New-York tribune., 1909-05-01
DISCORD, NOT HARMONY
Special Board Split O0er Report on
Nezoberry Regulations.

Washington, April 90-There is every indication
that the special board which the Secretary of the
Navy appointed to harmonize the navy regulations
will bring in two radically divergent reports, and
that the Secretary will find the report he called for
is signed by a small minority, while the report ne
is anxious TO receive IS subscribed 10 ny q
large majority The sessions of the board, OF
which Admiral Sperry is chairman, have been ab-
soutely secret and the greatest care has been
exercised to avoid leak, but apparently trust
worthy information indicates that only the ch1er
constructor and the paymaster general VIII sign
the report upholding the Newberry scheme Ihat
will leave Mr.. Meyer confronting as serious
dilemma ever; and. while il is his wish TO give
the Newberry scheme fair trial. there Is some
doubt as to whether he will deem that advisable.
with large number of experienced onicers ad-
vising against it.
The board, as finally. organized represented two
widely different views concerning the provisions OF
the regulations, The minority of the members
the chief constructor and the paymaster general OF
the ravy-are In favor of the NewberTy scheme, as
it gives naval constructors and pay officers foot
ing navy yards and In the department of greater
consequence than they have enjoyed 1t is ex-
pected that those two officers Will submit minority
report Indicating the changes necessary TO bring all
the regulations into harmony with the provisions or
Chapter l. This would mean that the naval con-
structors would have general management Of the
navy yards and a large share of the duties which
have hitherto devolved the bureau Of steam
engineering It would also mean that the paynas-
ter general would purchase coal and some otheT
materials used shpboard which transactions
have heretofore been intrusted 10 the bureau Of
equipment.
A majority report Will probably come from all
the other officers Of the board. and, judging from
the discussions which have taken place in the Sc
sessions of that body it will fully into the
situation and seek TO restore to the bureaus of
steam engineering and equipment the duties Mr..
Newberry sought 20 transfer from those branches
Of the department. There indications also that
the majority report will touch the question of
the marines. and It may indorse the policy Of the
bureau of navigation. which believes that marines
should not be employed naval vessels. Another
subject which has been discussed is the functions
OF naval pay officers. and some consideration has
been given to the startling proposition that line OFF,
OF the navy be detailed to perform the duties
OF pay officers ahoat II Is hardly believed any such
radical change will be seriously recommended, but
II IS Of interest that there has been consideration
Of so startling change This does mean, of
course, that the pay officers In the ntvy would
about only through lsgislation-which it would be
difficult 10 obtain-and II authorized would be
red only by filing vacancies occurring I'm the
pay corps. The attitude of the majority of the
members OF the board has been concilLatory toward
the pay branch. The naval constructors stand alone
against the OF the personnel in the present
troversy.