The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-07-21
new ENSICNS TO
HELP OUT navy
With Latest Additions United
States Is Still $500 Officers
Behind Treaty Strength.
SHIPS ARE NOW UNDERMINED
Young Annapolis Graduates viii Ma
terialIy Help Destroyer Force
Many Destroyers Now With
but Single Officer Aboard.

| Washington.-The graduation OF tn
class Of 1922 Of the Naval academy re
lieves a very trying situation relative
to our officer personnel question. Las
| year there were approximately 7,5V
officers, including reserve officers or
active duty. But the first of this veal
brought about the return of the reserve
officers to inactive status. AS this
affected close to 500 officers, our serv-
ice up to the time Of the graduation
consisted Of only 1000 regulars.
At the same time the British navy
had in active service about 1900 OH
GERS, and the Japanese more than
5000. These figures are very impor-
tant. We are supposed to be 40 per
cent more powerful than Japan, yet
we have 1000 less than their compile
ment of officers. We were supposed
to be equal to Great Britain, yet we
lacked 5000 officers Of their total.
Since that time the British officer
personnel has been reduced to ap-
proximately $500 Of all ranks But
still, it is to be seen, we are 1900 off,
GERS behind our parity" nation, de-
spite the graduation of 400 new and
inexperienced but well grounded en-
signs Our officer strength relative to
Japan, based on the 5-5-3 ratio estab-
lished at the armament conference,
should be 1920 for America to 5000
for Japan.
And so, it is apparent that In spite
of our material strength we are still
$500 officers behind our treaty
strength.
Glad to Get New Officers.
The navy is very glad to get these
new officers. Since the reserves have
returned to inactive service we have
had hard time maintaining even 80
per cent of the navy which we retain
under the various treaties. So soon
as their few months of leave is up
these young men will go to their as
signed stations, on the battleships, the
gunboats, the destroyers and the shore
stations.
For some time we have been forced
to maintain destroyers in reserve
with but single officer
aboard. Not only this, but some
lestroyers have had to be maintained
without a single commissioned officer
IN their cabins-with petty officers
Such a condition has
lot existed in any other navy in the
world for period Of twenty-five years.
t will now be possible to reassign our
destroyer officers to do away with this
and to bolster up the Off
er strength of the forces as a whole.
Our battleship forces, our first line
f defense, has had but 80 per cent of |
is officer strength for some time. BY |
these new officers to the big |
hips it is hoped to bring the officer
trength up to about So per cent of
ne necessary strength.
However, if the navy is cut from
5000 to $4,000, as provided in the
avail appropriation bill, the enlisted
of the battleships will
ave to be reduced further, for it is
npossible to put a single ship Of
lis type out of commission without
tremendous loss of power. De-
rogers in active commission will have
be placed in reserve with from 80
Is per cent of their required COM
ements aboard and some Of those
reserve viii have to be placed en-.
ely out of service.
Deterioration of Destroyers.
No type of ship, except the sub
arine, deteriOrates with the lack of
keep quite so fast as destroyer
he reduction in the upkeep forces will
IAN that the $50 odd destroyers now
lsting away will be augmented.
lis waste will have to be made good
the near future the conditions Of :.
: naval treaty demand it. :.
However, the reduction will not be =
oily in the sea forces. Our naval Z
SEES, built up to efficiency at great :
)ense during the war, will have to
cut down. For If there is to be a
luction it must be proportionate
e branch must not suffer too much. 81
e navy must be made sound as a ~
ole no matter how far the reduc-
IS progress. 1t is probable that the u
" yards at Portsmouth, N. H.;
;ton, Philadelphia and Charleston, :,
D., will have to go, together with O n
nber Of undetermined submarine h
es OF great value.-New York n
aid. m