The Washington herald., 1916-10-24
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
Best Service Column in City.

! Tho proposal to give Federal employees
half holiday on Saturdays the year
round would increase the cost of work
at navy yards and naval stations and
| at plants under control of the War De-
partment by not less than s., 900 900 year,
according to the Army and Navy Regis
ter, one of the leading service publica-
ttons, issued in Washington.
while It may be asserted that clerks
in the executive departments will make
up the time by that much harder work
and closer application" says the pub
lication. mo such condition Is destined
| to prevail among the civilian workmen
at government plants. This will neces-
sarily add appreCiably to the item Of
cost of maintenance and operation repre-
sented by the wages of the employees.
1T is recalled in this connection that
a less than twO-line clause, tucked away
in the naval appropriation act Of August
%, has operated to add more than a mil
lion dollars annually to the cost of con-
etruction and repair Of ships at navy
yards. This was the provision that thirty
days leave with pay should be allowed
employees of the navy yards, gun factor
lies, naval stations, and arsenals Of the
government, without the forfeiture of
pay during such leave and exclusive Of
/ the sick leave and legal holidays to which
! such employees have been entitled"
When all the militia organizations are
returned from the Mexican border and
mustered out, the War Department will
have on its hands no less than $1,000
horses, for which there will be no use
What shall be doEe with the surplus is
presenting a puzzIing question.
General instructions have been issued
by the Secretary of War against the pur-
chase OF additional horses or mules. 1t
| is believed the present supply will be am
| pie to meet immediate demands and the
needs of the army in the near future, not
withstanding the future inCrements Of
! personnel increase.
| The conditions prevailing in Mexico and
the possibility that It may be necessary
! to enlarge the military force in Texas at
any time render 1t imperative. in the
| judgment of War Department officials, to
retain the present animals, as well as the
equipment.
1t is pointed out that the animals could
| be sold only at a great sacrifice in price,
and it might be necessary to replace
them soon afterward on short notice,
which would mean heavy draft upon
army appropriations and possible trouble
regarding purchase An investigation
now is being conducted to select the best
pasture land that may be leased by the
! government to take cars Of those horses
that cannot he cared for at the army re-
mount stations.
! The first armOr'd railway car built for
the army recently was tested at the
Sandy Hook proving grounds before Of
| ticcrs Of the COrTs Of Army Engineers.
| The car was built by the Standard Steel
! Car Company, Of Hammond, Ind 1t
weighs forty tons. carries on its top a
three-lnCh field gun, and has in its ar
! ,%,v
machine guns can be operated.
| Twenty-seven days after the order was
placed the car was delivered 1t is a
veritable bloCkhOUse on wheels and IS
| built Of heavy steel 1t IS designed for
patrol duty and tor action against mobile
troop organizations.
The car is entered through doors at the
ends. There are eight ports on each side
! and two at each end. The interior Of the
car is divided into three compartments.
! The end ones are used for the manning
/ Of the machine guns, and the central
one IS used as an ammunition storeroom.
A crew OF twenty IS required to operate
. the car.
/ The navy soon Is likely 10 have a new
/ Judge advocate general. Capt. Ridley
! Mclean, the incumbent. who has served
efficiently since November .. 1913, is de-
sirous OF going to sea and has applied
/ for assignment 10 ship duty
! No decision has been reached as to
when the change shall he made or as to
/ Capt. McLean's successor. Among those
who have been suggested as having a
/ good chance for appointment as Judge
advocate general are Maj. Albert S. Nc
( THmore, assistant Rdjutant and inspector
Of the Marine Corps. on duty in Wash
ington; Lieut.. Commander William 9.
! Watts attached to the I. s s Michigan
as executive officer and Lieut. Com
mander Robert Henderson. on duty IN
! connection with the I. S. s. Arizona al
the New York Navy Yard.