorganization,
then he is anathema to the roll-toI
desk salts who navigate swinging
chairs at the department and don't
want criticism of what they have
done, nor disturbance of their com
| Portable assignments.
But the critics are going right ahead
with their criticisms. The truth il
that they have arranged a fine pro
| gram of literary bombardment of the
| department for this winter.
An especially attractive sample oi
undertaking is promised in a forth
coming article which will show how
the dock yards are mismanaged anC
how impossible it would be to carr
for cripDled feet, on our own shores
in time of war. In this connection /
will be shown just how politics hai
injured the navy yard service and ad
ministration; how yards have bee.
distributed for the benefit of memb<r
Of naval committees, rather than 70
the benefit of the navy. and hoy
money has been spent on them in pre-
portion to pulls rather than to needs
Yet more: Il will be declared tina
while millions have been almost wast
ed in the political navy yards on ou
own shores, nothing effective has bee
vet done for Guantanamo, which al
solutely must be made a Port Arthu
| If We are to protect the isthmia
4