The National tribune., 1909-01-14
THE NAVAL PROGRAM.
Continued from page ons.)-

tually creating q 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
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 thrashed out. pre-
sumably, at the long session Of Con-
gress, year from now.
Consolidation Of the Bureaus.
The consolidation of Construction
and Engineering may be q first step
toward 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 Bu-
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 a ships
machinery.
The President has been contemplat-
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
a better coordination Of the work Of
Bureaus is very insistent. The Prasi-
dent and Secretary Newberry recognize
it. Some coordination of this sort has
already been ordered and undertaken
at the Navy Yards. The success, or
| lack of success, that attends 1t will
| serve to guide Congress in whatever
Navy reform legislation 1t eventually
enacts.
The President. altho quite as much
| in favor of agitation for higher efi-
cheney of ships and men as ever, has
not been encouraging criticism thereof
| as earnestly as formerly. He has been
fearful that too much criticism might
dampen popular enthusiasm for the
service.
| The feeling between prominent Navy
officers of the two factions in the De-
partment continues very strong. But
for the splendid esprit de corps these
| factiOnal quarrels, antedating even the
appearance of the Reuterdahl magazine
articles, probably would have demoral-
ized the Navy before this. Friends
| VI Tie buTtiu SflitlS CldiIIi SItdl lOT
| bearance has been exercised on that
side. that the Chiefs have gone ahead
In the performance of their duties, dis
regarding animadyersions.
These Chiefs plead for cessation
Of the warfare, arguing that 1t threat
| ems harm to the service as certainly as
the defects officers have used to point
1 tfon. however, in the triumphs their
faction has had in the reappointment
of Admiral Mason to be Chief of Ord
nance and in the additional Bureau
authority conferred upon Admiral
Capps.
| Criticism Subsiding.
! Navy officers who have figured in the
role of critics are resting on their oars
| for little, watching further develop
| ments. They, too, are highly satisfied
with changes that have come ABOUT
| because of the agitation of the last IL
| months. They say it has quickened a
| more intelligent public interest in the
Navy. In continental countries, where
war is always more or less imminent,
attention is centered upon the eff
cheney of fleets. The taxpayers are not
content simply with hearing praise Of
Navy officers and men and of the ships
of war. Newspapers In Europe, espe-
cially in England. print far more mat
ter of a critical nature about navies
1
| faction of critics among Navy officers
declare this country is just entering
upon period of popular comprehen-
sion as to what an efficient navy is,
and that such a change alone well
repays their activities.
| They also claim that actual reforms
in the service have been stimulated,
and that the younger officers are .I97
assured of a more respectful hearing
| from Bureau Chiefs.
| Apparently the struggle between the
two factions will continue into the next
Administration. The critics promise to
continue their activities and to prod
| the next Congress to some legislation.
They see the futility of attempting that
this Winter, and prefer that investiga-
ton work, such as the President con-
templates. should proceed.