The National tribune., 1909-02-11

steam Engineering with Construction
I I az Repair. The Navy authorities Of
! Congress seem to approve Of that plan
fuiiy. just as they approve of the con-
soiidation of the wori5 of tbe respective
eight Bureaus at the various navy Yards
| on the Atlantic aud Pacific Coasts.
The President and the faction of
Navy critics find ;ittie-to dissent from
in that particular. but hey are lighting
the proposed consolidation OF Bureaus
in the Department 10 tn: limit. and
hope TO be able to i,rias; sf;.i.s about
so that the necessary legislation for
any such consolidation will he exceed
in3iy difficult. They plan TO 60 this by
creating a public sentiment against IT,
and for plan OF reorganization that
the Commission is cxpec. II to recom-
mend.
A Naval Advisory Board.
Coming to details. they are deter
mined to retain the eigIit Bureau Chiefs
as the law now provides. but they
want 10 deprive those Chiefs of much
of their present arbitrary power. and
10 place over them ana rs.xt IA author
ity to the Secretary thc ,curI,-tiiScusscd
Advisory Board of Naval EXPERTS 'rhey
want these experts to be a sort OF Board
of Directors, subordinate, however, to
the Secretary, but entirely iudepen6-
ent OF the Bureau C.iieis. rfey say
tflSiA tile Iidl sauna ia tn business
sense. because it closely resembles; the
organization one Gcds in ths great
ship yards and in other bis; Industrial
corporations of tho country. as well as
in the British navy. II world supply
the expert military advice aad counsel,
touching the preparedness of the snips
and men for war and g plans for
meeting conditions of hostility that
might arise at any tinie in different
quarters of the world
From all one can hear IN raliable
quarters it seems n be q for.gone con-
ciusion that the Commission Will report
the kind of reorganization plan lust
outlined. 1t is syen quite possible that
such plan his already been agreed
upon by the members of the CorInis-
sion, and that the supposed mysteries
and delays about the Commissions
work are due to the necessary activities
in arranging details. I.ear-AdmiraI
Mahan, who has an international repu-
tation as an authority on navy matters,
VIII have a very prominent part in
writing the report of the Commission
and in shaping up ti:e recommended
tons. 1t is probable that he and some
other members of the Commission have
already talked over many details With
tha President.
The report and racCnni9n iationS will
be given the widest publicity. The Pres
ident may even decide To forward them
to Congress with special message in
the closing DAYS of his Administration.
There is no likelihood that Senate or
House would pay any particular atten-
ton to such a message at this session,
but it would further the building up OF
a public sentiment for the retention OF
the Bureaus and their Chiefs and the
organization of an Advisory Board. the
effect OF which would be fcit long after
President Roosevelt has gone out OF
Office. And in the next Congress-. what
ever the leaders of the GaYy Commit
tees may do, there wiH be champions,
and strong champions at that, CT the
plans that President Roosevelt and his
Commission OF eminent authorities
favor.
The situation is unique alike in the
history of the Navy and Of the Gem
erai Government. For thc President
is in position of practically open an
tagonism to a member of niI own Cab
met. the Secretary OF the Navy. on
matter OF vital policy, and set does not
care to compel him to reSiga