The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-22

be installed. aid the change will be made in the other yards gradually. Naval Constructor Evans has been sent to the Norfolk navy yard to carry out the in- structions of Secretary Meyer for the improvements in the issue and care of tools, the handling of materials, repair methods, estimating on work and bring ing about uniform methods in all the shops as an itial step.
 Another evidence of the naval secre- tary's determination to entirely change the system is shown by the removal of Rear Admiral Reginald F. Nicholson as chief of the bureau of navigation, a po- sition commonly regarded as the ranking office in the navy and his transfer to the command of the Asatic fleet. What ever may have been the purpose of the authorities in making the change, still greater interest attaches to the person ality of his successor This place has heretofore been held by an admiral, but Secretary Meyer has recently adopted the policy of selecting comparatively young men for high positions, and 1t would not be surprising to those closely in touch with the situation, were the Secretary to appoint to that office a young man will put into operation throughout the navy department, the new system which will be imported from England.
 Secretary Meyer has encountered con- siderable opposition In his effort to con- centrate work at several of the large Atlantic coast yards. from politicians who wield greate influence in congress, owing to his announced intention to abolish the yards at New Orleans, Charleston and Pensacola. Realizing that one of the purposes of Secretary Meyers trip to Europe was to collect data to sustain his position in the navy yard policy, southern senators and representatives are rallying to the defenae of the southern yards. They promise 8 fight to a finish at the next session of congress. Close friends of the Secretary are expressing the fear. that, if he persists In his de- termination to concentrate work and abandon some of the southern yards, he will encounter opposition which will pre- vent him from securing appropriations to carry out his plans of reorganization. How serious this opposition will be Is shown by the fact that this democratic majority in the house Is composed of southern members. Representative Lem- uel R. Padgett of Tennessee Is chairman of the house naval committee and all though he has not so far expressed an opinion on the Meyer plan of reorganiza- ton, those who are leading the fight count on his support when the time for voting comes. Of course the senators and representatives Of Louisiana, South Carolina and Florida are the most deter mined to prevent the abandonment of the yards in their states, and are band ing together for this purpose.
 In a general way the contention of these southern senators and representa- tives Is that MT. Meyers concentration plans should not be such as to injure only southern navy yards. If the Secre- tary of the Navy can show that. the plan of concentrating all work in three or four yards is not directed only against the southern yards he will not be so viz orously opposed Secretary Meyer has endeavored on several occasions to make it clear that navy yard should not be looked upon as a strategic point of de- fense. A city like New Orleans he con- tends is safer without a navy yard than with one, as the yard has no means of repeling an enemy, and its presence invites attack. But the southern con- gressmen object to their removal, chiefly for the reason that it would put a num- Der of employees out of work besides de- atroying marstroying markets for ma terial.