Evening star., 1917-12-25
NAVY YARD EXPERTS
TO ADVISE CONGRESS
Will Recommend New Sites or
Abolition of Present Con-
struction Plants.
INTEREST AWAITS REPORT
INTEREST AWAITS REPORT

Expert advice as to the advisability of
establishing new navy yards and the de-
STABILITY of abolishing any existing
navy yard is to be given, soon after
Congress reassembles, to the naval af-
fairs committee of the House, which,
through a subcommittee, is inquiring
into the way in which the Navy has been
conducting its share in the war.
Representative Lemuel p. Padgett of
Tennessee, chairman of the naval af-
fairs committee, said today that he
expects soon to receive the report of
the commission on navy yards and
naval stations, instructed by Congress
to make a thorough investigation of
for new yards. This commission was
appointed before the United States en-
tered the world war. In view of the
larger work for the Navy, and on ac-
count Of the present inquiry into naval
management. there is much interest in
what the commission will propose to
Congress.
The subcommittee, Of which Repre-
sentative William B. Oliver OF Alabama
Is chairman, will resume hearings as
soon as the members return from their
recess. The exact date has not yet
Scattered BY War Duties.
{ ms c5assxission u, navy yards ana
naval stati0ns has been scattered BY
war duties. It consists OF Rear Ad-
miral ]. N. Helm. Rear Admiral q. w.
MeElroy. Rear Admiral w. L. Capps.
Civil Engineer II. H. Rousseau and
mifal Capps is how on the sick list and
forced to desist from the strenuous
routine to which he has been accus-
toned.
fice Of inspection OF machinery at the
Fore River shipyard-in reality he Is
in charge Of the inspection OF all cub
marine destroyers. which is a most
important post at this time. Admiral
Rousseau is still assistant general
manager of the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration. having survived the admin
istrAtions OF Admiral Capps and OF Gen.
Goethals: he is also director OF the
Panama railroad and holds several
other important Offices. Admiral Helm
and Civil Engineer Chambers are
spending practically all their time on
the work assigned to them by Con-
gress.
capt. CnamDefS Is a new MEMBER OF
the commission, having been appointed
to take tine place vacated in the spring
by Commander c. L. Hussey, Z. S. n.
Compiling Report to Congress.
The commission is now busy compil-
ing it's report to Congress. It Is ex-
pected that this work will not be COM
pleted for about two weeks.
This report will include data about a
number Of locations proposed as sites
for new yards. which has been gath
cred during tour OF inspection by a
board consisting of Admiral Helm.
Capt. Chambers, as civil engineer. and
Lieut. P. n. l.. Bellinger, aviation ex-
pert.
Representative Padgett said that al
ready four parts of the commission's
report have been made and printed
taking up its work by districts. The
ffth part, now being prepared, will take
up in part the conditions that it
found along the Pacific coast. 1t is un-
derstood that 1t will also include data
regarding possible sites on the Gulf OF
Mexico.
From reliable sources in Congress it
was learned that the commission is
likely to recommend at least two new
navy yards, that Secretary Daniels is
opposed to such a program and that
Congress is inclined to take the au-
thority in its own hands and order the
Yards established. There is a strong
feeling that at least one Of the old
established navy yards will be practi-
caiiy abandoned.