New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-30
Congress To Be Asked for
Doubled Force and
1000 Officers.
ENLISTMENTS STOP;
LAW A BARRIER
Men Too Few 10 Put Vessels on
Parade oandalous" One
Officers Comment.
From n. Tnbun. Buroau :

Washington. Sept. %. Congress will
b. asked 10 increase the enlisted per
eonnal OF the navy so per cent ana 20
nrovide for / 900 more officers accord
Ing 20 the present plans Of the Navy
Dcnartment. Officers SAY such an IN
crease is a necessity Il even the pres
ent ships are 20 be kept ready for &C
ton.
The enlistment IS now up 70 the
maximum permitted BY law shGhty
over $4,000 and % - said NAT there
will be no difficulty in getting the extra
men, even a. the present rate OF pay
~ Congress passes the necessary leg
islstion. The navy IS accumui atmg
ships much faster than men, and IL
Is declared at the Navy Department
that conditions Will become critical
when the big vessels under construc-
ton are in commission.
There are not enough men In the
navy 81 this time 20 place all The ships
On parade. let alone send them into
battle" said naval officer TO-DAY.
Every time we commission a new snip
we have 70 relegate one or two older
ones 20 virtual retirement. And "a
FOR officers. u is scandalous. Almost
all our officers are performing the du-
ties OF the rank above them. We ought
10 have 900 new officers at once. ana
then promote a corresponding number
Of the old ones 20 ranks commensurate
with the duties they are performing.
II 10 estimated that In me event OF
war the navy would bave 70 retire
large number OF older ships In order
20 get enough men and officers 70 man
the battle feet The department LOOKS
on this situation as grave, and some
= vi
be only making a beginning Il Il raises
the authorized number Of enlisted men
10 10000 and adds 600 officers.
This increase, u IS said, would just
put the present ships on war foot
Ing. II would not provide reserves 20
tnke care Of normal casualties nor men
10 handle the large feet OF auxiliary
cruisers. GOLFERS. transports and tend
ers that would be necessary in war.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt re
Gently estimated that $4,000 more men
and 900 officers would be required TO
bring the present ships Of the navy
up TO q state Of actual war prepara-
ton. The estimate OF Rear Admiral
Blue. Chief Of the Bureau Of Naviga-
ton, Is understood 70 have been con-
siderably higher.
Mr. Roosevelt is working out n plan
lOr naval reserve OF oN,tNu men, re-
Cruited from the former enlisted men
Of the navy. who number about 10000
and from private citizens who have
had experience in the various branches
Of the service.
He believes that while these men
cannot be trained 70 the standard Of
efficiency IN the regular service in
this way. Il will. nevertheless, be pos
sible 70 mobilize great many volun-
teers for auxiliary service. Radio op-
orators. helmsmen. mechanics and en-
gineers can be taken from private life
and made almost Immediately useful
10 the navy in time of war
If Congress grants the increase in
personnel which Secretary Daniels will
recommend. and which IL is presumed
the President will approve. il will not
he expected 20 stop there Naval ex-
peris are greatly interested in forming
an adequate reserve Of both ships ana
men. Such a plan would necessarily
ne linked with the movement 70 foster
merchant marine. and would provide
for commissioning officers Of the mer-
chant feet. and placing the crews and
vessels on the reserve list. as is done
in Europe