The Washington herald., 1916-12-26
Army and Navy News
Rest service coiurnn In City,

To reduce the term at the Naval Acad-
emy at Annapolis from four to three
years until the present shortage OF COM
missioned officers has been relieved,
Capt. e. w. Eberle, superintendent OF the
institution, has revised the course 80 as
to exclude certain theoretical subjects, re-
tanning only the more practical work.
In the meantime II is proposed to grad
uate the present first class on February
and the present second class In June,
the former date being advanced to March
4. since 1t will be that date before the
naval appropriation bill Is enacted con-
tanning authority for the early gradua-
ton.
If this Is done, II is estimated that by
1921 there will be an increase by 800 Off
GERS, which number would be required to-
day were the navy suddenly mobilized
and all the ships placed in active service.
This plan Of early graduation will enable
Representatives and Senators to make
appointments that much sooner than
would be the case If the graduations reg
ularly occurred. Of course, and 1t Is also
proposed to increase to 100 the number of
enlisted men of the navy who may be ap-
pointed as midshipmen after competitive
examination.
There has been considerable discussion
as TO the shortening of the Naval Acad-
emy course. and while some of the ad-
visers Of the Secretary of the Navy have
been reluctanf to agree to this means of
obtaining additional officers. they appear
70 nave approved the proposal. those in
favor of 1t including Admiral W. s. Ben
son. Capt. E. w. Eberle, and Rear Ad-
miral L. c. Palmer. who has made the
subject the occasion of some remarks
IN the annual report of the chief of the
Bureau OF Navigation.
Recruiting in the United States navy
has been seriously hampered In an indi-
rect way by the European war, Num-
ton factories in this country are in the
market for skilled labor and are attract
ing many or those machinists and me-
chanics who in normal times would be d.
verted into the naval service. Wages
fnuch higher than those paid in the navy
make the munitions factories the more
desirable place OF employment.
A regularly organized campaign has
been instituted-sometImes coyertIy con-
quoted, but no less successful-to bring
10 the knowledge OF enlisted men the
material advantages OF leaving the navy
Tor employment in these private plants,
according to Navy Department officials
some OF the recruiting officers report that
their EFFORTS to obtain recruits have been
rendered increasingly difficult bv the ap-
peals for employees, and in those sections
adjacent to the munition plants the
cholce or the young men Is naturallv in
iaVor or the anurfng offers held out to
them In the form Of exceptional wages.
IL has been apprehended that this situ-
alton would well nigh defeat the efforts
OF the naval authorities to obtain the
necessary increase In the naval enlisted
torce, but with the renewed activity in
recruiting since the enactment OF the
naval appropriation bill of August %,
there has been a gratifying Improvement
During the four months prior to Noyem-
Der l, the net gain in enlistmefits and re-
enlistments was but 100, while during the
month OF November, when the recruiting
system was enlivened, the net gain was
more than 600. At the same time there Is
no concealment Of the seriousness OF the
situation that tends to draw men away
from the service, especially those whose
terms have expired and who might under
ordinary Industrial conditions be counted
upon to re-enlist
An examination to fill vacancies in the
grade Of second lieutenant Of the Philip
pine scouts will be held February o.
Eight Officers Of that grade have recently
been appointed second neutenants in the
regular army, and there is an unexpected
opportunity for appointments to the
Philippine scouts. In filling these vacan-
cies, noncommissioned officers of the
army Will have precedence over all 9TH
ers, and the maximum age authorized for
such candidates at the date of examina
tion is 81, instead of 30 years