Evening star., 1915-02-17
WANTS THE DATES FIXED
FOR MILITIA CRUISES
Nktional Association Points Out the
Needs Of the Citizen
Sailors.
Ways Discussed for Betterment of
serviee-speakers at the organi-
zation's Closing Session.

Earnest pleas that the Navy Depart
,nent fix the dates and places for the
annual cruises of naval militia organ
i2ations next summer before thirty moro
days have passed were made at the
closing business session of the Naval
Militia Association of the United States
in annual convention at the New Will
lard Hotel, yesterday. officers repre-
senting the naval militias of many
states asked the department not to
repeat its action of last year. when the
announcement of the places and dates
of the annual cruises was made only d
few weeks before they were to take
place.
This sort of treatment at the hands
of the department. ii was declared.
had a bad effect on citizen naval organ
lzationS. for the reason that the men
have to make arrangements for their
leave some weeks ahead. In the con-
SideratIon of the matter of annual
cruises there are many requests to be
met IN the way of fixing special condl-
lions for the various organizations
Variance of Views.
For instance. some officers at the
meeting wanted the cruise either to
begin Sunday or to end Sunday: some
wanted to go to sea and remain there
until the cruise was up. others wanted
TO go to other cities and allow liberty.
while one officer had the suggestion OF
taking the men to some out-Of-t -the-way
place. sending the sailors ashore as 4
landing party. and have them esta blish
q base camp for i night so. and then
let them return to the ship for the rest
of the cruise. He thought the men
would get Just as much enjoyment out
of this as being put ashore in a city.
There was one matter on which all
OF the officers seemed to agree, and
that was that the cruises should each
extend over fifteen days. With such an
allotment of time there was a greater
percentage of real practice work. In a
ten-day cruise. four days are taken up
IN making preparations and closing up
at the end of the cruise. All agreed in
urging twelve days of actual practice
work.
Commander Frederic b. Bassett, jr..
u 5. n. the officer in charge of the
division OF naval militia affairs of the
Navy Department, told of the troubles
m getting ships on which the naval
militia could take their annual cruises
He declared that the postponement of
the date of the naval parade through the
Panama canal until July made it look at
this time as if it would be necessary to
call some of the reserve battleShips into
service for the annual cruises of 1915.
take this matter up Immediately with
view to having a quick settlement.
No Chance for Militia Pay Bill.
Capt. Z. y. Evers of Chicago declared
that he had sounded Chairman Hay of
the House military affairs committee
and several other members of that
body and obtained the information
that there was absolutely no possibil-
ity of getting militia pay bill
through at this session.
The association went on record as ap-
nr"~'rg ~" issuance to each naval
militia organization Of sufficient camp
cquIp,neLt 10 permit it to take part in
landing force operations.
Capt. Harlee of the United States
Marine Corps delivered an interesting
talk on rifle practice in the navy.
The following officers for the ensuing
year were elected: Capt. E. A. Evers,
Bauer, California. vice president, and
Lieut.. w c. Hodgson, New Jersey.
treasurer.
Secretary Daniels of the Navy De-
partment was the guest Of honor at
the banquet last night, at which there
we're quite a number of speeches pre-
dieting big future for the naval mill
tia under the new act Of Congress
placing this branch of the national de-
fense under the guiding wing of the
federal government
Expresses His Interest.
"I count myself one of the naval
Inilitiameu.' said Secretary Daniels.
and thus am in the greatest sympathy
with them. I shall always remember
with pride that during my administra
ton as Secretary of the Navy a bill
was passed by Congress making this
branch of the naval service a bigger
and better organization.
II am not militarist, and l do not
believe we shall ever have militarism
IN this country; but we want an army
and navy large enough to beat OF any
foreign aggressor and an adequate re-
serve to back them up" Mr.. Daniels
predicted a naval militia of 25 900 in
short time, IL development continues at
ITS present rate
Others who spoke were Capt. Fred
eric B. Bassett. u. S. N; Capt Ridley
Mclean, u. s. N, judge advocate gen
eral of the navy; Commodore James
Parker, New York, and Representative
Britten of Illinois