Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-05-22
PRESIDENT SIGNS BILL
ENLARG|NG THE NAVY
Measure Empowers Transfer Of
Geodetic Survey to Army or
Navy for the War.

The President today signed the bill
increasing the personnel of the navy to
$50. 900 men and of the Marine Corps to
80. 900.
The same bill authorizes the Presi-
dent to transfer to the service of the
War Department or the Navy Depart
OF the coast and geodetic survey, if in
his Judgment national emergency
exists to warrant such action.
1t is provided at the conclusion of the
national emergency-in this case the
war with Germany-the vessels, equip
ment, personnel and stations of the
coast and geodetic survey shall be re-
turned to the survey, and that nothing
in the act shall be construed as trans
ferring the coast and geodetic survey
or any Of it's functions from the De-
partment of Commerce except in time
Of national emergency.
Given Military Status.
The measure provides that the per-
sonnel of the survey. who may be trans
ferred to the army or navy, shall have
ject to the laws and regulations of the
army or navy.
The President is authorized to ap-
point the field officers of the survey
who are now officially designated as
sistants and aids as follows: Officers
now designated assistants and receiv-
ing a salary of $4,000 or more shall be
appointed photographic and geodetic
engineers: officers now designated az
ststants and receiving salary of 1900
or more but less than $4,000 shall be
appointed junior photographic and geo.
detic engineers; officers now designated
aids shall be appointed aids.
No person shall be appointed aid or
shall be promoted from aid to junior
photographic and geodetic engineer or
engineer to photographic and geodetic
engineer until after passing a salts
factory mental and physical examina-
tion conducted in accordance with reg
ulations prescribed by the Secretary of
Commerce, except that the President
is authorized to nominate for confirma-
tfon the assistants and aids now in
the service.
Nothing In the act shall reduce the
total amount of pay and allowances
they were receiving at the time of
transfer. While actually employed in
active service under direct orders of
the War Department or of the Navy
Department members of the coast and
geodetic survey shall receive the bene-
nt Of all provisions of laws relating to
disability incurred in line Of duty or
loss Of life.
AA4SdAy 3Shu1s
When serving with the army or navy
the relative rank shall be as follows:
Hydrographic and geodetic engineers
receiving $1,000 or more shall rank
with and after colonels in the army
and captains in the navy.
photographic and geodetic engineers
recetving $4,000 or more but less than
$4,000 shall rank with and after lieu
tenant colonela In the army and COM
MenderS IN the navy. ~
44ydrOgraphic and geodetic engineers
recefStng $z,600 or more but less than
33,o00 shall rank with and after ma Tors
IN the array and lieutenant command-
era IN the navy.
photographic and geodetic engineers
receiving $4,000 or more but less than
$2.500 shall rank with and after can
tains in the army and lieutenants in
the navy.
Junior photographic and geodetic en-
gineers shall rank with and after first
(5unior efade) in the navy.
Aids shall rank with and after second
iieutenants in the army and ensigns in
the navy.
And nothing in, the act shall be con-
strued to affect or alter their rates of
pay and allowances when not assigned to
military duty AZ hereinbefore mentioned.
The act provides that the Secretaries of
War. Navy and Commerce shall Jointly
prescribe regulations governing the duties
to be performed by the survey during the
time OF war.