The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-01-31
House Members Strongly
Urge Reorganization BY
Means of Laws.
NEWBERRY WILL GO
BEFORE COMMITTEE
Chief Obstacle Is Senate's Deter
mination TO Block Any
Such Legislation.

signs are numerous that the row
over the reorganization OF the Navy
Department IS TO be transferred to the
Capitol Indications are that much will
be heard on this subject about the Sen
ate and House between now and the
end OF the present session and that
IN the session a year from now, possibly
at the special sesSions it will again come
Up.
Great significance is attached in many
quarters 70 the action of the House
Naval Affairs Committee in deciding TO
call Secretary Newberry before it and
md out from him about his reorgani-
Sation plans; whether he believes fur
Their reform is needed. and whether in
his opinion his reforms should be made
permanent by law. Representative Davy-
son OF Iowa who has long been insist
ing on reorganization, got the resoIu-
ton calling the Secretary through the
committee, He strongly urged the fact
mat II was time Congress was taking
noId OF the situation and doing some
tnlng with 1t: that the responsibility
rested with Congress; that naval apDro-
priations were growing rapidly and the
navy expanding and that public senti-
ment demanded that Congress provide
tor the most effective organization pos
sloie. The committee members gener-
ally seem TO take this view OF il.
Dawson for Reforms.
MF. Dawson is in sympathy with the
REFORMS that have been inaugurated.
but believes these should constitute
merely the beginning OF more radical
reforms He would have the law re-
pealed which makes each bureau indie
pendent and supreme in its own field
he thinks there is great need Of re-
form in the manner in which naval
estimates are made, and points out that
the naval bill for next year contains
separate appropriations for five different
bureaus for public works. and a separ-
ate appropriation for three different
bureaus for machinery and tools. He
believes economy demands thar such
expenditures be centered in one con-
troll.
Then, there is the important question
OF providing an advisory board of com
peLcnt and experienced active officers to
EtVe advice 10 tSe Secretary Of the
Navy. This is the question of q navv
general star, heard so much about of
late strong sentiment exists in the
House Naval Committee for a board of
this kind
Something This Session.
An effort VIII be made by the friends
Of reform TO set legislation this session
which viii tend TO make part Of the
Nswoerry reforms permanent But there
are difficulties in the way. Chief of
these is the fact that the Senate lead
ers have set their faces against any
general legislation. Moreover, friends
II the present bureau system are by
no means lacking IN both branches Of
Congress. Those gentlemen who have
navy yards under their wings. for in
stance. find IL easier TO get what they
want under the present system than
they would under a more effectively
organized one.
However. If Congress takes no action
Ct this session IN way of actual legisla-
lion Tor reforms. it is likely a Tes0lu-
ton viii be put through the House be-
fore March 4 providing for an inyestiEa
ZION BY a committee of the House into
the need for reorganization. A move
Enent for such a resolution is already on
sOoC. This special committee would be
able 70 do a great deal Of work I'm the
course Of the special session 10 would
then be IN position To make its report at
the long session OF Congress one year
hence.
That navy reform Is going 10 be a
live question AT the next regular ses-
sion appears entirely likely.