New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-26
AS Precaution in Case of
War, $4,000 Men Are
To Be Enrolled.
ANNUAL COST PUT
AT ONLY $4,000
Men Will Be Paid 81 a Year ana
Permitted to Wear Badges
TO Show Membership.
rrrnn IN. Trihnne bureau. J

Washington. Oct. 25.-The organiLa-
tion of a national naval reserve OF OO'-
600 men. TO be used by this country III ~,
case of war or other emergency, VIII
soon be started by Franklin ID. koose-
welt. Assistant Secretary Of the Navy.
The cost to the government VIII DC
small. and when the organization Oh
the reserve is completed Uncle oanl
will be enabled. i'm case Of war. quickly
IN draw from the ranks of civilians az
| least 10000 men, each OF whom VIII
have had sufficient training to mt MN
M once TO take the post assignee 10
him on a ship.
Mr.. Roosevelt has been working on
the formation of national reserve ior
some time. and his plans are now De,
inc INCORPORATED in a bill which VIII
he presented to Congress at the ne,
cember session. Considerable detalI
work remains TO be carried OUT Dut Vne
Assistant Secretary estimates that III
less than two years the orgahlz"'io"
will be in perfect running ORDER
More Men Are Needed.
Il is understood that one OF the
chief reasons for the organization OF
national naval reserve by Mr.. Koose,
volt is the shortage of $4,000 ENLISTED
men in the navy at the present time
This. he pointed out a few days ago,
has resulted in nearly all OF our YES
sells being manned by crews mucn pc
low what they require. The tault OF
tbis however is with Congress, ne
cause unless the lawmakers here cnange
the limit of enlisted men, conditions
will not be improved.
The proposal national naval reserve,
however. will not affect the present
personnel of the navy, as its members
will only be used in cases OF emer-
oenrv. such az a war, and Will not DC
1sed TO fill up the gaps in the ranks
of the enlisted men in peace tl'ne. ~
reserve is being organized on the
theory that the present ships OF the
navy are or will be fully EQUIPPED WIN
enlisted men. china
In war time, however, many snlPs
are added to the navy for use as suAIlj
iarv cruisers, tenders, GOLFERS etc., any
il is for the purpose OF having tIaiueV .
crews at once to man these VeSSeis 'h"'
the national naval reserve VIII Oe VI
gained.
Old Sailors Eligible.
While former enlisted men will form
a large part of the national nayai re-
serve. its members, according TO Mr;
Roosevelt's plans, ill not be conhned
IN them alone. Any civilian VINO -
familiar with the running OF any OF an
narts Of a ship will be eligible TO De-
come q member of the reserve
For instance, a man may be aDIe 10
run a motor boat engine skilfully; con-
eeouentlv. he would fit in nicely run i,
nino a sbip's launch in war time Inc
orIV difference between the former en-
Ested man and the civilian will be IN
becoming members Of the reserve. Inc
onaIiGcafions of the man who has once
served in the navy will, OF course, DC
lnown. and he will be admitted WITH
ont an examination. The civlllsn, now
over. will have to undergo simple eN-
animation. in order to determine inc
Mace for which he is best qualiiied.
Once completed, the national naval
reserve will consist Of seamen Rnd non
commissioned officers capable OF per
forming all manner Of duties around
shin. from cooking in the galley 10
running a hydro-aeroplane.
MAY Wear a Badge.
couplete card index system will
he established. each member OF the
national reserve nav lAib
signed to him which will contain
complete record of age, qualifications
for certain plans and other data that
will enable an officer quickly to supply
men when needed for particular places;
The total cost of organizing ana
maintaining the national naval reserve
viii be SO small that the Assistant Sec
retary Of the Navy anticipates little
opposition to his plan in Congress;
The total cost, as he estimates II, VIII
not be more than $4,000 year.
Each member of the national naval
reserve will be on Uncle Sans pay
roll. but for an amount that will be
4 nominal. As now planned, the com
pensation of each member Of the re-
serve in peace time will be 81 a year:
In addition an insignia, in the shape Of
some kind of emblem, will be estab-
Iished. each member being given it to
wear, if he cares to, in the buttonhole
of his coat. -,
The new national naval reserve will
not, of course, conflict with the pres
ent state naval militia, but would be
used to augment that body.