Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-02
COONTz OPPOSED
AS BUDGET MAKER
Too Extravagant to Draw Up
Naval Schedule, Congress-
man Says
PROTESTS TO SECRETARY
BY CLINTON w. GILBERT
star Correspondent Even,.s Public Ledger

1Copvriokf. 1871
Washington. July 2.--Congressman
Patrick III. Kelley. OF Michigan. chair
man of the Naval Subcommittee of the
House Committee on Appropriations,
has protested 70 Secretary DENLY
against the naming Of Admiral Coontz,
chief Of naval operations, as the Navy
Departments representative In the for
nation Of the budget.
Mr.. Kelley has told the Secretary that
IL the navy's budget Is made up by
Admiral Coontz the House Committee
on Appropriations will reject it and
make one Of Its own.
His objection is that the Admiral is
big navy man, that he has extravn
CANT ideas as to what naval vessels
should be kent afloat and what the per-
sonnel should be; also that Admiral
Coontz was responsible for the naval
estimates OF this year OF $3.50. 900 900.
which the House cut to 5000 900 600.
The Admiral's estimates this year. in
Mr.. Kelley's opinion, disqualify him
from making future estimates IL the aim
of the Administration is TO be economy.
Suggests Colonel Roosevelt
Mr.. Kelley suggested to Mr.. DENLY
that the representative Of the Navy De-
partment In budget making should be a
civilian. preferably the Assistant Secre-
tary, Theodore Roosevelt. who should
have associated with him Rear Admiral
Peoples, recently acting paymaster gen.
cral
Admiral Peoples was trained under
Paymastcr General McGowan. who
made remarkable record of efficiency
as the head of the Navy Purchasing De-
rartment, and it is held that his ex-
be valuable in making estimates.
Admiral Coontz takes the professional
view of the naval officer which naturally
inclines to big navy, large personnel
and liberal expenditures.
1t is inevitable that an officer In his
position, having pride in the service and
emphasizing its Importance, should have
larger ideas Of how much money is
necessary for II. than does Congress
man faced with the necessity OF cutting
down taxes and keeping the total re-
| quirements Of the Government within
reasonable limits.
This dispute between the departments
| anu NOuHEtSS lS Olu. IL bdHltu VII
more brightly this year in the fight of
the House to reduce the army and
navy personnel than it ever has before.
of both departments resulting from the
war. And the sharp criticism of Ad-
miral Coontz by Congressman Kelley
shows that under the new system of
budget making it will be keener than
ever.
Personal Jealousy Involved
In the case of Congressman Kelley
and Secretary DENLY the dispute is
sharpened by some personal jealousy
Mr.. Kelley was himself a receptiv.
candidate for the secretaryship Of the
navy. The Secretary preferred to him
man from his own State who ap-
parently had no especial qualifications
for the post and no strong political
backing. Mr.. Kelley is not reconciled
to what happened.
Criticism of the Navy Department S
attitude toward economy is sharp in the
House. The other day Representative
Butler, of Pennsylvania, chairman OF
the House Committee on Naval Affairs
and Representative Kelley, asserted in
debate that the navy was wasting $50,
| bVu,DOo u Stdl W h''pihS uoNiNSs
vessels in commission.
They suggested Congress should make
an investigation. decide what ships were
unnecessary and order them to be sold
for junk. In this way they said q
large saving in personnel could bC
effected.
1t was asserted that more than 10C
obsolete ships and small craft could be
discarded without in any way reducing
the military efficiency of the navy. Fol
example, Dewey's flagship, the Olympia
is still in commission in Puget Sound.
On board it Is crew of 352 men. In
addition, there are twenty six other old
vessels acquired during the Spanish
American War, still in commission.
Obsolete and Useless
The Congressman declare them to b.
| obsolete and useless, which seems prob
able. They have on board 1000 men
There are eight or nine old battleshipS
with 1906 men now cruising with
Annapolis cadets. and of no military
value. These battleships, however, will
soon go out of commission.
And there is legacy from the late
war in the shape of 10 small yachts
and submarine chasers and other small
vessels. designated as distinct craft fol
pdtIolllHR tn' VOdSt anu HuTDOTS IN tnt
late war. To these are assigned 20SS
men.
An instance of what Congressmer
call Navy extravaganza is the manning
OF the destOyprs held In reserve. There
are 1T5 of these. Their crew when il
commission would be ia men. Lynn.
idle, the Navy wished to keep abOu
fifty seven men on each of them,
total Of 1000 men
The House In this case refused thu
Nays request and decided that abou
half that many men would be enough
The congressman declared that for thu
actual operation of the battleships ant
destrOyers in commission and fit fol
service, 33 900 men would be adequate
There is, undoubtedly much trutl
in the criticisms of Congress against
the Navy. Officers are naturally big
Navy men. They could hardly b,
otherwise. and they are impressed with
the necessity Of being prepared in case
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