The Detroit times., 1909-02-04
MEWBERRY CHECKS
Waste IN navy
DEPARTMENT
sMAshss PREcEpENTs AND IN
PRODUCES BUSINESS METHODS
WORK RECOGNIZED BY VET
ERAN OFFICERS. SAYS CURTIS.

WASHINGTON, Feb. avery Sec
rotary OF the navy for many years mas
realized that the organization OF that
department Is awkward and expensive
before he has been In Office ten days.
SAYS WIN. E. Curtis. In a dispatch 10
the Chicago Record-Herald. But IL
has remained for Secretary Newberry
To smash the precedents. overturn the
traditions and Introduce modern Dust
ness methods and economy In navy
yard work by Sacrificing system
that has prevailed since the govern
ment began to put boilers into snips'
as long ago as 1S42.
Mr.. Newberry Is regarded by the
practical officers Of the navy as tne
most efficient aud successful ADMIN
lstrator that has occupied his chair
for many years Without disparaging
the conscientious efforts OF his prede-
cessors. they admire his methods ana
have more confidence In his Judgment
because he Is u sailor himself, mas
mad active experience on board ship,
has confronted all the problems Oh
construction and administration while
assistant secretary for four years and
knows what ought to be done. Inc
knowledge and experience he possess
es cannot be acquired by any otner
nan In less time than he has spent
II the department.
Want Newberry Retained.
There have been six secretaries OF
The navy during the Roosevelt admin
.stration: four of them have been law
yers without the slightest knowledge
Of naval affairs and one railroad
nan who grasped the affairs OF the
department firmly and accurately, Out
unfortunately did not remain long
enough to accomplish anything OF per
manent value. Veteran officers OF the
navy who have seen the professions
Of secretaries pass through that ONCE
say that Mr.. Morton would have mace
a great administrator IL he had been
given q chance and they agree that
Mr.. Newbexry II Just beginning 70 ap-
ply In practical manner the expert
ence, training and knowledge he has
received as assistant secretary. There
fore. they regret his retirement on the
4th OF March. There has seldom been
such unamimity In the navy on any
subject. Il Is very discouraging to
those who feel an interest In the vel
fare Of the navy to have these fire.
uuent changes, and everybody hopes
that President-elect Taft will change
his mind and keep the right man In
the right place.
At the same time they congratulate
themselves that Mr.. Newberry, even In
his short administration, has had the
courage and enterprise TO introduce
reform that has long been needed ID
increase the efficiency OF the service
from a military standpoint and TO
avoid the useless expenditure OF mil
lions OF dollars by the duplication OF
plants, machinery. inspection. office
expenses and other expenditures
which might have been avoided.
Five Separate Organizations.
In the navy yard in New York, for
example, there were five Independent
organizations doing practically much
of the same work under the direction
Of Ave different bureaus of the de-
partment at Washington. They were:
Five carpentershops.
Five paintshops.
Four pattern-shops.
Four foundrfes.
-FOUR Macniue-SnOpS-
Four sets Of drafting and design
ing Offices.
Four sets OF clerks and account.
ants.
These Implications represented the
bureaus Of construction. equipment, Ell.
cheering. ordnance and yards and
docks. They were all managed by diff
ferent men with their own superin-
teDdents and inspectors, and were
paid from different appropriations. The
unnecessary expense was very large
and II has been going on year after
year for half a century, and at times
there had been considerable friction
end rivalry which impaired efficiency,
demoralized the service and interfered
with discipline.
The ofiicers OF the navy can never
agree upon certain features OF con-
struction and administration, and II
should not be expected because they
ere men OF individuality, originality OF
thought and strong convictions. This
would be dull world II there were
only one opinion. Nevertheless, a
vice, wellinformed, tactfui man at the
read Of the department with a thor.
ough knowledge Of the navy can han
die the administration SO that the
country can have the benefit Of the
best ideas and the most efficient ser.
vices OF all conflicting minds. Secre-
tary Newberry has done that to de-
gree that is unprecedented. and the
plan of reorganization he devised.
which took effect on the first OF the
month. removes the opportunity and
the occasion for conflict and brings
the administration OF all the navy
Yards and the entire working force
OF the department under one direction
and includes them In one pay roll with
out duplication of labor or expense.