Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-11-30
Prom Washington
Correspondents Of the Alexandria GaEstte.
Washington, Nov. 30.

Washington, Nov. 30.
There Is s subdued rumbling of dis
satisfaction among the staff officers oil
the construction corps of the navy today
over the plan of Secretary Meyer for The
reorganization of the department which
goes iuto effect tomorrow. Whether
this will attain such proportions that
congressional sympathy will be elected
with the possibility that the plan may
be revised by congressional interference
remains to be seen. The tfil ,ers OF the
construction corps are not disposed 10
take kindly to the change which has left
them shorn Of all the power they &C.
quiIed by Secretary NeWberry's scheme.
They hold that the business OF repairing
and constructing ships is the function
for experts aud that the line, which
is 10 have supreme direction Of the raVy
yards, lie not corps of experts.
Obviously Secretary Meyer proposed to
meet this objection by his explanation
that 1t is The function OF q navy officer
to be mechanical as we'll as military
expert, the navy being 8 vastly diasr-
ent organization from what 1t was 10
the days when sallirg before the mast
meant stamsnship alone. The cODsid'
GRAFTON, however, will not assnage the
staff officers sense Of Injury Secretary
Meyer also stated positively that the
creation of the corps of aids without
supervisory capacity was not step In
the direction of a general staff; bat, even
so, the tendency is go unmis!akabe that
Congress, which does not take kindly
10 the idea Of general staff 10
The navy, may make some objection.
Both President Taft and Secretary
Meyer, however, believe that the pres.
emit plan should bs given q trial before
any congressional action is taken, Sec
rsiary Meyer 10 his inquiry Into the cons
dtious Of the navy lay bare a defect 10
the yard system which, more than any
thing else, will probably secure for bis
plan the support Of Congress. This was
the absolute impossibiliIy Of determin'
Ing cost at navy yards where millions Of
government money are spent every yesr.
As a result It was impossible to deter.
niue which ysrd WAS being operated
with The greatest economy, at which
yard certain classes OF repairs could be
done most economically and which
yards we're spending mora money
than they were worth to the navy.
To obviate this condition the uniform
system Of cost keeping Is being put into
fleet In order that comparisons may be
made on the efficiency Of the vsrlouE
yards. Upon the results go obtained
will depend the abolition OF certain
ysrds scarcely used by the navy at the
present time. Whether the line and
staff controversy lie to be obliteTsted by
restricting the staff to the narrow limits
mrrked out for 1t by Secretary Meyer
depends upon the success OF the plan.
Unexpected opposition was displayed BY
line officers toWsrd the NeWberrry plan
sometime after 1t was put into effect at
The navy yards, notably at Mare lslsnd
where state OF confusion reeulted. So
far the opposition has had no oPpor-
tunity TO discuss the Meyer plan which
has been guarded SIS naval secret.
The annual Zoe tooth comb has gone
over The dead letter c flee and all the
absurdIiies which The postal service
has gathered In The year are to be
offered at auction December Is. This
sale Is q yearly orgy for the suction 6euds
of Washington. Articles Of every dc.
scription and some hopelessly beyond
description are made into bundles which
are sealed and the bidders are guided BY
terse catalogue summary Of the pack
ages contents. The articles range from
handsome jswelry to seemingly worth
less junk.
henry StudnIcks, of Missouri, wsS
today appointed special agent Of the
Department OF Commerce and Labor to
study trade conditions 10 Europe.
BspJsmin S. Gable, Of Chicago, today
took the oath of Office as assistant sec.
setsry of the Department OF Commerce
sud Labor,
The secretsry Of the interior las
temporarily withdrawn, IS containing
power site possibilities, spproxims tely
1878 acres OF lsnd along Oiarke's Ford,
Idaho and Washington.
Announcement Ugs today made ct the