The sun., 1910-02-27
TAFT FOR YOUNG ADNIRGLS
UDSES FAVDRARLE ACTION on
SECRETARY MEYERS PLKN.


W.sHRGroN. Fab. lc.-Prsuident raSs
sent special meosaGe 70 oConGreas to-day
Urging Favorable action on Searetary OF
shs Navy Meyers plan for impsoving the
per>nnnsl OF thu navy. The President
said that the hus Of the navy 10 In an
abnoTrnal condition. the result Of past
= egislation, and that unlcss the ar~s cf tho
senior officers are materially reduced the
tQturs OF the navy viii be seriously oon-
rrouliscd Accompanying the speoial
mesa ge was table showing the coronar-
alive average ages Of officers IN tks prin-
cipsl navies OF the world. The avernre
aga Of Captains and Rear Admirals In the
Cnited States navy greatly exceeds that
uf ths big navies OF other Powers. ~.
The Presidents message was rear IN
the House Of Representatives. the senat,
having adjourned over until Monday.
IHE rREsipEHr's aEsskox.
TO the Senate ant HoGss Of Repre-
Il wish to bring to the attention Of tbe
Congress the urgent need of lerisia tion
for the improvements OF the ,psrsonnsI cf
the navy. fl I.
future OF our navy will be seFsvtisiy com
promised unless the ages of our ssnior
officers are materially reduced and oppor-
tunity is given thereby Tor experience and
train,ns FOR oatsleship and ases oom-
.UDds. q . our -. present = n system .h. .y.r,s.
Admirals eoh years. This Is the tO,es,t
result OF an absurd system which alIows
nearly all ofdcers. provided they retain
their health, to pass through the various
grades and retire as Rear Admirais.
u, ns ,S'S MestsE , number Of eur. older
experience In command. Expcrience n
command OF largo vcssei In the hattie
Sect IL essential 10 the ccenxha 4 nder on a
division or squadron Of the aesE. and
preliminary trsi lining Ia Tag oAncers' duties
chief connnaand Of q feet
We are now training officers In com
mGnd OF battleshipa and arrnorpd Ur,siorT-x
many OF whom cannot serve as Gar of'fcora
on scoount Of their short time on the
active list after reaching that grade
LINE N AnNoRMAb coNprr1aNl
'Ihe line OF the navy 10 In an abnormal
coAditiun. The result ot past legislation.
There 10 still hump IN the NAG and
Command srsaes. thers p q great de-
the intermediate grades, there h the be-
ginning OF a new hump 10 the Io,vrr
grades and the total 0f all the s1ados
u very considerably short OF REQUIRE
increase in the number Of rnidshipuaen
at the Naval Acadeply without increas-
ing correspondingly the Rrndea Of oiyScers
and the result 70 now q large hump near
The bottom OF the list. due 90 the large
legislation relieves the situation these
Soung officers viii have little promotion
tor many years to come From now on
Soout 100 officers per year will enter the
Junior Lieutenant grade. and under exist
oa.s @s az nv put ,GSrsy ,S yssr wM Be promoted
oN ot proportion 60 the others.
me followfhe table shows the ages
OF the oldest and Youngest End the aver
age ages OF the hag ofioeTs OF different
zraase end C3Ptains m the English. French
so.es navtee at the present time.
~ average ages Of Rser Admirals
OF dterent countries about Jarnas-y 4. |
lne, e,-7ers thus as follows;
~ Yesra - y.,,,'
S,psnsse 20 Pe.asa. ..,..... 81
hn.-,c.s;. isies; FrsnrS-. 50
would Ss ss sTsot s n,d., q sss S5spSssa measure
grade 81 Rear Admiral at an ayeraes
sEe ol - 70 So. and 20 make the average |
Of all the Rear Adnnirsls about So.
The average ages of Captains about !
January }. 1910. were 40 follows:
Sssll.e. ..e German. .l.1s r.a.s
sss.i..a:. ss:aIss !. :::: Preach =
The eject Of the proposed measure !
woEld be 70 promote Officers 70 tho grade |
81 Captain at an average age Of - or q j
and 70 make the aversge age Of al the |
The agar -. p... A A.n.l,- - -.
tans produced by the proposed measure I,
are not young enough. in .poy opinion, |
Tor the arduous duties OF the modern /
se@sels OF war and for the best SUCCESS /
IN neet engagement should war come, |
70 reduce the ages still further would not |
increase the cost, but for other reasons /
am unwilling 70 advocate any further
reduction At the present time.
HIdHER EIko RGkK NRnDxp.
The creating OF higher ranking Gag
ptnoers Is military necessity. THROUGH \
custom and tradition. at time whon the
service was small grades higher than l
rewards OF merit for exceptional war 4
service. The size Of the feet now de-
ands two grades above thst OF Rear
admiral. which still would not compare 4
With the grades 10 b. found In foreign
,erVlces. The customary naval grades
admiral. Rear Admiral, Foreign fleets Il
..re commanded by Admirals and Vice
IN international council or /
q combined operations the American \
admiral whatever the Importance Of his
2ommsnd, must assume the junior posi-
ION. In our Atlentic deet there are now u
our Rear AdmirsIs. There should be an Il
\ sdmiral in command. a yioelAdrrirAi for
ne second squadron and Rear Admiral
or each OF the other two divisions
Out Of confederation OF prOper mili- II
ary efficiency a. well 40 q due sense OF
!ational dignity and self lf-respeot. as be-
itunE this great nation. urge that the
'Nlsting situation shall cease.
The Secretary Of the Navy has prepared
tentative bill for reorganizinR the per-
onnel of the navy which ID a. the dispo-
iuon Of the Congress should u be de-
nred. This proposed plan for. relief
Seets With my hearty approval. Y
OUTLINE or PROPOSED MEASURE.
The personnel Of officers and men is
'ased on the tonnage OF effeotfve ships!
ncTesses or decreases Of ships. doe 70 !
tion by Congress or 30 sAle or
,ther disposal, will increage or ciecfeaee
ne Personnel In a 6xed proportion. In
lre, though, the increases In new too
age will be Offset by old ships struck :
rom the list. Adequate provisions are /