Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-07-11
PLUCKING BOARD
HAS HARD TASK
SAYS SECRETARY
Daniels Proposes to Present
Bill to Next Congress That
Will Better Present Law

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. naval off
GERS. several of them eartains with els
tinguished records, ended their active
careers on July 1, upon the recommen,
dation of the dreaded 'plucking
board" Secretary Daniels made pub.
lie the names OF those selected for
compulsory retirement this year, with
a formal announcement that he expect.
ed to ask for the repeal OF the law OF
1899. under which the annual plucking
Is done.
In addition to the plucking board s
list, Secretary Daniels announced that
six officers had been placed on tie re-
tired list at their own requests.
Why Plncllnc 10 Necessary.
A number OF other officers had ask.
ed for voluntary retirement, and mad
oil the applications been accepted the
board would have been relieved OF the
necessity OF 9pluckingp But last year
the president decided not to permit
the voluntary retirement OF any officer
who has not had twenty years of SER
vice after graduation from the naval
academy. The law requires the crea-
ton OF forty vacancies annually. with
fifteen compulsory retirements II me-
cessary
Included in the list of "plucked"
this year are the names OF some Off
GERS who have been 50 prominent in
naval circles as TO cause great sur
prise emong their colleagues at their
retirement
Eome Of Those Retired.
CaBtain Gibbons has been superln-
tendent of the naval academy and ma
val attache to the American embassy
in London, assignments given to OIL
GERS OF the highest professional
ability.
Captain Hill is one OF the younger
school OF officers. who became promi-
nent through his outspoken criticisms
of defects in the emplacement of ar
NOR on the older battleships which
led to radical changes in the designs.
Some Of the officers had been re-
garied as In somewhat unsatisfactory
health, although not in B condition to
warrant medical condemnation.
Secretary Daniels explained that
there was absolutely nothing on the
records OF any of these officers to
show that they we're not fitted for any
naval service In the matter of habit,
temperament and professional ability.
Task Is Hard.
Daniels pointed out that the pluck
ing law had some time ago resulted in.
the elimination from the navy of Off
GERS who were palpably disqualified.
but now the naval lists were in such
shape that the board was confronted
with the task of determining not who
was unfit to be retained in the SER
vice. but rather who could best be
spared out of the list of thoroughly
competent officers
The secretary added that he hoped.
with the aid of a board headed by As
sistant Secretary Roosevelt, a bill
could be prepared before the meeting
of the next Congress for the reed
justment OF the personnel Of the navy,
which would eliminate Objectionable
feature of the plucking process.
Following is the list of fifteen naval
officers retired by the "plucking
board" and six others who asked to
be retired, together with their present
stations and home addresses:
Captain John H. Gibbons. command
ing battleship Utah: Washington, D..
C.
Captain Frank W. Kellogg. COM
handing battleship North Carolina;
Waterbury. Conn.
CAPTAIN John G. Leonard command
ing battleship Virginia; Brooklyn. N.
Y.
Captain Frank X. Hill, army war
college. Washington; Cincinnati, o.
Captain George r. Evans, COM
manding battleship Nebraska; Wash
ington. ID. G..
Commander George N. Hayward, col
lier Hannibal; Chicago.
Commander John B. Patton. COM
manding battleship Tennessee and re-