Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-03-02
New System of Promo
ton for Naval Officers
ropo Sc d in Bill
Drafted by Navy Per-
sonnet Board
TRANSMITTED BY
SEC'Y DANIELS
Need for Marine Corps Is Set
Forth and Provision Made for
320 New Places above Grade
of Lieutenant

WASHINGTON. March 1.-Promotion of ma
val officers by selection instead Of by
seniority. an increase of 80 per cent in
officers of all grades. creation of a war
reserve list and restoration of the popu-
lar old rank of commodore are proposed
in bill drafted by the navy personnel
board and transmitted to Congress today
by Secretary Daniels. The measure, the
result Of two years of study and work
by the board, is designed to increase the
efficiency of the service. put able men in
commanding positions AT an earlier age
and open the way for the rise of subordi
nate officers. now virtually barred from
hope of promotion,
Under the plan all officers above the
rank of lieutenant would he subject to
promotion by selection upon passage of
the bill the selections being made from
each grade by officers of the ranks abo,
The board reported that after careful
consideration it was convinced the sys-
tenn of promotion by seniority must he
abandoned.
I'VE believe" said the report. that
the principal merit of this system we rec
ommend is that. having accepted the
principle that the navy itself should do
the selecting, We have carried this out in
a logical manner by requiring in each
case that many officers of the navy as
possible take part in this important work
so that no officer passed over can feel
or allege that the pre- iudce of one or two
superiors has blasted his prospects,
Attached to the report is an appendix
do x.,;tb Of tho mar
brought about by increases in the navy
personnel. This proposes that the total
number of enlisted men of the marine
corps shall be increased to % per cent. OF
the total authorized strength of the navy
and that the total number of marine
corps officers shall be per cent. of the
authorized number of enlisted men.
The war reserve contemplated in the
bill would he established by transfer
ring to the list of officers who attain
the prescribed age in grade without be-
ing selected for promotion. Such Off
GERS would be assigned war stations for
mobilization purposes to which they
might be detailed not exceeding two
months each year. They would receive
graded pay based upon their rank and
'
transfer from the active list.
The bill makes $50 new places above
the grade Of lieutenant and provides
that the number of lieutenants Of the
senior and junior grades and ensigns
shall be governed only by the output of
naval academy. The increase from 400
to 80 in the number of officers senior
to lieutenant is assured extending over
a period of five years and the flow Of
promotion regulated to make it unneces
sary to begin selection prior to July 1.
1921.
To show the generally unsatisfactory
results of promotion by seniority the
board points out that by June of this
year the navy will have about $50 jun
Tor lieutenants Of whom, under the pres
ent system. only about Is can be adj
vanced to leutenants, the remainder
having no advancement in prospect be-
fore reaching the retired list.
The average age of the captains to
be advanced to rear admirals during
the next year is about 60 years
This condition, the board, declares
sends the higher graded officers to the
retired list before they can acquire the
necessary training in handling the feet
that would prepare them to discharge
their war duties.