Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-01-02
arrangement is contemplated. depend
ing upon the results of investigation
Merit Rather THAN Seniority

A@AC AENA $50 AN@AAN~ ~ 49, 49, -t,~~~~N--s
Merit Rather THAN Seniority
An amendment of the selection law.
under which nine rear admirals de-
termine promotions by election. was
recommended by Mr.. Daniels. Under
the proposed amendment the officer re-
ccivsng the largest numter Of votes
for promotion woald outrank one re-
ceiving 2 smaller namler without re-
gard 10 their relative rank prior TO
promotion This is to emphasize the
principle of merit rather than Of
seniority. Many naval officers are OPP
posed TO the change
Fourteen battleships and ten battle
cruisers have been temporarily con-
verted into transports, capable OF
bringing home 10000 fighting men
month.
Great emphasis was placed by Sec
rotary Daniels on the necessity for
permanently increasing the pay OF
men in the navy. He said that the day
of the common sailor in the navy has
passed and that the enlisted men are
all skilled, including electricians. ma
chinists. gun pointers and similar oc-
equations. The Shipping Board. he
said. pays men higher wages than the
navy pays, and other lines of work
are open to them which offer greater
pay. Therefore, if the navy is TO have
a sufficient number of men it must
offer better inducements both in pay
and in future promotions.
Here are the rates of increased pay
proposed to be made permanent:
For all enlisted men whose base
pay does not exceed $21 month. $50
a month; for those with base pay more
than $21 and not exceeding SPA a
month, an increase of $12 a month;
for those whose base pay is more than
$24 a month and less than $45 a
month, an increase of IS month, and
those whose base pay is $45 or more a
month. an increase of So month.
The secretary was unable to give
the total increase that this will mean
annually in the appropriation, but it
is understood it will amount to sew
eral million dollars year.
Every one of our dreadnoughts
and other fighting craft should be
equipped with highly trained men,"
said Mr.. Daniels. I'VE cannot get such
men without paying them more money
and we cannot give increased pay
unless this legislation is approved
Secretary Daniels said that it had
been decided to abandon the shorter
course of three years at the Annapolis
Naval Academy and to return to the
old four year course. This is in ac-
cordance with the advice of naval au-
thorities, who are convinced that the
three year course is insufficient to pre-
pare men for successful naval
career.
Commenting on the statements
made before the House Naval Affairs
Committee by Secretary Daniels, Sem
ator Poindexter, who probably will
be the next chairman of the Senate
Committee on Naval Affairs, said:
"The urgency of the Secretary of
the Navy for an additional building
program is rather surprising in view of
the fact that we have made but little
progress on the program already au-
thorized. The controversy which he
has aroused is necessarily an academic
one, in view of the impossibility of
practically carrying it out, or begin
ming to carry it out for some years to
come
"A report published in the United
States by one of the correspondents
with the President in Europe, stated,
as representing the views of our peace
delegation, that if England did not
agree with the views of America as to
naval policy, we could build larger
navy. than that of Great Britain This
had the distinct tone of a threat and
caused a more or less disagreeable
sensation at time when the allied
nations were endeavoring to harmon
ize the great issues of the war.
1.-THE proposition of Secretary DAN
iels seems to be in line with this
threat. OF course, France and Great
Britain are fully advised of this, and
so far from having the effect which
the administration desires, it will have
the opposite effect and lessen the in
fiuence of the United States at peace
conference"