The Washington herald., 1915-03-07
NEWS OF ARMY, NAVY AND MARINE CORPS
&gd Reviewed Social Activities Navy Yards Told

The army, navy and marine corps were
fairly well treated leSislatiVcly by the
SIXTY third Congress, considering the
prov alcnt of the spirit OF Democratic
simplicity and economy, which necessi-
taJcd ruthless pruning.
The requests OF the army, navy and
marine corps for the furnishing Of things
impcratively demanded by the service in
the interest Of greater efficiency came
at inoppurtune times-times when the Eu-
rop"an war was having its fun effect In
reducing materially the revenues of the
uuticiI. But in another sense, these re-
quests for increased service facilities
came at an suspicious time. for the
titanic struggle abroad emphasized in
striking manner the need of paying more
attention to the countrys defenses. The
public mind has been awakened, and the
seed planted in the Congress just ad-
the one 10 come.
Here arc some of the reasons why more
service legislation did not get through
Congress:
The naval personnel bill. which is rec
Oenized as an urgent measure of greatly
needed relief, was submitted at a time
when nothing could have been done by
tho naval committees in that direction.
The plans for the Improvement of the
situation in the Marine Corps have not
Lr.. Ias h,- h.. hnu ri
TO which the subj. has been intrusted.
The army legislation, embodied in some
:ix or seven departmental projects, was
d Effective in PHYSIOLOGY. incomplete in
PROVISION. and was transmitted to Con-
=r.ss at a date and under conditions
that mad" it impossible TO have them ad
vnnred for favorable consideration in the
S"mat" and not introduced at all in the
ITous" Tho aids for promotion, the
s"h",n, of reorganization, and the bet
lr r>uun,l have been ignored, as was
t,r"mi /" h' the cas-" under conditions
that prevailed throughout the Sixty
;LIri congress. and that certainly could
not h.' modified With any tangible re-
sui; IN lin" last few weeks of short SEES
sion crowded with business and clo=ged
with It political fiIihust"r.
Defects of system.
such new legislation as was enacted
1T the final session. which terminated on
March !. was confined entirely to the a.
rr"pri7tiom bills. That has been rccog-
nIZrd as on" Of the defects Of the sys-
i'u. The opportunity Of relief or increase
or reform appears now to be limited to
I.ir annual measures for the support Of
VIC various executive branches. indie
pendent measures are not taken up and
cannot he assured Of proper considera-
ZION Under the rules adopted by the
II"''se- There must be recourse, there
i"-c. to the devices Of the rider" This
means that legislation is necessarily of
tn" niaCc-meal variety, method which
Is far from satisfactory and is apt to
produce discomfort. if not decentralization.
Il is TO" often prepared in haste, with
imperfect knowledge of the situation,
and may easily 90 injury with the best
81 intentions on the part of authors and
.sdvnCatcs.
The method Of confirming to the Mill
iArN and Naval committees the work OF
preparing new ieGlsiation would anord
more time Tor the consideration or meas
Hr"N OF mat character ana PROBABLY
there would bc q better prospect of
H'hI'F"in"nt IN dlF"cthHSs that now are
"E"ii""ked- IL Is certain therc could DE
greater care ana iioueht bestowed on
framing hcelSia'loh IN committees ana
SH'hi'' '"-on"I"'!"h hN'"een inc COM
.'li'i''S an" IN" ""I'ar 'it'"iIdI authoritH-
~'"''. '"9'dI 'HeI' "Pp'dfS |" pe
'.''.' OF no 'I'',UEh! rNlonut" anu an
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army hfGhs'at'"h.
Tjr. most important of the new leg
~I.tflol. affecting the army includes the
-nl'uy-i1u provisions:
ru,. transfer hereafter to the active |
IL or any officer not over fifty years
Of a.. aud with rank not above that
49,.