Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-20


that he could be permitted to
tell about tho accomplishments Of the
Navy, omitted absolutely to refer to
one Of the factors that made 1t great,
his own efforts in Congress. he told
of the British admiral, who. when the
first flotilla of United States 3estroyers
arrived in English waters. asked:
"When will you be ready7" and re-
ceived the characteristic reply: 1--WE
are ready now" He said: 1.-THE broad
basis Of naval preparedness was laid
in the epoch-making naval appropria-
ton bill Of August 20, 1915" That
bill gave the Navy $S12,000,000 used
for preparation against the following
9th day Of April, but he did not say
that It was he who laid before the
Of ss' seekSg thu apprcprat,on nor that
he was instrumental in the adoption
Of the continued building program OF
He told of the difficulties at the OUT
set Of pr0vdng guns t tor ,ss eT
lized world believed that the days of
piracy on the high seas was a thing
of the past; Of tho need Of expert gun
ners for the same vessels and the
trials Of the bureau of navigation to
supply them without stripping the At
lantic feet He quoted Admiral Mayo.
who said, when directed to put the feet
on a war footing: II did not have to
give an ORDER" but did not think 1t
worth while to add that Congress had
ready. He told Of the rapid expan-
sion of the Navy up to 100000 men
and 1900 ships, but made no mention
Of the fact that the House accepted
every statement that he made, and. in
reliance upon his Judgment, made the
appropriations without reserve.
He told how, with the $350,00O, 900
appropriation for the purpose. the
Navy had secured the construction OF
destroyers-the most effective dis
be built in yards some of which then
existed only as swamps near the sea-
shore; that boilers were made IN
plants that then did not exist; that
repair and Grimm Of tho engineering
bureau planned and schemed to get
the shipbuilders to come to the
scratch and mako machinery to make
the plants to make the ships that the the
how Admiral Palmer, in anxious days
and nights, toiled to increase the Navy
personnel that ought to have been
made greater at an early date; how
and bombs--but he could not tell ali
that he had done---and that Admiral
MCGOWAN had fed and clothed and
paid the Navy; how Admiral Braisted.
the surgeon general, had cared Tor
cision secured hospital ships. He
told how the chief OF naval opera
tions, Admiral Benson, had planned
everything needed for the direction
eign bases to appliances; how Vice Adj
miral Sims had directed a mighty
fleet. and Of the Victory. of the marines
at Chateau Thierry; how the long
abused and ridlculed Secretary Of the
forces Of his department.; but he did
not tell that, during the long period
when d misunderstanding. people were
attacking that Secretary, he had stood
by as his steady adviser and friend:
self gra tification was heard. but all
knew that not the least factor IN
creating the great American Navy
which vas ready. was the speaker.
tee OF naval affairs, Lcmuei p. Padgett.
GENERAL order IS of the War De-
~ partment, just published, although
officers below the rank Of brigadier
general, on active duty and serving
within the United States, shall here
after be re-rated according to tho
rating scale. every three months. from
October 1t. All these re-rating re-
ports must be forw arded to the adju-
tant generals Office, except In the case
of staff corps and departments. which
viii go to the. chief of staff corps or
department concerned.
Whenever the average rating of an
officer falls below As points the pcr-
sonnel board will review the rating,
and IL it verifes the rating as falling
below As the commanding officer will
recommend that the officer In qucs-
ton be placed on probation until the
next rating, transferred or discharged
quent time the officers rating falls
below the minimum he will be recon-
mended for discharge. All assign-
ments of officers within commands
shall be made primarily o. the basis
Of their qualification 'carA03 promo
lions must be based upon ratings, and
If an officer Is recommended for pro-
motion when an officer with a higher
rating Is eligible, the commanding Of
flcer must give his reasons for tho
preference. This order. which Is sign
ed by Con. .Peyton c. March. is for tho
purpose of securing evenness in the
promotion of officers and the elimina-
ton of favoritism In their recon-
mendations.
Somewhat along the same line Ia the
bill, introduced by Senator Mcclellan
OF Tennessee, to amend the act of
May IS, 1917, which authorized the
appointment of officers below the
rank Of brigadier general in the Ma