The Washington herald., 1913-04-07
NAVAL POLICIES
PROVOKE DEBATE
Leagues Convention VIII Dis
cuss Services Needs at
Approaching Session.
DIFFERENCES ARE LIKELY
Increase, "Council Of National De-
fense," and 'Plucking Board" Ex-
tension Important Subjects.

Those great controversial questions OF
naval policy upon which, in the eyes OF
the experts depend the very life of that
branch of the service, will form the bone
of contention at the three days conven-
tion of the Navy League of the United
States, which is to be held at the New
Willard Hotel, in Washington, beginning
at o'cseck on Thursday next
There are three big questions to be
fought out with relation to naval poll
cies. and the position upon these ques-
tons OF this society, which is composed
of the naval enthusiasts of the United
States, is regarded as being OF particular
Importance at this particular time. All
is now chaos with regard to the govern
ment's policy in respect to the big ques-
tons OF the navy.
The first paper upon a controversial
subject will be read on Thursday by
Capt. John Hood. u. s. n. The title of
this paper will be ''Wanted-A Naval
Policy" Capt. Hood is one of the new
members of the General Board Of the
Navy.
The Navy Depar -ment and the Navy
League have long urged the adoption
of definite policy for the navy. The
general board has advised policy of
building four battleships year. Con-
gress has tended toward the policy of
building two ships a year. There are
advocates of the policy of building but
one. Advocates of the various naval pol
icies are asked to follow Capt. Hood and
produce their arguments for their re-
spective policies.
Mr.. Belmont VIII Speak.
Capt Hood will be followed by Perry
Belmont, who will place before the con-
vention problem of no less Importance
than that of laying down a naval policy.
Mr. Belmont is the nations leading ad-
vocate of the idea of Council of Ma
tional Defense" having urged such a
board ever since he was chairman of
the House Committee on Foreign At
fairs during the Cleveland administra-
ton. The idea of a council for national
defense is that an efficient board should
be organized which would formulate ma
tional policies and furnish scientific in
formation and advice for Congress that
should lead that body to settle these
questions upon the grounds of national
welfare rather than political expediency
or patronage.
third question, upon which the feel
ing is even more intense than upon either
of these, is the question of the basis
upon which naval officers should be pro-
NOTED. The policy followed by the
United States has been that of granting
DTOnlOtlOnS almost entlrely upon the pa
sis of seniority in the service. Under |
this system every man in the service is |
steadily advanced almost without re- |
gard TO any special qualifications of fit !
ness. There has been a so-called pluck /
ing board in the navy, the business Of
which has been TO retire officers of a
special unfitness, but this board has not
acted in any great number of cases.
elimination of inefficient.
Aside from the policy of promotion by |
seniority, there are two substitute the
cries which have very strong backing, /
and arguments in favor of which will be |
presented at the convention. The first 4
of these policies is based upon a fur
Their development OF the plucking board. |
Its advocates urge that the plucking |
board should carry it's activities to such
a point as to remove from the navy |
every officer who does not demonstrate
his eminent fitness for work in the high
er grades
Col Robert NJ. Thompson, of Washing
ton and Philadelphia, one of the nations
recognized authorities upon naval af-
fairs, will present at 10 a. m. Friday
a paper outlining "A Reformed
System for the Promotion of Naval Of |
ficers." Following his paper the advo-
Gates of the various systems will again
be called upon fer discussion.
The introduction of all these vital ques- 7,
tons of naval policy upon which naval
authorities differ so greatly and feel so
Intensely promises to make the coming
convention an interesting one.