New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-12
Says Navy Is SO Attractive
Picked Men Alone Are
Admitted.
STILL STRONGFO
PERSONNEL UPLIFT
Secretary'S Report Far from
Satisfactory to Advocates
of Preparedness.
Iron Til, Tribune Bureau

Washington. Dec. 1.-THE annual
report of the Secretary of the Navy
was made public tonight, and is one
Of the most remarkable public docu-
ments in the history of the Wilson
administration. 1t is not calculated to
inspire delight in the ranks Of the Of
ficers of the navy. for even in the open
ing paragraphs the Secretary dashes
headlong into the subject dearest to
his heart-the nDlift of the enlisted
man.
To the enlisted man the report car
ries small comfort. it assures HIN
Of a continuance Of the much detested
elementary school aboard ship, which,
taken by and large, throughout the
navy is cordially hated by both teach
ers and pupils To the supporters of
broader policy Of defensive develop
ment, with the navy as the most i'm
portant factor in the general problem
of preparedness for hostile eventuali-
for in spite of the external conditions.
the present European war, the unrest
of a world afame, the Secretary eoun-
sells an adherence to the economical
programme of naval increase which
was holly opposed by the friends of the
navy even in the piping peace times of
the last decade.
Secretary Daniels also bursts into
the realm of poesy. He calls the at
the oiler and the stoker to the fact
that his ditty box contains an admiraps
flag, thus paraphrasing the Napoleonic
epigram about the marshal's baton in
the soldiers knapsack. Incidentally.
the Secretary of the y. : makes good
with his friends on Capitol Hill by a
direct reference to the entire co,Ape-
tency of Congress to deal with all the
problems rat are put up {. its mem
bers. This is , -pected to make Con-
gress feel good.
Has Waiting List.
"The past year in the navy affords
qualification to all who take pride in
its growth and strength and useful
ness" says Mr.. Daniels's report. I'm
every line of progress and ,.chieveme
il has demonstrated its steady advance
and efficiency. For the first tine in
many years the enlistment is up to the
limit prescribed by Congress. The
present enlistment is 52,667, or 4.61c
greater than in 1918, and so attractive
has the service become to the youth
of the land that it has been possible
to have waiting list and 1t is fact
that picked men alone, of exceptional
qualities, me tai and moral, and fine
physical tyne, are now admitted; for
out of 88,943 applicants for enlistment
1880 new men were ccepted.
Not only is the navy up to its pre-
scrbed quota as to numbers, but the
popularity of the service ren-ers un-
necessary strained or unusual methods
to attract a sufficient number of ung
men. The welfare of these young men
who are so freely offering themselves
for their country's service has been by
no means neglected. As will a pear
hereafter, their pathway TO the Naval
Academy, the line and the pay corps
has been facilitated, and their physical
comfort has -een materially proved.
Their avenues of promotion are not as
numerous as they should be, or as they
will be. 1t must be true in the Ameri-
can navy that every sailor carries an
admirJ's flag in his di,ty box, as Napo-
leon said it was true Of the arm Of
France. that every soldier carries
marshal's baton in his knapsack.'
"The conviction is ..rong and grow
ing stronger in the navy that the best
discipline is promoted by friendly re-
lations and mutual understanding be-
tween officers and men. This is bat a
worldwide truth and was recently
voiced by President Poinc' .. of
France, when he said: There is being
established between the commanding
officers and the men a confidential in
timacy which, far from undermining
discipline, ennobles it further by an