New Britain herald., 1919-05-22
NAVY DEPARTMENT
 DISCHARGING MEN
Officers Must Pass
 on Release Appeals

l Washington, May 22-In order to
 assist members of congress in reply | ing to the numerous letters winch | they receive in regard to the release ] or enlisted personnel, the bureau de- J Slres to set forth the percentages or
 men allowed to be released and to show the present urgent need for men. TO date the bureau has released ; l9O,O0O members of the naval reserve force; and 65,000 regular navy men. Tn addition to the total already re- leased, the bureau has directed the re- lease or three per cent. month of men on board ships of the navy; one l per cent. month of men on shore duty; further, this monthly three per cent. or releases for ships has been in creased 10 six per cent. for the months ot May and June These releases will reduce the entire number of enlisted personnel in the navy taking into ac-
 count all new enlistments made since
 the signing of the armstice to 25O,OOO
 men by July 1, 1919. Until such time
 as the navy may cease the operation
 or cargo vessels and transports it will
 De practically impossible to further
 reduce the number of enlisted person.
 nel on duty and at the same time
 maintain efficiency, unless vessels are
 paced out of commission and vital
 activities are discontinued. These ac-
 uVltles cannot be continued except by
 enlisted personnel because of lack of
 funds or lack of trained civilians to
 continue them
 In order to show what reductions
 have at present been effected by the navy, the following facts are stated:
 On November 1st, 1918, there were
 in operation 50 troop transports with
 an average crew of 470 men. On May
 1st, there were in commission 114
 troop transports with an average
 crew of 428 men. The navy is now
 operating 195 cargo vessels, whose
 average crew on November 1st, was
 90 men and whose average crew on
 May 1st, was 6S men. The total num-
 Der of men on shore duty had on
 May 31st, been reduced 60 per cent
 and a further reduction of 25 per
 cent. has been directed to be effective
 not later than May 15. All men who
 are made available as a result of this
 reduction will be sent to sea.
 In addition to the vessels at pres-
 ent in operation there are now fitting
 out for delivery to the government in
 the next six months 15 troop trans
 ports, 63 destroyers, 28 submarines,
 52 eagle boats, oil tankers, fuel
 oil barges, 12 mine sweepers, IS sea
 going tugs 33 harbor tugs fuel
 ship and 1 gun boat. The numbers given are, of course, subject to slight reductions due to unforeseen conditions at the plants of the builders.
 On November 11th, 1918, there were in the navy a total of 5O7,79
 men. The total releases from all causes between November 11th, and May 1st, were 253,O56 men. This l leaves in the navy a total number of l men taking into account all new en- 1 listments made up to May 1st, 284862 ] men. On July 1st including all en- l Hstments anticipated prior to that | date, there will be a total of 25O,OO0 ! men and women left on duty.
 ] Crews of all ships and all office | forces on shore have been reduced to l such an extent that in the future inn mediate reductions other than the one ] per cent. a month allowed on shore, 1 and six per cent. a month allowed on board ships for the month of May and June, will, without a doubt, seri- l ously interfere with the return of the 1 troops from France, and in the SUD- l plying of food to the troops remaining l in France, as we'll as in supplying food l to the stricken people of Europe. The bureau feels that the proper l man to pass on the request of man | for release should be his commanding ] officer and no one else. There is no l other person in a position to judge as l well the relative urgency of the re- l quests received from men in their l command. When due to shortages l of personnel only a limited number of l these requests can be granted and 1 when, of course, these requests must 1 be granted in order of their urgency l there is no reason to feel that the bu- l reau can say whether or not the re- ] quest of any particular man is more 1 urgent than the requests of the other I men within the command. The bu- I reau has therefor followed throughout 1 the period of mobilza ton a policy l of having a mans commanding off, l cer pass upon his request for release. l This policy will be continued