Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1916-08-15
NAVY personnel
Plan ASSA|LED
Security League Says Sys-
tenn Will Demoralize
the Service
MYSTERY Wells
ORIGIN OF BILL

Supporting the objections made TO
the new naval appropriation bill by
Cushing Stetson in The Tribune OF
August TO- the National Security
League last night made public Al
Communication from J. Bernard
Walker. chairman Of the navy COM
mttee OF the league. and Henry Reu-
terdahl Of the United states Naval
Institute criticising the provision
which places the power Of promotion
OF olficers in the hands Of the Score
tary Of The Navy
While the league heartily indorses-
the big building program as II came
from the senate and feels that the
essential features must not be en-
danrered IL believes that the widest
publicity should be given to the evils
Of the personnel provision. Accord
ing 10 the letter. the bill proposes
"the most important personnel legis-
lation ever enacted by Congress-, yet
in the most suspiciously peculiar man
Nor the various features OF this bill
have been concealed from the service
cxcepi for hearings lasting only three
DAYS. and covering only one feature
OF the bill The league believes that
while promotion Of officers by selec-
ton Is desirable such selection should
be made BY a board Of naval officers
Party Patronage Increased.
For increasing The party PATRONAGE
and pork. tho personnel features OF the
Senate bill arc most admirable runs
The letter THE party In power, with
the hundreds OF appointments OF vari-l
Gus kinds provided IN this bill. viii
transform tho navy into huge politi-
cal machine. and the Secretary Of the
Navy viii become n potentate OF poll
tics az the expense Of the navy's fu-
fure battle efficiency.
THE House Committee has as We
been unable 20 ascertain who mad
the bill. II was not drawn up by thf
General Board or any other repre-
sentative group Of officers. IN fact
!. the bin has been carefully kept fro1'
such bodies II was born In the dark
No naval officer fathers the bill nor
does any one else. so far as the House
committee was able 20 ascertain In
the short space OF three days hearing
II is the job OF many politicians.
Bill Unjust TO Officers.
1T is plainly evident that the bill
does not represent the best thought OF
our navy. 70 has not had the criti-
c4sm OF experienced naval officers. To
pass such bill. fathered by no one
and kept practically secret from the
navy itself. is a rank injustice 10 the
officers who arc afloat and without a
voice in Congress The hearing be-
sabre the House committee brought out
the fact that the naval service had
not asked for and did not want sew
enty or eight, more admirals. includ-
ing the new-fangled deputy surgeon
general or deputy paymaster gen
eral'--admirals all Furthermore.
Il has been brought out that there
was great diversity OF opinion among
the officers as to the selection fea-
ture.
promotion by seniority. now In
practice In the navy, violates every
tenet Of life and helps to kill the an
hition of the Younger ofncers, wao
have no chance 10 reach even a lieu
tenants rank before the age OF forty.
Hence there must be some form OF
selection such as in the principal
navies abroad: but the method Of ad-
vancement must be determined by
fitness alone. and the final eiimlna-
tion or selection process left by law
IN the hands Of the navy itself, leav-
INK no chances OF reversal Of opinion
70 the navy's civilian. untechnical
head.
N0yal Efficiency Menaced.
"fn the Senate bill the selection OF
officers for promotion is practically
left 70 the Secretary OF the Navy. Such
kind Of promotion is apt TO depend
upon political Influence. not profes-
sional skill. The navy as a unit ia
against the consequent intersection OF
politics into the service.
The navy has pride IN its organi-
cation. and naturally does not wish
Its standards lowered We have every
reason 70 suspect that the bill as
passed would lower those standards
and greatly detract from II not ser.
icusiy cripple the navy efficiency
This bill. supposedly 70 promote the
navy's war readiness. has been kent
under cover The officers in the fleet
who have given their lives 70 the SER
vice have not had a chance TO be
heard
con behalf Of the Security League.
the undersigned urgently appeal 10 a
patriotic press. Congress and the pub
lie 10 BRING 10 hear all possible influ-
ence 70 kill the vicious personnel
features Of the Senate naval bill. the
features Of which bill We believe mean
The utter decentralization Of the Amer
can navy"