The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-30
PRESIDENT URGES NAVAL RESERV|STS
 REMAIN ORGANIZED
Asks Them to Enroll In Class CPending Further Develop mentS of Naval Forces.
 May Be Needed

Local naval reservists are in re- ceipt of copy of letter from Pres ident Harding, relative to continuing the naval reserve organization.
 Replying to a communication from Hugh Harley. of Philadelphia. Pres ident Harding has sent a letter re- viewing the present condition and fu- ture prospects of the United States naval reserve. The letter to the Pres ident was prompted by the recent dis-enrollment of the naval reserves on account of the lack of appropria tions, the writer having served as a lieutenant Gunior grade) enrolled in the Fourth naval district.
 The Presidents letter follows,
 President'S Letter
 October s, 1921.
 My. Dear Mir. Harley: Your let ctr dated September IS, 1921, relative to the naval reserve force has been received and given my most careful attention. The, present condition and future prospects of the United States naval reserve force are of the great est interest to the navy.
 At the outbreak of the World war for lack of sufficiently trained naval reserves. it was necessary to draw large numbers of trained men from our battle 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 a dis ruption of cur first line of defense at the outbreak of war are fraught with so much danger that repeti tion should not be within the bounds of possibility.
 The late war showed the neces- sity for trained seagoing reserves not only in combatant ships, but tc take over 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 acquire and train body of mon equal to the occasion.
 At the close of the war there were in the naval sery;ce about 330,000 officers and enlisted men of the re- serve service. 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 expiration of their terms of enrolment or for other causes.
 Reorganization
 The necessity for q reorgani. zation of the naval reserves was recognized at an early date in this administration and steps were taken to formulate a well considered policy for the future, based upon experi- ence gained in the World war. St a policy, If adopted, must provide for supplying trained or partially trained men to fill the complements of auxiliary ships in time of national emergency, thus obviating the neces- sity for withdrawing men from the battle fleet.
 The appropriation for the naval re- serve force available for the present fiscal year was not adequate to per init the reduction of the naval re- serves In an orderly manner to the size for which funds are available without creating deficiency. It therefore. became the clear duty of the navy department to make drastic to dis-enroll from September 30 some 225,000 officers and men, all of whom however, have been given the right to transfer to the volunteer naval re- serves in what is known as Class c, a status which is without pay.
 The sudden separation of such a large number of officers and men from the navy has necessarily ere ated a situation that will require a certain amount of time for the re- organization of the naval reserves under conditions as they actually ex fist Meanwhile the navy departmen is engaged in drawing up. and will seek to have enacted, bill to cover the entire subject,
 To He Retained
 From the foregoing it is clear that the navy department has no thought whatever of permanently giving ur the naval reserve force, but has been forced to adopt seemingly drastiS measures to cope with situation with which it is confronted.
 The time seems to me to be op- perfume to expres to you and your shipmates in the naval reserve. the hope that you will regard this action of the navy department merely as ar administrative act, brought about o5 conditions beyond it's control and ont that amounts in reality to reor' eanization, a process that is going or all the time in both military services
 The naval reserve force has twlcf emerged from a war with record o' honorable service, and in the emer' rency that now confronts it, it's mem hers can in no better manner snow their patriotism and loyalty as wei as the true navy spirit than py re taininR their membership pending further developments. in the manner indicated by the Secretary of the Navy in his letter to those reserves who have been dis-enrolled Very truly yours,
 WARREN G, HARDING.