The Washington herald., 1917-03-06
Army and Navy News
Best Service ceIunn 3. CITY

The plan Of naval authorities for the
establishment Of two submarine bases.
one at Colon and the other at Panama,
on the Canal Zone. one for twenty boats
and the other for ten, has been aban-
doned. A single base win be established.
covering both coasts. with twenty boats
in ALL
The change in plans is the result of
a detailed study of the matter by the
Naval Board and the joint Army and
Navy Board. The u. g. s, Charles
ton. which has been serving as a mother
ship for the submarines In that quar-
ter. has been withdrawn on account of
the mobilization plans. There are five
submarines there now, and these with
the seven N-boats to be sent there short
ly and the o-boats. soon to be deiiv-
cred, will bring the number UP to twen-
~ In Its report the joint board says:
submarines are an essential element
OF the4 defense Of the Canal Zone and
the canal itself. In their present stage
OF development they constitute such a
threat that close blockade is recognized
10 De impractfcable in this day. and that
alone would suffice to justify their in
clusion In the scheme of defense They
nave, however. another sphere of use
1uiness In their ability to carry a threat
AGAINST superior force to a distance.
They thus supplement the fixed defenses,
render any approach Of a hostile expedi-
tlon hazardous, and their presence would
tend to throw hostile landings farther
away from the terminals of the canal
than any fixed or mobile forces on land
possible could. even II they did not
serve to prevent a determined enemy
from landing or otherwise attacking the
canal. IT is the opinion Of the Joint
board that submarine shore bases are
necessity at the Panama CANAL The
JOINT board further recommends that ap-
propriations be sought to build I'D the
submarine bases at the isthmus at the
earliest date"
Tests Of the system OF torpedo control
invented by John Hays Hammond Jr..
will be conducted probably in the near
iuture The joint board OF army and
navy Officers appointed to supervise the
tests have informed Mr.. Hammond that
they are ready to test the system. The
tests will be run as soon as they can be
arranged by Mr.. Hammond.
The board recently held several meet
ings here. Mr. Hammond submitted a
proposed plan Of procedure, which was
acceptable to the board The board con-
sists Of Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, Brig.
Gen. George o. Squier chief signal Of
hcer. and Capt. Fulton Q. c. Gardner,
or the army, and Capt. John A. Hooge-
wern. Commander David W. Todd, and
Lieut.. Joseph V. ogan. OF the navy.
The War Department is confronted by
the question as to whether army officers
who failed In examination for promotion
ana who were honorably discharged from
the service should be given an oppor-
tunity to return to the army under pro-
visions Of the national defense act.
The law of 1890 established a policy
OF eliminating permanently from the
regular army those officers not above the
rank Of major who are deficient in knowl-
edge Of their profession. That policy
was extended to majors of the Judge
advocate generals department by a sec
ton in the national defense act The
act Of 1880 doss not permit an officer who
fails professionally to remain in his
grade. but requires his complete expul-
sion from the army. 1t says in effect.
that an officer who is not competent to
Is not At to remain in the grade in which
he is-in other words. that he lacks mill
tary fitness for his grade.
The provision of a section of the ma
tionai defense act. 1t is insisted, should
be read. and should receive execution
in connection with the act Of 1880 1t
authorizes the recommissioning only of
persons ascertained 10 have military ft-
ness in addition to physical and moral
qualifications. An Interpretation of this
statute that woud permit the recon-
missioning OF those who have failed pro-
fessionally would be. it is pointed out.
most inconsistent with the act reuuir-
ing discharge, since those who have been
discharged for deficiency have had their
military fitness tested in the most COM
plete manner possible, and certainly. 1t
Is added. one does not gain military
fitness by absence from the military ser
vice for years, A statute sholIId he in
terpreted so as to avoid. so far as NAV
be, any conflict with other statutes. The
section in the national defense act cam
be given ample operation. the War De-
partment has decided. without includ-
ing those persons who have failed in
their examination for promotion. and it
was not the intent of Congress to null
lify In any manner the laws which di-
rect the discharge for deficiency.