The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-01-08
WHAT THE PRESIDENT ADVISES
TO Be DONE FOR THE NAVY

economy in administration, and has
cut down a number of unnecessary ex-
penses and reduced it's estimates ex-
cept for construction and the increase
that that involves.
/ urge upon Congress the necessity
for an immediate increase of 1000 men
in the enlisted strength of the navy,
provided for in the estimates. Four
thousand more are now needed to man
all the available vessels.
I There are in the service today about
,47750 enlisted men of all ratings.
| Careful computation shows that in
April, 1912, 1896 men will be required
for vessels in commission, and 5000 ap-
'prentice seamen should be kept under
training at all times.
Abolition Of Navy Yards.
The secretary of the navy has rec.
commended the abolition of certain OF
the smaller and unnecessary navy
yards, and in order to furnish COM
plete and comprehensive report has
referred the question of all navy yards
to the joint board of the army and
navy. This board will shortly make
its report and the secretary of the
navy advises me that his recommended
tions on the subject will be presented
early in the coming year The meas
ure of economy contained in a proper
handling of this subject is so great
and so important to the interests of
the Nation that / shall present it to
Congress as a .separate subject apart
from my annual message Concentra-
ton of the necessary work for naval
vessels in a few navy yards on each
coast is a vital necessity if proper
economy in government expenditures
is to be attained.
AmaIgamation of staff Corps in the
Navy.
J The secretary of the navy is striving
to unity the various corps of the navy
to the extent possible and thereby
stimulate a navy spirit as distin-
guished from a corps spirit. In this
he has my warm support
All officers are to be naval officers
first and specialists afterwards. This
means that officers will take up at
least one specially, such as ordnance,
construction, or engineering. This is
practically what is done now, only
some of the specialists, like the pay
officers and nava' constructors, are
not of the line. 1t is proposed to make
them all of the line.
All combatant corps should obvious
ly be of the line. This necessitates
matchmaking the pay officers and also
those engaged in the technical work
of producing the finished ship. This
, is at present the case with the single
exception of the naval constructors,
whom it is now proposed to amalga-
, mate with the line.
z Council of National Defense.
/ | urge again upon Congress the de-
= STABILITY of establishing the council
of national defense. The bill to es
: tablish this council was before Con
) gress last winter, and it Is hoped that
= this legislation will pass during the
r present session. The purpose OF the
' council is to determine the genera
| policy of national defense and to rec
ommend to Congress and to the Presi
i dent such measures relating to it as
+ it shall deem necessary and eXped
lent
l No such machinery is now provided
e by which the readiness OF the arm!
e and navy may be improved and the
= programs of military and naval re
quirements shall be co.ordinated an,
properly scrutinized with view to thu
,. necessities of the whole nation rathe
o than of separate departments.