New Britain herald., 1919-06-12
BIG CUT TAKEN
 IN NAVAL BILL
But Pay of Sailors Is Given
 Boost

Washington, June 12.-The house naval committee completed yesterday it's draft of the naval appropriation bill and will report it to the house carrying about S6O0,000,0 ,000, or about S12O.OOO.OOO less than the same meas ure carried last year.
 Secretary Daniels asked the com- mittee for about S300,000,000 more than it decided to appropriate, but the republican axe was swung into this measure as it was into the army appropriation bill and the bill pro- viding funds for the railroad admin istration. It is expected to be laid before the house for consideration later in the week, when the army bill has been disposed of.
 The authorized navy building pro- gram is provided for, but there is no authorization carried for any con- struction beyond that. This decision was in line with the desires of the. secretary and the department that the three year program for great navy be held in abeyance until winter.
 The navy personnel is put at 241,- 900 men until October 1, 191, 900 from October 1 to January 1 and 17O,O00 from that date until the close of the fiscal year. June 30, 1920. S The secretary asked for a person. nel of 100000 men from January to the close of the year and through the committees deduction many mil-s lions will be saved. The committee determined that many thousands of men in navy now engaged in trans-3 porting troops can be released long before January 1 in view of the way in which the soldiers are pouring back into the United States and the members made up their minds that neither the transportation service nor. the shore activities would be cur tailed unnecessarily. 1T 27,4OO for Marine Corps. eF For the Marine Corps the committee fixed the personnel for the fiscal year at 27,4OO, of which 10000 may be as- signed to duty in France until the de- partment decides to bring them back.
 IA permanent increase was made in the pay of. enlisted men to make an average of $32.50 a month instead of $17.50 a month. The higher rate is the wartime pay for enlisted men. MT. Daniels recommended a pay increase beyond this figure for later in the year and asked that the wartime pay be retained for the present. For pay of personnel the bill carries but $163, 3,O0O,OO0, of which about $25, 000- 900 is to take care of the increase
 The committee decided to recom- mend $15,000,00O for aviation, less than the secretary desired, but this was in view of the fact that the per manent naval station policy has. not been settled. A provision has been inserted in the bill for a thorough survey of aviation in the Navy. War and Post Office departments,-wit tiieS purpose of having a permanent policy established for all. -- tf9
 New Construction Provided For.
 The committee provided appropria- tions for new construction at naval stations on both the Atlantic and the. Pacific coasts, thus indicating it's de- sire that there be two American fleets of about equal strength on the two main coasts of the country.
 For ship construction of authorized vessels, the bill carries about $I 33-sI 900, 900. These ships will be Sco11-s structed for the most part on the pfans and specifications formerly made, the suggestions for composite ships to com bine some of the qualities of bat tie cruisers and battleshps having been abandoned on the advice of the Navy General board. There may be some change made for slightly heavier armament at a small sacrifice of speed :
 No action was taken on the recom- mendation for government control of wireless communication, but the com mittee is understood to approve 1t, and provision is made for the continuation of the Navy radio work. @r