New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-14
Security League Says Sys-
tenn Will DemOraliZe
the Service.
MYSTERY Wells
, ORIGIN OF BILL
Officers a Unit Against Proposed
Interjection of
Politics.


the new naval appropriation bill by
Cushing Stetson in The Tribune of Au-
gust 10, the National Security League
last night made public communica-
of the navy committee of the league
and Henry Reuterdshl, Of the United
States Naval Institute. criticising the
provision which places the power Of
promotion Of officers in the hands OF
the Secretary of the Navy.
While the league heartily Endorses
the big building programme as it came
from the Senate, and feels that the
essential features must not be endan-
gered, it believes that the widest pub
LEFTY should be given to the evils Of
the personnel provision. According to
the letter, the bill proposes "the most
important personnel legislation ever
enacted by Congress, yet in the most
suspiciously peculiar manner the vari-
Gus features of this bill have been con-
cealed from the service, except for
hearings lasting only three days, and
covering only one feature of the bill
The league believes that while promo
tion of officers by selection is desirable,
such selection should be made by a
board of naval officers.
Party Patronage Increased.
"For increasing the party patronage
and pork, the personnel features Of the
Senate bill are most admirable" runs
the letter. "The party in power, with
the hundreds of appointments Of vari-
Gus kinds provided in this bill, will
transform the navy into huge political
machine, and the Secretary Of the
Navy will become potentate of poll
tics at tn expense of the navy's future
battle efficiency.
"The House Committee has as yet been
unable to ascertain who made the bill.
1t was not drawn UP by the General
Board or any other representative
group of officers. In fact, the bill has
been carefully kept from such bodies.
II was born in the dark. No naval Off
Ger fathers the bill, nor does any one
else, so far as the House committee
was able to ascertain in the short space
of three days hearing. 1t is the job OF
many politicians.
Bill Unjust to Officers.
at is plainly evident that the bill
h. hoe, Thought If
our navy. Ii has not had the critl-
cism Of experienced naval officers. To
pass such bill, fathered by no one
and kept practically secret from the
navy itself, is a rank injustice to the
officers who are afoat and without n
voice in Congress. The hearing before
tie House committee brought out the
/ fact that the naval service had not
I asked for and did not want seventy or
I eighty more admirals, including the
/ new-fangled deputy surgeon general
or deputy paymaster generaP-ad-
mirals all Furthermore, it has been
/ brought out that there was great diver
sity Of opinion among the officers as TO
/ the selection feature.
promotion by seniority, now in
practice in the navy, violates every
tenet of life and helps to kill the am
! bition of the younger officers, who nave
| no chance to reach even a lieutenants
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 advancement must
/ be determined by fitness alone, and the
! final elimination or selection process
I left by law in the hands of the navy
/ itself, leaving no chances of reversal Of
/ opinion to the navy's civilian, untecn-
/ nical head.
Naval Efficiency Menaced.
an the Senate bill the selection OF
officers for promotion is practically left
TO the Secretary of the Navy. Such
/ kind of promotion is apt 10 depend
upon political influence, not profess
| sional skill The navy as a unit IS
/ against the consequent interjection OF
/ POLITICS into the service.
THE navy has pride in its organiza-
/ ton, and naturally does not wish its
standards lowered. We have every rea-
/ son to suspect that the bill as passed
would lower those standards and
greatly detract from, if not seriously
/ cripple, the navy efficiency. This bill,
! supposedly to promote the navy's war
/ readiness, has been kept under cover.
q ne Objects III tuc Hcct "i' INV b
their lives to the service have not had
a chance TO be heard.
ION behalf of the Security League,
the undersigned urgently appeal to a
patriotic press, Congress and the pub
lie to bring to bear all possible in
/ Auence TO kill the vicious personnel
features of the Senate naval bill, the
features of which bill we believe mean
lbe inter decentralization of the Ameri-
can navy"
MEXICAN GIRL DETAINED