The Washington herald., 1915-01-07
navy" men
SCORE VICTORY
Naval Committee Adopts Plan
: to Form Bureau of
Operations.
MILLION FOR TORPEDOES
Also Allows $I.350,OOO for Purchase
of Air Craft for Navy-Hobson-
Gardner Combine Formed.

Despite the opposition OF the admin
istration the big navy" men in the
House won the first engagement in the
Committee on Naval Affairs yesterday.
The committee. by a unanimous vote,
adopted the report Of the subcommittee
recommending the establishment of a
Bureau OF Operations in the Navy De-
Partment. In large measure. this bu-
reau will exercise some of the powers
vested in the British admiralty and
in the German general staff.
The committee also placed itself on
record favorable to a more progressive
aviation policy in the navy 1t incorpo-
rated in the naval budget bow being
prepared an intem providing an appro-
priation of S1,S50,00O for the purchase
OF air craft for the navy.
At the same time it adopted an amend
ment increasing the pay of ualified naval
aviators by fifty per cent, and the pay
of studtnt aviators by thirty-five per
cent. This amendment provides further
that in case of disability naval aviator
shall receive double pensiaon, and in
case Of death their heirs shall be paid
a gratuity eUal to six months pay
Furthermore, the war party in the COM
mittee got an appropriation Of 100000
for torpedoes. The appropriation for air
craft is more than three times the
amount usually carried by the naval bill
for this purpose.
The text of the provisions authoriz-
ing the creation of the bureau of oper-
ations as it was finally perfected in
committee yesterday follows:
There shall be a chief of naval oper-
ations who shall be an officer of the
q 81 nf
grade of rear admiral, appointed for a
term of four years by the President,
by and with the advice and consent of
the Senate, who, under the Secretary
of the Navy, shall be responsible for
the readiness of the navy for war and
be charged with its general direction.
'All orders issued by the chief of
naval operations in performing the duties
assigned him shall be performed under
the authority OF the Secretary of the
Navy and his orders shall be considered
as emanating from the Secretary and
shall have full force and effect as such.
ITO assist the chief of naval opera
tions in preparing general and detailed
plans Of war, there shall be assigned for
this exclusive duty not less than fifteen
officers Of and above the rank OF lieuten-
ant-commander of the navy or major
of the Marine Corps"
VIII Not supercede Board.
1t is not intended that the chief Of
naval operations and his subordinates
shall supercede the general board The
board will continue its work Of prepar-
ing building programs and such other
work as Is now entrusted to It. The
new bureau will be responsible for the
OF the fleet and other
branches Of the naval service.
The naval bill in its present form car
ries N02, 1885, This sum does not in
clude the approximate S4.OO0,OOO for ad-
ditions to the feet recommended by the
Secretary of the Navy. The committee
will reach the building program tomor-
row. Representative Hobson will offer
an amendment providing for four battle |
ships instead Of two, as proposed by Sec |
retary Daniels, in addition to his amend |
ments for two battleship cruisers and
Twelve submarines.
An offensive and defensive alliance has
been formed by Representative Hobson |
md Representative Gardner, Of Massa-
to get larger appropriations for
he navy. They are expected to add |
to the occasion when the naval /
bill is taken up for consideration in the
House