Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-02-02
THE PADGETT BILL
REPORTED FAVORABLY
Providing for an Increase of Mid
shipmen at Naval Academy.
FULL TEXT OF MEASURE.
The Committee On Naval Affairs
Recommends That the Bill be
Passed.

The Committee on Naval Affairs. to
whom was referred II. r. 1924. the bin
of MIR. Padgett. before Congress. pro-
viding for an increase in the number of
midshipmen at the Naval Academy.
having had the same under considera-
ton. report the bill favorably. with
recommendations that the bill do pass.
The bin has the approval of the Sec
retary of the Navy The fun text of
the bill is as follows
BE it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the United
States OF America, in Congress assem-
bled, That hereafter there shall be al
lowed at the United States Naval Acad-
emy three midshipmen for each SEN
ator, Representative, and Delegate IN
Congress, one for Porto Rico. two Tor
the District of Columbia. ten appointed
each year at large, and fifteen appoint
ed annually from enlisted men of the
Navy as now authorized by law
Sec. 2. That all Acts or parts Of
Acts inconsistent with the provisions
of this Act are hereby repealed
The report says:
1t. therefore appears that in order
to place in full commission ships al
ready built and authorized there must
be obtained by July 1. 1919. 1.022 line
officers. and if the new building pro-
gram is adopted, 1,451 more line Off
GERS than allowed by existing law viii
be needed by July /, 1921.
Under existing law the sources OF
graduates of the Naval Academy and
supply for line officers are from the
promotion from the enlisted. force
Under existing law promotion from en-
listed men to the amount Of twelve an
nually are allowed, but up to the pres
ent time the Navy Department has not
been successful in obtaining that many
annually from the enlisted men. The
bill under consideration does not
change existing law in this respect.
Under existing law the Secretary OF
the Navy is allowed fifteen appoint
monts 10 the Naval Academy from en-
listed men and up to the present time
the Navy Department has been unable
to obtain its full quota from this
source. The bill under consideration
does not change existing law in this
respect
"As to appointments to the Naval
Academy, until June 30, 1919, the ex-
listing law allows two midshipmen for
each Senator. Representative and Dele
gfate in Congress. one for Porto Rico.
two for the District of Columbia and
ten appointed each year at large and
fifteen appointed annually from the en-
listed men of the Navy; but after June
80 1919. each Senator. Representative
and Delegate in Congress will have but
one appointment to the Naval Acad-
emy. Under existing law, 1169 mid
shipmen may be maintained at the Ma
val Academy, but owing TO failures,
physical and mental, an average of
about 900 begin the course each year
and about $50 maintained through
out the year, or about 25 per cent. less
than the authorized number If this
bill should become law, each Senator
and Member of the Honse of Repre-
sentatives, and Delegate in Congress
would have three appointments in all
and the total authorized number would
be 1,704 midshipmen. Judging from
past experience, the number maintain
ed at the Naval Academy would be ap-
proximately 1900 which is its full
capacity.
The present bill does not increase
the number of midshipmen for Porto
Rico for the District of Columbia or
the at-large appointments for the Pres
ident or the number authorized annu-
ally from the enlisted force of the Navy
fEa
should become law shortly, all Sen
ators and Representatives and Dele
gate would then have an opportunity
to nominate for the entrance examina-
tions TO the Naval Academy on April
is next, or at an examination held at
later date should the Secretary of the
Navy order such examination. but ali
those who would prfer to do so could
hold the vacancies over for next year.
! The passage of the law at the present
time would enable the department to
have large class appointed to enter
/ at the next academic year, and yet
there would not be too many in the
I class to be accommodated. and enough
vacancies would go over to next year
+ TO provide for a class sufficiently large
( for 1917.
I Nine hundred and seventy-six mid
shipmen can be quartered in Bancroft
I Hall at the Naval Academy, under the
/ present method of assigning quarters:
that is, two midshipmen TO a room. or
suite of rooms. The rooms vary in
size. some of them being quite large
j and commodious, and as a general rule
( suite of rooms 10 which is assigned
at present two midshipmen consists OF
+ a study room. common to the two. and
two bedrooms. The Secretary of the
/ Navy reports that il is considered en-
+. tirely practicable to quarter 200 mid
/ shipmen in Bancroft Hall. and while
this might entail certain amount of
crowding, and might occasion slight
inconvenience to individuals at times,
it is not considered that the accom-
modations vii be oyercrowded to such
an extent as TO menace the health of
the midshipmen or to materially affect
the discipline of the institution.