The Washington herald., 1910-05-06

Secretary of the Navy Meyer appeared
before the Senate Naval Affairs Com
mittee yesterday and entered into dis
cussion Of his views on the naval supply
fund
\ The Secretary and Paymaster General
Rogers hold widely divergent opinions as
10 the administration OF this fund, which
apparently cannot be adjusted and in
circles at the Capitol I'm which the great
est interest in naval matters Is felt Il Is
believed that the rupture will before long
result in the removal Of Mr.. Rogers.
Secretary Meyer has informed the COM
mittee that Paymaster General Rogers
had practically refused TO put into opera
ton his order that the supply fund. now
amounting TO approximately Sl25OO.OOO.
be placed on basis to conform TO a de-
cision of the Attorney General on Feb
rCary % that the fund is illegal. s.. 7OO.OoO
being fixed by the law as the limit.
/ II has developed that on March Sec
rotary Meyer informed AR Rogers Of
the opinion Of the Attorney General. and
directed him TO discontinue the system
then in vogue, Mr. Rogers suggested
that the sanction Of Congress be obtained
4 70 permit the increase Of the fund Mr.
Rogers submitted various alternative
propositions to the Secretary after that
date. and finally. on April Is. Secretary
Meyer issued an order directing the Pay
master General Immediately 20 follow
/ his directions.
Means Increases for Bureaus
| By this order s9.50O.OoO worth OF stock.
! il is claimed has been placed at the dis
posal Of the various bureaus Of the Navy
Department to draw without paying for
! it.
/ According 10 the views Of Paymaster
/ General Rogers supporters on the naval
! committees Of Congress. this action
largely increases the current bureau ap-
/ propriations. II is also held that under
Secretary Meyers programme IL Is i'm
/ possible FOR the committees Of Congress
( to be accurately informed as 20 depart
ment expenditures. Those who hold that
T Paymaster General Rogers IS right in his
/ position with respect TO the fund say
that a system should be insisted upon by
Congress whereby bureaus drawing
stores from the naval supply fund should
be compelled 10 pay for what they. OBJ
tain out OF the appropriations for their
bureaus, thus permitting a system Of
bookkeeping which would enable Con-
gress 70 ascertain just where the appro-
priations for the navy are being spent.
PaymHstcr Generals Views.
When Paymaster General Rogers was
before the Senate committee recently. he
said.
Divc=,,d q an iTclcvauCy this is q Plain bIsi-
res proposition Arc VIC o. 90 back 90 a condition
which increased the value o. the general stores q
the navy from s. 5000 20 over SDC1QO10 IN ten
years. q we going % restore and make legal a
system which iu two short years reduced that
SoC0oo0 by g sQcoo9 and promised further rc5uc-
tirn ~ $4,000 " 10000 more. ard the navy
growing IA the meantime. VIII You pemit-urdtr
The third Interpretation q obsolete av-the re-
placement Of a Discarded plan which would donate
O bureaus. already amply provided for 10y your ap-
TTUpriati0ns. $4,000 in god stock ard more. OF
viii you. hy making finally and securely legal this
modern naval Supply fund, compel the bureaus 20
Jay fer that stock out u The money Congress has
gwen them for the pupGscs That Is all there ls
o. H. ard. while added words may explain they
VIII not alter these facts. because they are tue.