The Detroit times., 1915-12-13

mendauons OF the OOaru anu OF the
secretary, but adds:
But discussion makes for knowl
edge and wise decision. The gen
eral board is influenced by its pro
Iessional views. while the admins
tration takes into consideration the
whole national policy and does not
overlook the question OF national
revenues"
Secretary Daniels takes another
radical step in his report In urgins
that the present system of promo
ton of officers by seniority bt
abandoned in favor of promotion b,
selection. He goes at length int
the results OF the seniority sys
TEN TO find that Il produces stag
nation In the lower grades. arriva
at command rank late In life ant
fieeting passage through com
mand and flag grades, combined
with absolute lack OF professional In
centive throughout all grades.
renew my recommendation for q
change In the law OF retirement pay
SO that 1t shall be graded. the pay
to be based upon the length OF serv
ice. II should also differentiate be
tween total and partial disability
The retired pay OF the navy last
year aggregated ss.3ss.s26.S5. II is
an abuse OF the republics gener
osity to give three-fourths retired
pay TO all. The law should be
changed.
In recommending again the con
struction OF government armor
plate factory and also urging that
projectile factory be added to the
navy's equipment and that every
navy yard be equipped for construc'
tion as we'll as repair work. Secre-
tsry Daniels again lays stress on
his theory that the government
should be able TO build any part OF
the equipment needed for the navy
from battleships to aeroplane mo-
tors In order that true competition
OF private bidders for government,
contracts may be obtained together
with an actual knowledge of what
the cost of construction should be.
In addition to the foregoing the
report includes the following rec
concentrations:
/. An increase OF IL. 500 men in
the enlisted personnel of the navy
and marine corps; an adequate in.
crease OF officers TO be provided by
enlarging the force of midshipmen
at the naval academy TO the full ca
pacity OF the institution by admit
ting to junior grades and for en-
gineering duty only graduates OF
technical schools. and by opening to
civilian Iavistors the navy aviation
corps.
2. Extension OF the navy reserve
act for the purpose OF forming re-
serves OF power boats. aviators and
radio operators and 10 increase the
desirability of the resetve service
10 honorably discharged enlisted
men OF the regular navy. A detailed
plan in this connection will be pre-
sented TO congress at a later date.
The personnel OF the present naval
auxiliary service should be placed
in the naval reserve, the report says.
and the lighthouse and coast service
men and equipment also should be
placed under navy jurisdiction and
training for use In event OF war.
3. Increased naval militia appro-
pTiations 10 include the construction
of suitable vessels for the Illinois
and Minnesota detachments and sup
plying aeroplanes for naval militia
use in training.
T. Construction of an adequate
research laboratory for the use OF
navy engineering and scientific bu-
reaus, and the board OF civilian
scientists recently created under
Thomas A. Edison as chairman. The
report states that sj.000000 for this
purpose was the amount suggested
by the civilian board members. but
Secretary Daniels makes no specific
recommendation, although he in
cludes a preliminary figure in his
estimates for the first years expen-
diture.
;. Expenditure OF $1,000 900 to re.
engine the battleship North Dakota.
the scout cruiser Salem and the de-
stroyers Henley and Mayrant
6. Construction OF a drydock at
the Norfolk yard 10 accommodate
the largest battleship.
Z. Further legislation for ade-
quate oil land reserves for the navy.
s. Legislation to make the service
more attractive, including extended
powers TO grant discharge by pur-
chase and various changes in rank