The Washington herald., 1916-07-28
The Herald's Army and Navy Department
Latest and Most Complete News Service and Personnel Published
in Washington.

The official word sent out from the
White House yesterday that President
Wilson stands solidly behind the big
navy program as outlined in the naval
appropriation bill in the Senate-four
dIcadnoughts and four great battle-cr uis-
,rs-is expected to quell to an extent
any incpiemt revolt among the conferes.
Senate leaders have expressed the be-
lief that the weight of administration
approval behind defense plans will at least
insure some Increases over the bill re-
ported by the HOuse-two dreadnoughts
and two battle cruisers. Nevertheless,
prolonged conferences are looked forward
TO by the members. Final accord is not
expected foT weeks.
a decided Dissemination is manifest
among the conferes OF the House on the
naval appropriation bill, to accept. with
out amendment, the provision in the Sem
ate clause providing for an increase in
the commissioned personnel OF the navy.
Inquiries have been made of the Navy
Department during the past week regard
ing the exact number. in various grades
the adoption Of the principle OF percent
ages
The conviction Is believed to exist
among the House and Senate conferes that
this method Of determining the strength OF
the commissioned personnel has a de-
eide merit. mainly because. once estab-
lished. it furnishes an elasticity which
will produce increases in numbers on the
legitimate basis of enlisted strength.
which will be changed from time to time.
but always within the control Of Con-
gress.
OF course the initial difficulty is in de-
Gliding upon tn" percentage which shall
be adopted. The departmental recon-
mendations in this respect, for the most
part. appear to be acceptable to the
confeTes, with whom tn" final decision
rests. The House conferes. however, may
not he as Comrlacent at the Senate con-
feres, who made no question of the pro-
vision as reported from the Naval Com
mittcc.
One of the first objections that is eX-
rected to be raised in tho conference will
be in regard to the one and a half per
cent rule regerring to rear sdmirals. it
being considered that this will produce
more officers in that grade than are need
ed by the service.
1t is expected that proposal will be
made to reduce this percentage to the
basis where, with a commissioned per
sonnel of 1900 there will be twenty-five
rear admirals instead of thirtythree The
percentage in tho other grades is not
considered excessive. as it would produce
only eighty-eiCht Cartains l76 Comman-
ders, sos lieutenants. and $50 iieutenants,
junior grade and ensigns.
Early action is expected from the mill
tary authorities in the matter of the
former pay clerks of the army, who,
under the terms of the natonal-defense
act of June 8, have the rank, pay and
allowance of a second lieutenant. The
legislation is limited. at present. to those
now in active service and the President
is authorized, with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate, to commission them
second lieutenants in the Quartermaster
corps. This is regarded as placing them
on different footing in regards to the
duties devOlving upon them.
The clerks are an inheritance from the
former pay department and at the time
of the consolidation OF that branch with
the subsistence and quartermaster corps
and on the recommendation of the quar-
termaster general, the then existing leg
islation providing for pay clerks was re-
pealed.