The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-12-13
mands to men peculiarly fitted to hold
Service and Efficiency.

Actual SERVICE" the secretary
adds. crowned with efficiency, and
not age, should supersede the infiexi-
bic rule of retiring all officers at
given age. 1t Is suggested that the
present law retiring officers at sixty
two years of age be changed so as
to provide that officers be retired for
ty-one years after their graduation
at the naval academy. The effect of
such legislation would make the av-
erage age of retirement sixty-three
years. In the army the statutory age
OF retirement Is sixty-four years
II renew my recommendation for
change in the law of retirement pay.
so that 1t shall be graded. the pay
to be based upon the length of serv-
ice. 1t should also differentiate be-
tween total and partial disability. The
retired pay of the navy last year ag-
gregated $3,3SS,S26.35. 1t is an
abuse of the republics generosity to
give three-fourths retired pay to all.
The law should be changed and re-
formed"
Turning to the problem OF findins
adequate auxiliary ships for the navy
in war time. the secretary says he has
not included any vessels in his build
ing program. except those which mus,
be used constantly for the navy, in
peace or war. On a war basis, he
adds, the navy would need 400 addi-
tional ships, or tonnage of lit"
600 to carry fuel and supplies and do
other auxiliary work. About SOC. 900
tons for this work could be drawn
from the present merchant marines,
he says. but some method must be
found to supply the rest.
THE solution for the government"
the report continues. "is to construct
from time to time. sufficient and
suitable auxiliary fleet, proportioneG
to the needs of the navy and to have
such auxiliaries operated In commerce
during peace times in such way as
will preserve them and train the es-
sential naval reserve OF men, and
while doing this relieve the govern
ment of the burden of cost of mainte-
nance through the income or earnings
Of the essels employed in commerce.
Such policy would give to the navy.
without cost for It's operation during
peace, n perfect auxiliary. or course
these ships should be built upon navy
plans and manned by American citi-
zens trained under navy regulations,
which would make them efficient In
time OF war"
To Meet Competition.
In recommending again the con-
struction of n government armor-
plate factory and also urging that a
projectile factory be added to the
navy's equipment and that every navy
yard be equipped for construction as
well as repair work, Secretary DAN
iels again lays stress on this theory
that the government should be able
to build any part of the equipment
needed for the navy from battleships
TO aeroplane motors in order that
true competition of private bidders
for government contracts may be OBJ
tanned together with an actual knowl-
edge of what the cost of construction
should be.
In addition to the foregoing the re-
port includes the following recon-
mendations:
l. An increase of II, 800 men in
the enlisted personnel of the navy and
marine corps; an adequate increase
OF officers to be provided by cnlarg-
ing the force of midshipmen at the
naval academy to the full capacity of
the institution. by admitting to Junior
grades and for engineering duty only
graduates of technical schools, and
by opening to civilian aviators the ma
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