The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-12-15
ARMY AND NAVY
MATTERS BIC
IN CONGRESS

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-The ses-
sion of the Sixty-first Congress, which
opens here Dec. and continues un-
til March 4, 1911, is considered es-
pecially important to officers and men
of the army, navy and militia through
out the country. Not only are num-
erous bills pending from the last ses-
sion, but some important new meas
ures also are to come up, the greatest
significance that army officers see in
this fact being that the personnel of
the incoming Sixty Second Cogress
is to be greatly changed
When the Sixty second Congress
ems the Senate and House naval and
military committees will include many
new members, and some new chair
men, AS some of the stanchest
friends of the military are relegated
to civil life and peace advocates re-
place them, together with the deter
mination of the Democrats to have an
economical session, the army and navy
can see small hope for legislation 10
benefit them unless relief comes in
the sixty-first session, about to op
en-.
Remaining from the first session of
the Sixty first Congress are So bills
pertaining to the army, SO to the ma
Wy, 10 to the marine corps, five to the
militia, three TO the military academy
and four the naval academy. All these
the session about to convene will be
asked to pass. Some OF the bills have
passed the Senate, while others were
approved by the House in the last
session
Besides these hang over bills new
Legislation will be sought. For the
militia the most important will be IN
effort to increase the army with 800
commissioned officers so they can
| be detailed to companies, troops and
batteries of militia. Then the question
of providing annual pay for militia
men will see it's first light in this ses-
sion.
Secretary George Won L. Meyer has
a measure which seeks to abandon
several navy yards, and he also plans
to get his new administration system
Strengthened out in so far as legisla-
ton is necessary.
The marine corps is concerned II
several bills designed to secure /
thorough investigation of this body
and to devise an entire new method
of administration. Because of thi:
prospective legislation no command
ant is being appointed to fill the va
cancy caused by the retirement We'd
nesday of Major General Elliot.
/ The attitude that the army and
navy expects Congress to exert is il
Illustrated in the announcement to of
ficers that all appropriations have
been cut to rock bottom. There is
not an item that has not felt the pen
Gil The Boston navy yard for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1911, is t.
receive only 100000. Other yards
Portsmouth, N. H., $4S,25O; Norfolk
100000; Philadelphia, $215,OOO; Mare
Island, S1O7,OOO; Washington, $4,000
and Cavite $4,000. The naval appro-
priation for all work has been cut
from $135, 749,259,53 10 $114,O36,414.
SO, while the budget is reduced fror
$1O2,99O, 604.67 to SOC, 1915, 1892
An important report to come before
the Sixty first Congress will be thai
of the secretary of war which is in
tended to show the condition of the
military forces and defenses of the
nation; the state of readiness, witt
particular reference to preparedness
to repel invasions if attempted on the