The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-06
SECRETARY MEYER
 STUDIES NEW PLANS
For the Reorganization of the
 Navy Department
NAVY YARD STATIONS
Wants More Economy in Operations In Southern and Western Territories. The Cardinal Points of Ills
 Proposed Plans
BY JONATHAN WINFIELD

BY JONATHAN WINFIELD
 Washington, November 5.-(snecial l. Secretary of the Navy Meyer has been inspecting the western and southern navy yards and the naval station at Guanta- namo, Cuba, with a view of studying the workings of his reorganization plan and learning what measures, if any, may be necessary to perfect his scheme for se- curing the greatest efficiency of the huge navy machine, together with the greatest possible economy in effective operation.
 Secretary Meyers business training has given him special qualifications for put ting the affairs of the navy in order, but he has realized at the same time, it is said. that the navy Is by no means a business concern. It exists for military efficiency and the whole plan of the so-called Meyer reorganization" keeps this end steadily in view.
 The cardinal points of Secretary Mey- CTS plan are these:
 1. The appointment of four responsible advisers, who are to keep the secretary fully informed upon the operations of tho fleet, material, personnel and inspec- tion; each of the aids making a speciality of one division.
 2. The grouping of the bureaus into two divisions, those of personnel and ma terial.
 8. The establishment of a permanent inspection system, reporting direct to the secretary. s
 4. The creation of uniform system of cost-accounting, separated entirely from the manufacturing and repair depart ments.
 5. The division of navy yard work into two distinct classes; hull and machinery.
 Take for example. the building of ship under this system. First, the di- vision of operations, which includes the general board originates the military fea- lures. the primary object for which the vessel Is to exist. These are then re- ferred to the technical bureaus for sketches, plans, etc. The subject then goes before the general board, which, in turn, summons officers who are experts in engineering, ordnance and other branches. to give their advice. Finally, after the plans have been approved by the secretary, they are handed over to the bureau of construction and repair, which Is to carry out the actual build Ing. In this way the officers who will have to navigate and fight the ships are gwen dS Itdily dS pOSSlDlt lHe SOTl or a vessel which their experience has taught them will be most effective in war, d valuable fighting unit It is made inn possible for a ship to be built and then handed over to the fighting arm, with the air of Here's your new ship Take it or leave it, but it's all you'll get.''
 The building and fitting of the ships will come under the division of material, working through the bureaus of construc- fion ranair gineering and supplies and accounts. In the old organization there was no single adviser to whom the secretary might go for advice on matters of material. He had to call on the chiefs of the various bureaus who might have wide differences of opinion. Now the aid for operations concentrates the whole buhiness in ono man, and he can do the consulting and harmonizing between the bureaus, bring ing forth a definite and non-contradictory course of action.
 The division of inspection will inspect all parts of the service on land and sea at stated intervals, reporting direct to the secretary, subdivision of three members is to inspect the navy yards and sta tons. These officers have no admins trative duties. and are thus in no way responsible for the conditions they arc to comment upon.
 The division of operations deals with the movements of ships in commission and of the strategic employment of all naval forces. It also concludes advisory duties in matters of naval policy, building pro- grammes and military features of ship design. The division of personnel includes the bureaus of navigation and medicine and surgery, the judge advocate general and the examining and retiring boards
 The new cost-keeping system Is one of the features of the reorganization that will tend to. promote economy, since by it the Secretary of the Navy will now be able to arrive at a correct estimate of expenses. Hitherto st-keeping has been done by the working departments themselves, a practice directly at vari- ance with modern commercial methods With the transfer of this work to an in- dependent department it will be possible for managers and inspectors to follow the cost of work from day to day, thus de- termining how closely estimates are being realized, discovering where overhead charges are excessive and where they may be cut: informing themselves as to the comparative efficiency of different shops and machines; estimating time and cost to finish partially completed jobs and guarding against the possibility of ex- tending the allotments of funds for jobs or for periods of time.
 The working out of this plan, which has the sanction of Congress for a years trial is found to be most successful One of it's chief merits Is that it is elas- tic. and where 1t is found necessary to introduce notifications this can be done without in any way impairing the ef- ficiehcy of the scheme. It is plan based on common sense, a naval officer assert ed today a plan to get the greatest value for outlay, both in time and money, on the commercial side, and to raise the navy to the highest degree of military efficiency. The personnel of the navy, he added, is cooperating heartily with the secretary to aid in the successful op- eration of the plan, and there is no reason to doubt that the Success already attained will be continued.
 Relies of Luther
 Berlin November 5.-(Special.) )-Valua ble relics of Luther and Melancthon, the leaders of the Reformation, have been found in very curious place at Witten- berg, in Saxon Prussia. The weather cock of the principal church in the town was heinz rapaira6 when tha wOr1xpoen