The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-02-11
Senate Bill Unanimously
Rejected Meyers OBJ
jectiOns Upheld.
PRESSURE CAUSES
SURPRISING ACTION
Disapproval Explained In Letter
on Bill TO Make Explorer
Rear Admiral.

A subcommittee Of the House
I Committee on Naval Affairs today
UNANIMOUSLY voted against any
proposition looking to the promo
ton of Commander Peary as . re-
ward for his discovery Of TIE North
Pole.
/ The subcommittee had before It
for consideration tie Hale bill
(which has already passed the Senate,
making Commander Peary d senior
rear admiral in the navy, and re-
. .tiriHg him with that rank; the Allen
bill which had been introduced in
the House by Representative Allen
of Maine, and a letter from Secre-
Iary of the Navy Never. TO whom
the Allen bill had been Iefsned by
The Naval COMMITTEE
. Secretary Meyer diSappr0ved Of
the Allen bill for the reason that
f. would make Commander Pezry
"a senior rear admiral. thereby per-
Imitting him to OutTaRk such naval
veterans as Rear Admiral Evans.
SECRETARYFS PROPOSAL.
The Secretary wrote that hs
would not oppose a bill which would
retire Peary as a civil engineer
with ae rank Of rear admiral and
retired pay Of about se.0Oe 2 year.
This would keep the Arctic ex-
plorer ia the staff and thereby do
away with a considerable opposi-
ton on the part Of line officers who
resent legislation making a stan
officer their senior
The subcommittee which consid-
: cred the matter not only disau-
proved of the two bills. but disaU-
proved of the suggestion Of Secre-
tary Meyer, and made a unanimous
adverse report TO the fulI commit
? tee against the bills and against
the recommendation of Secretary
Meyer.
The general impression now is
that the legislation advocated BY
Commando Peary's friends either
viii he tabled in the committee OF
:, reported adversely to the House.
e with the recommendation that it be
: tabled there
y Committee Report
The subcommittee which considered
q the matter consisted Of Butler. Roberts,
= Bates, EngIeoriEht GreEg.a1d Macon.
M Roberts. Of Massachusetts. men,
: Der Of the sUbcommittSe. said there vas
= no reason why Peary should be MADE
p a rear admiral either as p stan officer
T. OF a line officer
u ~Peary has been in the navy since
IS ISL" said lIr- Roberts. and since ISss
D.. he has been absent from duty for mors
: than thirteen years. During the last
three years he has been drawing fun
pay, wiki the rank Of lcommander. He
= ssas done nothing for the navy to merit
= promotion to the rank of rear admiral
= and ] consider the legislation fl ad-
:. vised.
IF Peary-s friends want 20 give HIN
= recognition. they should have introduced
+ a bill with view to having him award
: Cd a gold medal by Congress Nat Hen
= son reached the North Pole as well As
], Pesry, and L would be IS logical "a
J. make him captain in the army as Il
r would be 20 make Pear a rear admiral
:. IN the navy. senior To -Sob Evans
4. That the Navy Deps rtment has turned
\ down Represeutative Alien bin 10 make
3 Commander Robert r. Pearv a rear adj
I, miral Of the navy. was shown BY the
ID letter sert by Secretary Meyer to the
House Committee on Naval Affairs TO-
day. IN which fl IS stated that the de-
q partment would not be justified IN pIao-
r ing Peary on an equal footing with on
n GERS OF the line
II IS understood that a tremendous
amount OF pressure which has been
II brought to bear upon officials OF the
81 Navy Department during the past two
e days by. officers Of the lire is response
It BILE for the decision
r, The failure Of the department 20 IN
= dorse the bill viii come as a surprise
! not only TO the public but 10 the MEN,
n bers Of the House Committee, fuasmuc1l
as il. has been generally expected the
: proposition 20 retire Pearv as a rear
n admiral on retired pay would meet with
l. the departments approval
e .Vnne Secretary Meyers letter mas
- rot been made public. IT is Iearre~l
s from a reliable source that il goes into
- the question Of rank Ii points ouf
s discovering the North Pole was COM
I