The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-01-29

| on the annual appropriation bill.
Neither is there any indication that
Congress will legislate this winter re-
garding administrative questions in the
Navy Department. The remaining
| days of the session, which expires in
March by constitutional limitation, are
| too few for considering anything but
the most pressing business. The Navy
bill is always one of the last to be
reported to the House, occupies deal
of time there, and this year will prob
ably have to be rushed with all rea-
sonable haste through the Senate. That
alone would prohibit legislation for the
reorganization of the bureau system.
Satisfied With Presidents Order.
| The leaders in Congress, most of
whom have sympathized with the bu.
reau chiefs in the main, and frowned
upon the critics, are generally well sat
isfed with the Presidents order viz.
tually creating a general staff by in.
creasing the membership of the Gen
eral Board and augmenting its duties.
Most of them approve the Presidents
selection of Admiral Capps, chief of
construction, to act also as chief of
steam engineering. They have paid
little attention to discussions about
the Legality of that action, believing
that changes in the bureau system Of
the department are inevitable and that
this and other questions pertaining
thereto must be threshed out, presume.
bly, at the long session of Congress a
year from now.
The consolidation of construction
and engineering may be first step to-
ward other consultations, in which the
bureaus may be arranged into two
grand divisions, one affecting person
mel, the other material. The Engineer
ing, Construction, and Equipment Blu
reaus were formerly one in the Navy
Department. Navy constructors are
taught engineering as well as naval
architecture, and the constructors still
retain supervision over the construc-
ton and installation of some engines,
such as those that drive the steering
gear. and of considerable of ship s
machinery.
Commission to Investigate.
The President has been contemplate
ing the appointment of commission
to investigate the department and to
make recommendations for its reor-
ganiZation on more modern lines.
Whether he names such commission
or not, there will be exhaustive study
of the subject before the next regular
session of Congress. The demand for
better coordination of the work of
bureaus is very insistent The Presi-
dent and Secretary Newberry recog'
nize it. Some coordination of this
sort has already been ordered and I'M
u dertaken at the navy yards. The sue
cess, or lack of success, that attends
: it will serve to guide Congress in
whatever Navy reform legislation 1t
eventually enacts.
The President, although quite as
, much in favor of agitation for higher
efficiency of ships and men as ever,
has not been encouraging criticism
thereof as earnestly as formerly. He
has been fearful that too much criti'
I cism might dampen popular enthusiasm
for the service.
The feeling between prominent Navy
officers of the two factions in the de-
D partment continues very strong. But
for the splendid esprit de corps, these
D fractional Guarrels, antedating even the
!, appearance of the Reuterdahl magazine
articles, probably would have democrat
Il |
4 the bureau chiefs claim great forbear
2 ance has been exercised on that side
that the chiefs have gone ahead in the
performance of their duties, disregard
D ing animadversions.
Chiefs. Deplore the Warfare.
These chiefs plead for a cessation OF
the warfare, arguing that it threatens
harm to the service as certainly as the
defects that officers have used to point
, their criticisms. They find consolation
however, in the triumphs their faction
1 has had in the reappointment of Ad
4 miral Mason to be chief of ordnance
4 and in the additional bureau authority
conferred upon Admiral Capps.
Navy officers who have figured in
: the role of critics are resting on theil
oars for n while, watching further de
velopments. They, too, are highly sat
isfed with changes that have come
about because of the agitation of rhc
I last twelve months. They say it has
3 quickened more intelligent public in
3 terest in the Navy. In continental
, countries, where war is always more
or less imminent, attention is centeret
upon the efficiency of fleets. The tax
4 payers are not content simply witt
4 hearing praise of Navy officers ant
, men and of the ships of war. News
|, papers in Europe, especially in Eng
> land, print far more matter of crit
= zeal nature about navies, than do the
0 American newspapers. The faction OF
critics among Navy officers declare thi'
, country is just entering upon a period
; of popular comprehension as to what
3 an efficient navy is and that such &
4 change alone well repays their activi
D ties.
They also claim that actual reforms
t in the service have been stimulated
o and that the younger officers are nov
= assured of more respectful hearing
from bureau chiefs.
Apparently the struggle between tn,
y two factions will continue into tn,
{ next administration. The critics prom
/, Use to continue their activities and t,
!. prod the next Congress to some legs
" lation. They see the futility of at
y tempting that this winter, and prefe
/. that investigation work, such as tn
= | President contemplates, should proceed