The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-10-26
PRESIDENT APPEALS
TO RESERVE FORCE
Thousands Wiped of Navy Rolls by
DisenroIlnent Order RaIlyinc to
Call Of Chief Executive.

out recently through the medium of a
letter to junior officer of the force at
Philadelphia, Pa. The presidents let
ter calling upon the patriotism OF the
men in this service to stand the gaff"
until new legislation can be formulated
and enacted has had a remarkable eff
feet and appears to have turned the
tide that seemed to be sweeping this
organization of nearly 100000 men in
the United States into chaos of dis
/, organization.
/ The president wants the reservists
to re-enroll Immediately in class g. the
volunteer organization which carries
with 1t a real obligation of service to
the nation but has nc. promise of finan-
cial reward. There is no retainer pay
or other gratuity in class and for the
present at least its members are asked
to hold together on nerve and grit
alone.
THE naval reserve force has twice
emerged from war with a record Of
honorable service. and in the emergen-
cy that now confronts 1t, its members
can in no better manner show their pa
triotism and loyalty as well as the
true navy spirit than by retaining their
membership pending further develop
ments in the manner indicated by the
secretary Of the navy in his letter to
those reserves who have been disen-
rolled" the president declared.
The full text of the presidents let
ter was made public by officials Of the
eighth naval district who received
copies from the bureau Of navigation.
The letter follows.
ssThe White House.
washington, Oct. 8, 1921.
My Dear Mr.. Harley-Your letter
dated Sept. is. 1921. relative to the !
naval reserve force has been received |
and given my most careful attention.
The present condition and future pros
poets of the United States naval re-
serve force are of the greatest inter-
est to the navy
"At the outbreak of the World war, |
for lack of sufficiently trained naval
reserve, 1t was necessary to draw large /
numbers of trained men from our bat |
tie fleet and assign them to duty to
man auxiliary ships and vessels Of the |
merchant marine and as armed guards |
Conditions which would permit of such |
disruption of our first line of defense
at the outbreak of war are fraught |
with so much danger that a repetition
should not be within the bounds of
possibility.
THE late war showed the necessity |
for trained sea-going reserves not only
in combatant ships but to take over, |
operate and protect commercial ships
operating through war zones. The !
number of reserves prior to the war
was wholly inadequate to cover the
situation which confronted the navy, |
and steps were Immediately taken to t
acquire and train a body of men equal /
to the occasion.
eat the close of the war there were
in the naval service about 100000 Off
GERS and enlisted men of the reserve
force. The bulk of these men were
transferred to the inactive list shortly
after the armistice and about 100000
have passed out of the reserve by ex-
piration OF their terms Of enrolment
or for other causes.
''The necessity for reorganization
Of the naval reserves was recognized
at an early date in this administration
and steps were taken to formulate a
we'll considered policy for the future
based upon experience gained In the
World war Such a policy, If adopted,
must provide for supplying trained or
partially trained men to fill the COM
elements Of auxiliary ships in time of
national emergency, thus obviating the
necessity for withdrawing men from
he battle fleet.
1.-THE appropriation for the naval re-
serve force available for the present
iscal year was not adequate to permit
he reduction Of the naval reserves in
IN orderly manner to the size for
which funds are available without ere
1ting a deficiency. It. therefore, be- 9
anne the clear duty Of the navy de- t
'artment to make drastic reductions 4
n the naval reserves and to disenroll 3
rom Sept. 80 some 225, 900 officers and
men, all of whom, however, have been :
.iven the right to transfer to the vol I
Inteer naval reserves In what Is known !
s class 6, a status which is without :
'ay. b
'sThe sudden separation of such =
arge number OF officers and men from !
he navy has necessarily created sit !
alton that will require a certain
mount Of time for the reorganization
( the naval reserves under conditions :
5 they actually exist Meanwhile, the
avy department IS engaged in draw
az up and win seek to have enacted,
bill to cover the entire subject. b
From the foregoing it is clear that n
he navy department has no thought II
-hatever OF permanently giving up the Ir'
avail reserve force but has been forced
, adopt seemingly drastic measures n
, cope with a situation with which it !
confronted.
'aThe time seems to me to be oppor-
me to express to you and your ship
Iates IN the naval reserves, the hope W
lat you will regard this action Of the II
avy department merely as an admin in
trative act, brought about by condi- tn
ons beyond its control and one that 81
mounts in reality to a reorganization. u
process that Is going on all of the CT
me In both military services.
.aThe naval reserve force has twice
merged from a war with a record of z
,norable service, and in the emer
,ncy that now confronts It, its mem
srs can in no better manner show
.eir patriotism and loyalty as well as
Is true navy spirit, than by retaining
q - - n~ey.gw, voa1.Stucr fnrfhav- da-f /