The San Francisco call., 1909-11-30
SWEEPING REFORMS
FOR NAVY CIRCLES
Secretary Meyer Puts Into Eff
feet New System to Regulate
Department Business

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29.-Heeding
the cry for reform in naval affairs, Sec
retary Meyer Wednesday will inaugu-
rate the most sweeping changes in the
navy department since the establish
ment of the bureau system in 1912. He
hopes to put the department on a busi-
ness basis. and the keynote of his re-
forms is the subordination OF the bu-
reau chief. Summarized, essential
changes in the Meyer plan are:
RADICAL CHANGES COMING
The selection of four responsible ad
visors on subjects within the four
groups into which duties of the de-
partment fall, to be known as the aide
for material, the aide for personnel
the aide for operations of the fleet
and the aide for inspections.
The grouping Of the bureaus into
two divisions of material and person
mel, according TO the nature of their
duties.
The establishment of a division of
operations Of the fleet
The establishment of a comprehen-
sive inspection system.
The establishment of modern eff
cient cost keeping system in the navy
department and at navy yards.
The separation of navy yard work
into two divisions of hulls and ma
chinery.
The abolition of the bureau of con-
struction.
The abolition of the bureau of equip
ment.
Henceforth officers who man the
ships are TO have more influence in the
navy department. Chosen men from
among them are to be the official eyes
and ears of the secretary, laden with
full responsibility for their reports.
The secretary Will retain his admins
trative and executive power for his
own exercise and that of the assist
ant secretary of the navy.
All reforms go into effect December
1, except the abolition of the bureau
of equipment, which congress alone
can do.
PERSONNEL OF NEW AIDES
The aide for operations of the feet
will be Rear Admiral Richard Vain
wright, commander of the third divi-
sion of the Atlantic fleet
The aid for personnel will be Rear
Admiral w. P. Potter, now chief of the
bureau of navigation.
The aid for material will be Rear Ad-
miral William Swift, commandant Of
the Boston navy yard.
The aid for inspection will be Cap
tain Aaron Ward. recently supervisor
of the New York harbor, who will be-
come rear admiral on January 9.
Captain Reginald f. Nicholson. a
member of the board of inspection and
survey, Will De mdue -Ch1ef of the
bureau of navigation, vice Potter
When Meyer assumed Office he found
some confusion in the department in
the navy yard, due to changes insti-
tuted by Secretary, Newberry a few
weeks before the close of his admins
tration. The Sperry board was created
to report how the various confifctine
orders and regulations could best be
reconciled Then came the Leutze
board Finally Secretary Meyer an
pointed the Swift board to consider
reports of the other board and TO
make recommecdations for the i'm
provement of business methods of the
department. With these reports as 4
basis, Secretary Meyer has evolved his
plan of REFORM
inefficient work or Irregularities IN
der the different bureaus, Secretary
Meyer found. has been inspected usually
by officers of those bureaus reporting
directly TO them No machinery has
existed by which independent inspec-
tions OF ships, shore stations and tech
nical matters could be had. This Meyer
will provide by his new division of In
spectiou,