Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-16
NAVAL BILL REPORTED
Authorizes Total Expenditure
of $135, 662,888.
WORK FOR LOCAL YARD
Secretary to Regulate Number Of
Those Employed.
LEAVE FOR PER DIEM MEN
Railroad Company Required to
Maintain Tracks-Western Re-
cruits Praised.
WORK FOR LOCAL YARD
LEAVE FOR PER DIEM MEN


penditures aggregating $135.662, 1888. Uf
this amount the sum of $3s.O0O.OOO is
made available for new construction in
the way OF battleships. torpedo boats.
submarines and other vessels, and for the
purchase OF armor and armament.
As announced yesterday the measure
contains a provision restoring to Ameri-
can ships of war the United States ma
rines that were constructively withdrawn
by order Of President Roosevelt. The bill
provides that hereafter officers and en-
listed men OF the Marine Corps shall
serve as heretofore on board all battle
ships and armored cruisers, and also
upon such other vessels Of the navy as
the President may direct, in attachments
OF not less than per cent Of the strength
OF tho enlisted men Of the navy on said
vessels" In the report accompanying the
bill no comment is made by the committee
on the provision relating to the marines.
Under the head of Increase of the
Navy appropriations are authorized as
follows: Construction and machinery,
SO. 10000: torpedo boats, $4,000. 600; ar
NOR and armament, $12.452.772; equip
ment. 100000.
Two battleships. each with a displace-
ment OF 10000 TONS are authorized. as
well as five torpedo boat destroyers, four
subsurface boat.
Work for the Navy Yards.
One recommendation Of the committee is
OF interest locally, as If it is adopted, 1t
will lie within the discretion of the Secre-
tary Of the Navy to increase or decrease
the working force at navy yards. The
committee gives the following reason for
its action:
The committee fully realizes that in or
der to produce the most efficient admin
istration in the various navy yards and
naval stations q certain amount of discre-
ton should rest in the head of the de-
partment. and therefore the committee
recommends that the Secretary of the
Navy may place the employees for clerical
drafting, inspection and messenger serv-
Ice on per diem or per annum basis
as he may elect.
1T has come to the knowledge Of the
committee In the course of the hearings
that there are many times during the
course of fiscal year that the amount OF
work at the navy yards varies so that
the. working force from time to time may
be managed with great saving to the
government The committee, therefore
recommends in this provision that the
number of such employees may be in
creased or decreased at the option Of the
Secretary of the Navy, and that he may
distribute such service among the various
navy yards and naval stations to meet
the needs Of the naval service.
Leave for Per Diem Employees.
The committee also recommends that
this class Of employees be allowed, at the
discretion of the Secretary Of the Navy.
fifteen days sick leave as well as fifteen
days annual leave, and On this subject
the report says:
Regarding the leave Of absence to be
granted to this class of employees, the
committee does not recommend any
change In the existing law for per annum
employees. The law for per annum en-
ployes gives them thirty days leave of
absence and thirty days sick leave upon
duly authenticated certificate Of Illness.
The law governing leave OF absence for
per diem employees grants to them fif-
privilege OF any sick leave While the
committee fully realize that the per. diem
employees in this respect will suffer a
slight hardship as compared with the per
annum employees. 1t Is not such a hard
ship, in the opinion OF the committee,
that would warrant the consequent cost
to the government If they were granted
the full thirty days leave with the privl-
lege of thirty days sick leave additional
"Cnder one appropriation, for instance,
increase Of the navy 1t is estimated that
II the per diem employees be given thirty
days leave and thirty days sick leave ad-
ditional, 1t would cause an increase of 5
per cent In such service in the construc-
ton of new vessels that may be author
lied by Congress from time to time. The
committee, however. in an attempt to do
exact Justice, recommend that the per
diem employees be given fifteen days sick
leave within the discretion OF the Secre-
tary Of the Navy in addition to the If
teen days leave Of absence now. allowed
by law.
1.-The committee believes that In view of
the fact that per diem employees may be
discharged from their duties at any time
that the needs Of the naval service de-
mand IT,. the above provision works to the
efficient administration of the department
and amply protects the employees on the
per diem roll"