New-York tribune., 1909-05-02
MIGHT SETTLE NAVY MUDDLE.
Civilian Head of Manufacturing Department
Suggested

Suggested.
To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: That the present conditions in the Navy
Department having evil effect on the per-
sonneI of the navy is acknowledged by all who
have come into contact with the officers and men
Of the service. and that way out of the Inuddls
must be found IS evident any who is in
close touch with naval affairs. At present in our
home yard the Brooklyn. the naval constructors
on top with the steam engineering, ordnance
equipment and yards and docks officers relegated
to the position Of so-called inspectors" and the
commandant Rear Admiral Goodrich sees that the
little cloud which became apparent when the first
consolidation Of small shops was made has become
a storm Of no mean proportions. It seems TO an
outsider that the whole trouble arises jealousy
between the line and the staff, or between those
officers who subject 10 and eligible for duty
and those who by the nature OF their special
pations devoted TO work shore.
similar wrangIe some years ago over questions
of relative and actual resulted in the engineers
having the way opened for them to get into the
actual line Of deck and navigation duty which
in measure satisfactory. The present case. how
ever, shows the constructors, whose special duty 1t
IS TO design and build ships n control well OF
the steam engineering, ordnance and equipment
portions of the work necessary TO putting a ship
ahoat and the purely shore duties OF the public
works. civil engineering department the only
exemptions being the doctors. the accountants and
the men who handle the supplies.
The contention has been made that navy yard
should be run as 4 big business or manufacturing
establishment and in great measure the conten-
tion is right. a multiplicity OF shops doing the
same similar work means an increase OF expense
and possibly a decrease III efficiency, and far
it works economically and efficiently consolidation
Of shops IS TO be commended. But a system, or
rather change IN an existing system. which az
grandizes one corps at the expense Of all the others
I'm the navy is detrimental in that It IS bound 70
arouse ieaIousies and resentments- The claim has
been made tnat the construction corps IS better
fitted 10 handle all the business OF a navy yard
than any other corps. This is open 70 dispute. but
were Il admitted the expediency Of It's sRpli-
cation IS open to question The itch for power IS
one that grows as increased power IS obtained and
already there are rumors that supplies and ac-
counts Will soon be reached after by the bureau
which has gobbIed up the others. and there will be
more and dangerous power in the hands OF the
dominant corps.
The Jaw requires that civilian shall be at the
mead of the Navy Department, and it seems from
the point OF view Of layman, that the whole dis
agreeable and in some ways dlsgraceful tangle
existing could be Strengthened out by carrying the
same idea into the administration Of the various
navy Yards. OF course il would be necessary 20
provide for the military control Of the stations,
covering the movements of ships and their handling
in of war. and this could be done by retaining
a line officer of high grade as commandment in gen
cruI charge Of that part OF the work Other work,
such the building and repair Of vessels their
hitting. the building and installation OF their ma
ChIuery. their food supplies and medical attendance
and the upkeep Of the buildings. docks. streets,
light. heat and power plants, etc. should be under
the direct control of civilian in way connected
with the department, answerabIe only to the Sec
retary OF the Navy whose whole duty would be 20
the manufacturing end OF the establishment on
strictly business basis. with the heads OF all the
departments inspectors OF the work done and
advisers as to work 10 be done. These heads OF
departments. or inspectors should be men specially
skilled In the class of work with which they are
connected, and whether line stan officers would
be directly answerabe to the civilian head OF the
manufacturing department
This civilian need be neither a master engineer
a master shipbuilder a master OF gun SCI
ence or building drydocks but he shosld have bust
ness acuneu a good general grip on affairs and
be, above all, a good executive officer. Under his
direction shops could be consolidated abolished,
as economy suggested and efficiency permitted;
the clerical forces, save for a limited number OF
clerks in each department could be consolidated
much as they now are and the manufacturing end
of the Navy Department be placed where it be-
longs. on a manufacturing and mercantile basis.
From conversation with large number Of Off
GERS I have learned that objections to the present
plan are based mainly the assertion that the
construction corps is trying 10 hog the whole
thing" without any special equipment for the work
of other bureaus than its own. and put the others
out Of business.
Under the plan outlined each Of the bureaus as
now constituted by law would be charged with It's
own special duties, it's acquisitions for money ana
materials would be made TO the central head, that
head would hold each inspector responsible for the
work done and the money expended. and the pos
sibility of aggrandizement Of one at the expense
of the other would be obviated. Inspectors would
have voice IN the initiation and full control our
ing progress of the work undertaken orders ISSUED
Nv the director or manager would affect every
shop and with each shop the only one or It's Klio
in the yard questions of ratings and pay ana the
mixing of trades could be settled at once Wheh
they arose
This is simply put forward as suggestion lor
q vav out of the present muddled. unsatisfactory
and exasperating condition of affairs SO plainly
in sight of one who knows the Brooklyn EaLo ou'
Is not connected with it. - II l.
New York April d 1909.