Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-28
REORGANIZATION
OF NAVY URGED
BY COMMISSION
PRESIDENT SUBMITS REPORT
TO CONGRESS
NEW DEPARTMENTAL SYSTEM is
FAVORED AND OUTLINED
Roosevelt Endorses Plan of Special
Committee, Which He Says
Is Not Drastic or
Costly
[By Associated Press ]

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27. - Presi-
wv dent Roosevelt's commission on
naval reorganization, whose final
report went to congress today outlines
new departmental system which the
president declares is sound and con-
servative, and is in full accord with
American policy.
1t cOntemplates for the secretary a
general council, a military council and
the redistribution of the duties Of the
present bureaus in five divisions, the
chiefs of which are to compose the
grand council, who are to be the assist
ant secretary three flag officers and
another flag officer, naval constructor
and civilian with technical training.
In submitting the plan the president
says:
Nothing drastic is recommended as
to the bureaus or other agencies by
means of which the purely business af-
fairs of the navy department are now
administered.
1.-THE plan outlined does not imply
any greater expenditure of money than
at present. 1t provides merely that
the money should be spent wisely in
stead of as at present spending it SO
thta d certain proportion is wasted in
useless work"
To supplement and finish the work of
this commission, the president says,
another commission must eventually be
established to take up the proposed
plan and complete it-as to details,
but no plan can be satisfactory if there
is deviation from the essential mill
tary principles specified in this re-
port.
Bureau System Retained
The bureau system in it's entirety
has been retained, but with additional
| personnel. The commissions scheme
| is merely an illustration of the prin-
ciples and not a digested plan
1t contemplates that the assistant
secretary shall be a civilian, a imam
of affairs" who shall be the chief Of
| f1cer of the first division and shall
have charge of the business of the
bureau Of yards and docks, the bureau
of supplies and the bureau of r.edicine
and surgery, the employment Of civil
ians and kindred subjects.
| The second or division of naval oper-
alton, whose chief shall be a flag Of
| f1cer, the principal military adviser
to the secretary to be without admin
| iStrative functions, but to be ex-of-
/ ticiO head of the general board and the
| board of construction-is to supervise
war plans and the general policy and
| have under his control the naval war
| college, the officers Of naval intelli-
/ gence and kindred subjects.
| The third, or division of personnel,
| whose chief shall be a flag officer, TO
! be charged ex-Officio with the business
4 OF the bureau of navigation, all edu-
catiOnal institutions except the naval
war college, the marine corps, the dis
| cipline Of the navy, the office Of the
judge advocate general, the naval OBJ
servatory and kindred subjects.
The fourth, or division of inspection,
whose chief shall be a flag officer, shall
be charged with the duties pertaining
to the trials Of ships, the inspection of
fleets, squadrons and ships, of navy
| yards and stations, of sites for naval
stations and kindred subjects.
The fifth, or technical division, whose
chief shall be a flag officer, a naval
constructor or a civilian with a tech
nical training, shall be in supervisory
charge Of the business of the four
technical bureaus of construction, ord
| nance, engineering and equipment
No chief of a bureau while acting as
such shall act as chief Of division.
The military members Of the general
council to be appointed by the presi-
dent with the advice and consent Of
the senate, for three years, and with
the exception Of the chief Of the di-
vision Of naval operations, to be
eligible for reappointment except after
an intervening period Of three years.
The commission declares the bureau
of supplies and accounts should be
divided.
I'VE recognize" says the report,
that in order to make these recon-
mendations it will be necessary that
earnest consideration and careful study
be given existing laws, and we sug-
gest that the law (section 422, R. 81,
which gives a bureau chief equal au-
thority with the secretary in his alb
sence, be repealed