Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-12-10
INCREASE OF THE
NAVY'S OFFICERS
URGED
Recommendation That Full
Strength Be Restored Is
Made BY Chief of Bureau
of Navigation.

washington, Dec. - 1eC4dE
ing that the officer personnel Of
the navy should be augmented tol
fun strength and placed on per-
manent basis with the least pos
sible delay" Rear Admiral WASH
ington, chief of the bureau of nav
igation, in his annual report TO
Secretary Daniels today describes
the personnel situation as the most
serious problem before the navy.
Even though 1900 reserves and
temporary officers are taken into
the regular establishment as per-
mitted by law during the coming
year the shortage OF officers May
/, 1921, will be equal to seven years
output of the naval academy, Adj
mir3l Washington declares.
From present indications and un-
less remedial legislation is OBJ
tanned the temporary appointments
of seven rear admirals. siXty-seVen
captains, 154 commanders and $50
lieutenant commanders will have to
be revoked July /, 1921, due to
shortage of officers in the lower
grades the report says;
More attention must be paid TO
the personnel side of the conduct
of the navy. Admiral washington
saws, asserting that "this point OF
view does not now prevail.
"The attention of the navy and
of all those who in any way enter
into the activities of the navy must
be concentrated equally on the
ships and the men who man them,
\ IL. ....A IA
of material reconstruction covering
new building programs has divert
ed too large a share of service at
tention from questions of person
mel"
Commenting on the enlisted man
situation, Admiral Washington
states that the navy has very large
| ly recovered from the postwar re-
action that virtually stopped re-
cruiting. At the rate new men are
now entering the service the au-
! thorized strength will be reached
| By July ] ext, his report states.
Due to the loss of a large percent
age Of the navy's older enlisted
men, however, the report says that
| the enlisted force has not yet
gained normal efficiency.
designations during the fiscal
year from the officer force have
been serious, Admiral Washington
says, the line being particularly
hard hit. At the end of the year
there We're more than 400 fewer
line officers in the service than on
November /. despite the fact that
a class had graduated from the
naval academy in the meantime.
| A total of sos officers resigned
| from the regular navy during the
year, of which ninety-four were
line officer, leaving a shortage OF
Iabout 2.400 officers in the perma-
nent establishment.
A considerable portion of the re-
port was devoted to the naval re-
serve force, an annual appropria-
ton of at least $500, 600 for the adj
ministration of this service being
recommended.
THE expenditure of money foi
this purpose from year to year VIII
at first appear perhaps large" says
the admiral, but when it is con
sidered that the maintenance OF
this force in an efficient state viii
not only save the government a
large share of the amount thai
would be expended for the purpose
if war should again find us I'M
prepared, but will, practically in
sure victory on the sea following q
declaration of war, an insurance Il
gained at comparatively small cosI
and as such is measure OF econ
omy.'