The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-27
President Taft u r g es|
Congress to Improve
Personnel.
CONDITIONS NOW
MEAN STAGNATION
Would Create Higher Ranking
Flag Officers and Give Men in
Lower Grades Benefit of
More Expericnce-Wants
Retirement Scheme
Rcorganizcd.

Washington, d. c., February &C.
Young blood In command OF the navy
was the Keynote of special message
which President Taft to-day sent to
Congress urging Legislation for i'm
proving the personnel OF the fighting
force and to remedy wnat the President
termed ian abnormal condition, the
result OF past legislation
Under conditions now existing, the
President declared. the promotion Of
officers of the lower grades was stag
mated, TO the great detriment of the
Service, and because nearly every Off.
Ger who retained his health was al
lowed to pass through the various
the greater number of commanding Of
GERS had had inadequate experience.
Under the existing system. officers
being trained now I'm command OF bat
tieships and armored cruisers could
not serve as flag officers on account of
their short time on the active list after
| reaching that grade. TO remedy these
conditions. the President Endorsed a
rotary Meyer, which would promote
officers to the grade of rear admiral at
an average age OF fifty.four to fifty
| five years, and to captain at the aver
age age of forty-six to forty-seven.
These changes tho President said, in
his opinion. did not provide men young
| -
for the best SUCCESS in an engagement.
were a decided Improvement.
Change. Reconmcndcd.
/ Some of the most Important changes
which the President recommended
/ were:
TO create higher ranking flag OIL
! GERS. The size of the feet now de-
mands two grades above rear admiral.
4 In the Atlantic fleet there should be an
the second squadron, and rear-admirals
| for each of the other two divisions
/ THE personnel OF officers and men
should be based on the effective ships.
and increases or decreases of ships
would Increase or decrease the person.
mel in fixed proportion. Provisions
should be made against sudden fluctu.
ations in the personnel, however.
| with 100000 tons of ships. as now
authorized. the ultimate personnel
would reach 5000 line officers and
midshipmen and $4,000 enlisted men.
The officers. as now. would be drawn
from the Naval Academy. with addi-
tions from the ranks,
a reorganization of the retirement
| scheme would fix the rate of pay OF
retired officers on their time of SER
vice. The President believes that too
many officers reach the rank of Sc
| adequate return to the government. a
sliding scale OF retirement pay. &C
cordinS to the years Of service, would
be arranged During the next eleven
years. II the proposed measure becomes
| a law. there Will be about l3S retire.
ments from ordinary causes, against 34s
during the last eleven years, with a
cost of. one-fourth of the latter.
Chance for Young Officers.
| In urging the need of the proposed
| legislation that the younger officers
may be eligible for promotion and be-
and suuadrons, the President pointed
i TO the fact that under the present ar
rangement $50 officers would enter the
junior lieutenants grade each year,
and that only forty year would be
promoted out OF 1t.
II am stronSlS oi VIC optiio, we
+, the future of our navy VIII be Sc
| riously compromised unless the ages
OF our senior officers are materially re-
duced and opportunity given for en-
perence and training for battleship
! and fleet commands.
! The President said: in consideration
of proper military efficiency as we'll
as due sense of national dignity
and self respect as betting this great
| country, I urge that the existing sit
| naf shall The wisdom urged
| by tho overwhclming voice of the peo-
| pie OF our country has provided us
with ships of the best quality. II Is
necessary that our personnel OF OIL
+, GERS match these superb vessels II
| the navy Is to be at the efficiency
(which is vitally necessary for it's chief
purpose and the only reason for its
| existence"