Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1922-02-24
FRIDAY. FEBRUARY %. 1922.
CUTTING THE NAVY PERSONNEL

Naval affairs must loom large
in the eyes of Congress, when the
committee holds a session ON a
holiday as happened on Wash
ington's birthday.
The Naval Committee under
the craftsmanship OF Thomas )
Butler wraps its doings in the
deepest mystery and has nothing
To say for publication, but Patrick
II. Kelley, of Michigan. its repre-
sentative on the appropriations
committee, who has presumably
kept in close touch with it doesn't
hesitate to talk of the drastic cuts
that arc to be made III the per
sonnet, beginning with the re
fusal of commissions to the pres
ent first class of midshipmen. He
is only willing to except pos
sible very few, who would be
taken in for the sake OF injecting
new life into the old organism
The Secretary of the Navy. Mr.
DENLY, in his recent recon-
mendations TO Congress urged
that the entire class should be
graduated and commissioned.
Mr.. DENLY had carefully studied
the matter of personnel in rela-
tion TO the decrease in size of the
Navy as agreed on at the Con.
ference for the Limitation OF
Armaments. He also had the full
benefit of the knowledge and
opinions of officers of high stand
ing and long experience.
The Secretary's proposal for
a decrease in the appointments to
the Naval Academy was i'll the
ratio of j to 3. The COMPRESSION
al proposal is from to ,.
Each administration has its
Slogan and the economy" watch
word of this one would not be
bad if there were any evidence
of sincerity i'll the efforts to en-
force it. At present, though
Congress seems willing to con
tent itself with reduction OF cx-
penses i'll the Army and Navy.
One hears nothing OF any serious
effort being made to cut the per
sonnet of the army of j6i, 900
Federal civilian employees. which
is double the prewar number.
The case of the 80 midship-
men to whom Mr.. Kelley would
lightly refuse a commission is a
hard one.
These young men have spent
4 years preparing to be officers.
They were not just getting a
good education at the expense OF
the Government" but were dedi-
eating themselves to their LIES
work. The class as whole is
fine one. has made a good record
for itself. and many of its men,
bers have had in addition to their
training here the tremendous ad-
vantage for an officer OF expert
ence during the war as enlisted
men.
On entering the Academy they
agreed to give the Government 5
years of service after graduation.
and they have a right to expect
the Government to give them $
years of employment. Had they
not intended to make the Navy
their career they would not have
put i'll the past 4 years securing
the training of an officer. For
many of them with no financial
backing and home ties severed by
their absence the outlook is a
serious one.
1T the Government is under no
written obligation to give the
men OF the graduating class their
commissions, it at least is under
d moral one to do so. If curtail-
meut and retrenchnent in the ma
val establishment must take
place. as a matter of government
tai policy. would it not be more
equitable to have it apply to the
next incoming class 1926 than
TO break faith with those who. at
the end of their course, had every
reason to expect the reward Of