New-York tribune., 1909-01-29
NAVAL REORGANTZATIOA

The much needed reorganization OF the navy
bureau system VIII be materially helped by
the action taken on Wednesday by the Secre-
tary of the Navy and the President The Sec
retary following the recommendations OF the
reorganization commission which recently as
sembIed in Washington. issued orders dlrecthS
a consolidation of authority at the navy yards
A representative of the bureau of construction
and repair is to take full charge of all the
work done at these land stations There will be
one responsible ward chief instead of several
coordinate chiefs each supreme IN his own
branch and representing a separate bureau AT
Washington. 1t is the purpose of the NeWDerfy
order to cut red tape, do away WIN cohnIcCs
in authority and avoid Implications OF work ana
suDerfiuous details of officers needed Tor line
duty. The Presidents recall of the commission
with a request that il consider turtner re-
forms-chief among them the development OF
greater military efficiency in the direction or tne
navy and the elimination of local and political
Influences from the management OF the navy
yards-indicates that he is determined to strike
while the iron is hot and make the proposed
reorga MIA ton thorough and radical.
TIL. system of divided control at when MI
Newberry's order is directed is out of date ana
harmful We have built up a modern navy, but
have failed TO provide a modern machine capa-
BILE of taking care Of it. 1t IS clear that solhe
technically expert directing force must be pro
vided and charged with full responsibility Tor
the materiel But no adequate force OF that
sort can be created unless the various bureaus
now dividing responsibility are merged. The
bureau of construction and repair is logically
the one which should absorb the others, ana
Secretary NewberTy's plan is sound in contem-
Mating the extinction Of the bureau or equip
ment the subordination of the bureau OF steam
engineering and the gradual disappearance OF
the civilian bureau Of yards and docks An
enlarged bureau Of construction could do much
better the work of the three bureaus which II Is
4o sunnlant and do it much more economically.
With undivided responsibility it could be held
strictly to account for the condition and quality
of the materiel.
President Roosevelt goes further in suggest
inc rniicafion of authority in the military
branch of the service. There. too. there mas
been an Injurious division Of responsibility. As
the President well says, preparation for war
should be intrusted in a larger measure to the
arm of the service which must do the hight
ing Divisions of opinion on vital points be,
tween the line and staff Of the navy nave been
freouent in the last few years and have led 20
iealousies and antagonlsms. These could be
avoided if each side felt that it had an adequate
chance TO impress its views on final central
authority. AS to the navy yards, there Is the
natural complaint that political considerations
govern 70 q large extent in selecting and main
tanning them Is it necessary. for instance TO
have one ward al Portsmouth. y H.. and an
other ward at Boston-ports not more than
forty or fifty miles apart? With the con-
slant increase in the draft Of warshIps few
ports will much longer be available for dock
Ino and rensirs. Would it not be better to re-
arrange the wards giving the preference to har-
bors with the best facilities! Every yard main
tained in spite of its obsoleteness is waste Of
capital and a drag On naval efficiency Having
built 1ln splendid new navy we ought 10 try
to get through proper administration, the
greatest possible benefit out Of It.