Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1910-07-16
SATURDAY, JULY lG, 1910.
THE NAVY

II is difficult. 20 measure accurately
and with full understanding the strug-
gle for naval reorganization from which
Secretary Meyer has emerged trump
hant. The transfer Of Chief Construc-
tor Caps from the head of the bureau
10 other and less important duties re-
moves the last remaining obstacle in
his path. IT was not 10 be expected
Of course that he could carry out bis
plans with an official force not in gen
uinc harmony with the idea that ANNA
ted them, and both Paymaster General
Rogers and Chief Constructor Capps,
the most mportnt and in nuential staff
chicftains In the service. had already
stated their dissent with entire frank
ness. Secretary Meyers only hope of
achieving entire success. or indeed o f
attempting it under favorable auspices.
lay in the establishment Of perfectly
homogeneous and harmonious machn-
cry. and his contamination is now with
in his reach
ETherc has not been. as SO many have
been pleased TO suppose a desire onMr.
Meyers part to dispossess either Mr..
Capps or Mr. Rogers. For that matter.
neither Of them held his bureau by
right of seniority. In the regular order
Of promotion neither would have been
chic" for years TO come. if ever.
They had impressed their superiors as
men of special force and fitness and so
passed over the heads Of others into
their snug places at Washington. II
ia ridiculous to say that they were
forced out They had been put at
the head of the respective corps by
favor and If they have now returned
TO their regular places to make way for
things. They had lost their usefulness
in the present scheme of organization,
for they were opposed TO il in good
faith and it was Indispensable to Sec
rotary Meyer that potent coadjutors
such as the head of the bureau of sup
plies and accounts and the head of the
bureau of construction should bo in
thorough accord with him.
There hsa been no injustice. no fore
ing out Mr. Meyer is Secretary of
the Navy. and with the Presidents con
currcncc he has the right under the law
to do all that he has done and more
Ii is an evolution. one way it is a re
turn TO the conditions that prevailed
under the dispensation of Gideon Welles
and Gustavus Fox but il goes beyond
that. for it is complete and compre-
hensive restoration of the navy to the
purely military auspices and Il final sub
ordination of all other considerations to
that end. This is Mr.. Meyers PROPOSE
ton and this is what he is now seeking
TO demonstrate. He has received all
the authority he needed at the hands of
Congress and at last he begins his work
with instruments Of his own selection
and with perfect opportunity What
is still more TO the purpose if he sue
cccds. If he shows that military control
in the case of a purely military arm is
the logical arrangement. he will then
be able to ask Congress for definite
legislation that will make the arrange
mcnt permanent. The Navy Depart
luent hitherto has had no fixed policy.
, II had been at the mercy of sue
ccssion oC civilian Secretaries. with
only their CapriCCs and the counsel of
interested subordintacs to guide them.
Il may be said of most of thcs that
they wished TODD the best, but very
few well informed persons will pretend
that they succeeded The navy wants
an organization created by law and a
policy that viii prolonr itself automat-
ically If we reach this end through
Secretary Meyers experiments so
much the better for the country. If not
we must try again.