The Washington times., 1913-09-03

The Senate Committee on Naval At
fairs is now in session considering the
charges or complaints that Secretary of
the Navy Daniels has exceeded his
rights in 'flunking'' four candidates for
commissions in the marine corps who
had been passed by the examining BOARD
and giving commissions to three others
who failed to pass.
Secretary Daniels Is present to make
statement of his reasons for his acuon.
He has already said that he has thrown
out OF the back window the test OF apu-
tude and probable efficiency" Why he
has done this he will explain to the COM
mittse.
Purpose of Meeting.
The committee has been called togeth-
er to consider what to do about report
ing for confirmation the young men who
were ordered commissioned in the Ma
rine Corps as the result of the examina-
tions. The President recently sent in
the appointments.
Senator Tillman, chairman OF the Ma
val Committee, said:
THE committee has been called to-
gether to consider what to do about
reporting for confirmation the nomlna-
ticns for commissions In the Marine
Corps. Secretary Daniels VIII De pres
II. GO
some of the men who took the eNami-
na ton, but who were not commissioner,
ard who were disgruntled- / nave not
gone into the facts, but Will DO that
when the committee itself meets
The four young men ''fiunked" by the
Secretary Of the Navy after they had
passed the prescribed examination and
recommended for commissions as sec
ond lieutenants are A B. Kingston. OF
Buffalo, n. Y; L. H. Miller, Lexington,
Mo-; Samuel L. Howard. Washington
D. C, and Ethelbert Talbot. second.
Bethlehem. Pa.
Those whom the Secretary is said to
have put in their places for commissions
are l. NJ. Bourne and A. H. Tournase,
both of North Carolina, and Louis E
Pagan, of Philadelphia.
The last three, who were passed by
the Secretary of the Navy. are 'bilges"
from the Naval Academy at Academy
that is, they were dropped from their
classes or resigned before completing
the course. Bourne was a member OF
the class OF 1915 when he left the
Academy, and If the Senate should act
favorabiy on his commission he would
get in the marine corps and be a second
lieutenant two years before his former
classmates had completed their course.
Are Not "Apt"
The failure Of the three "bilges" to
pass Ine '" oS
due to their lack Of aptitude and prob
able efficiency" on which the examdn-
ing board turned them down. Aptitude
and probable efficiency is one OF ten
subjects prescribed in the regular ex-
aminations for candidates from civil life
in the army, navy, and marine corps.
1t Is also regarded as the most import
ant, counting three in the relative
weights of subjects. while all OF the
others. including grammar. history
mathematics, etc, count but one each-
When the examining board. composed
of Col L. Karmany. Major NJ; J: shaw
Colonel Clinton, and H. F. Wtrgman,
lieutenant recorder filed its report fol-
lowing the last examination for candi-
dates for officers in the marine corps:
the names Of Bourne, Tournage, and
Fagan did not appear in the list OF
those who had passed the examination.
The successful candidates who passed
with a general average of 70 per cent
or better were c. S. Baker. Oakland.
Cal: G. l. Davis, Newark. n. j.; A
De carre. st. Louis; J. c. Foster, yoe-
man in the navy: G. W. Hamilton, New
York: NJ H. Kingman, Des Motnes,