Evening star., 1921-06-05
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
THE NAVY

IN recent discussion of naval per-
sonnel5 matters with The Stars repre-
sentative. Theodore Roosevelt, assist :
ant secretary of the Navy, said
In these days of enormous mechan-
lcai development our people are too
apt 10 lose sight of the fact that the
relative Importance in military or
naval development of material to per-
sonnel is as three to one. This is
not statement of a theory but a
statement of fact and susceptible of
proof History furnishes countless
instances of countries furnished with
excellent weapons for war who were
hurled down to defeat by much more
rudely armed opponents. simply be,
cause the individuals who employed
the weapons were not of the right
type. Again this is not simply a
question Of an inherent ability on
the part of the individual. though
that is OF great Importance; it is in
greater part question of training.
This is becoming ever increasingly
important as time has gone on and
as the weapons with which war is
waged have become complicated.
Take. for example. the modern bat
in the world. more complicat ed
piece of mechanism. In order to func-
tion properly 1t must be manned with
a trained crew. The fire control sys-
tenn is a series of complicated signal
which 1t would be impossible to work
properly without men who had prac-
ticed. Generalization is impossible
without training. and coordination in
a major engagement is a very con-
siderable element. For this reason it
lied personnel of the Nevy is not
high Personnel triumphs over ma
terial
"In our own history you can find
t.t IL tr,rr
on the Bonhomme Richard captured
the Scraps because his personnel
| was trained. even though his material
was SO inferior that his ship went
! down in the hour of victory. Capt
John Lawrence of the Chesapeake
count Of the fact that his personnel
! was undertrained after having fought
| as inspiring a fight as ever John Paul
Jones did,
; Mr.. Roosevelt further brought out
] the Importance of adequately trained
personnel in the Navy service. stating
that, while Lord Nelson's statement
j that ships are tools; men make uI
a Navy was true in his day. the
f, same thing is doubly true in this day
| "three-plane Navy"-surface ships
/ submarines and aircraft.
The development of radio commu-
nication. electric drive in huge ships
internal combustion engines in sub
marine and aircraft. the development
of high explosives and chemicals and
astounding advancement all along
the line in mechanical equipment
! makes it necessary for the Navy to
be manned by specialists. a mere
.iourneyman laborer cannot fill any
billet in the Navy today. 1t is nee
essary to train machinists to handle
the most delicate and accurate ma
chinery; electricians to maintain and
operate radio equipment and cleo
trio apparatus from the smallest
switch TO the gigantic generators
And then there are the acetylene and
electric welders, ignition repair men,
fabric workers. wire workers. gyro
compass experts. listening device op-
orators, ordnance experts, aircraft
riggers and the thousand and one
other activities embraced in a Navy
! S5 per cent of which is a mechanical
proposition.
Men who serve out one or more en-
! listments in the Navy are qualified to
take their position in the economic
life of the nation as trained experts
not only skilled with their hands
and mentally capable of assuming
important responsibilities in the in
dustries Of the country. but they
/ bring that sense of loyalty and disci-
] pline which can only be obtained by
the indoctrination of the true Navy
spirit. which, in a word. means CO.
operation. loyalty and everything for
the service.