The Washington herald., 1916-05-07
BY e. b. JOHNS.

A renewal OF the discussion Of the
plucking board will take place in the
Senate and House when the provision of
the naval appropriation bill rstoring Ad-
mirals T. e. Dewitt Veeder and Temple
ton Potts and Capts. John H. Gibbons,
Frank X. Hill and Armistead Rust is
reached. A general provision which was
designed to restore these officers to the
active list was incorporated in the last
naval appropriation bill. but the Presl-
dent and Secretary of the Navy failed to
take any action under it
When the provision was examined IL
developed that over forty officers on the
retired list would be entitled to restors-
tton under it. The Secretary took the po-
sition that II would be discrimination
aSainst the other thirty-hve II the fve
for which Congress passed the legisla-
uon were restored. Some Of the officers
who came under 1t were retired by the
plucking boad with the rank OF lieuten-
ant but by the operations OF the law
would have been restored with the rank
of captain and Immediately retired on &C
count OF age. To a great extent the ef-
feet OF enforcing the law would have
been to raise the pay OF a large number
OF officers on the retired list. Under
these conditions the President and Secre-
tary OF the Navy refused to exercise the
authority which was conferred upon them
by Congress.
To avoid such developments the COM
nittee has adopted an amendment which
mentions the FIVE officers who were re-
tired by the plucking board by name.
The committee has gone over these cases
conducting extensive hearings and has
decided that an injustice was done TO
the officers who were retired. 1t feels
as II 1t had conducted a fair and impartial
| trial and has exercised its authority to
report out legislation for their restoration
| to the active list
The constitution limits the power OF
Congress so that 1t can only authorize
the President to restore army and navy
| ofhcers to the active list The power OF
making appointments in the army and
navy is vested in the President 1t is
understood that neither the President mol
| the Secretary of the Navy are favorably
disposed to transferring officers from the
retired to the active list. While they
question the action of the plucking board
in some of the cases, they think il acted
wisely in others. Rather than to estab.
| lish a precedent for restoring officers tc
the active list, in all probability they will
| refuse to act in any of the cases in.
cluded in the provisions Of the naval app.
| preparation bill.
| PaymAster General Samuel McGowar
presided yesterday at the seventh grad
uation at the navy pay officers school
which took place at the class rooms In
the naval medical school. The gradua
tion ceremony included a warm hand
shake and personal Congratula tions from
the paymaster general to each member
of the class The principal formalit,
was the handing OF the orders to tn,
graduates for duty afIoat
Aside from the officers from the resu
lar navy Assistant Paymaster Georg,
NJ. Dow. OF the Oregon Naval Militia
took the course this session. During tht
session the school was in charge OF P
A Paymaster Omar D. Conger to whom
Is due much credit for the very thorough
training given the student officers TIL,
course is entirely practical and aims no
only to thoroughly fsmilia rize oficer
with the technical details OF their dut,
hut to impress upon them the high ideal
OF the navy and the responsibility ant
obligation naval officers
The following is the list OF assistan
paymasters who took the course and tn,
ships to which they will be assigned:
Raymond NJ. Bright, to L. s. s York
town; Edward r. EberIe, to L S. s