The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-03-02
New Program, If Adopt
ed, Will Aid Materially
In Reducing Expense At
the Same Time Putting
the Navy On a More
Component Basis

component DdSAS
Washington, March 2.-Complete
reorganization of the naval reserve is
proposed in a tentative bill prepared
by the navy department and forward
ed to officials of the Naval Reserve
Association by Secretary DENLY for
comment, before it is presented to
congress. Included in the proposed
act is, the provision for a merchant
marine reserve section and for mer-
chant marine ships to fly a reserve
emblem.
The bill would abolish all existing
naval or marine corps reserve and es-
tablish a naval reserve as a "compon-
ent part" of the navy, consisting of
three classes, the fleet reserve, the
merchant marine naval reserve and
the volunteer naval reserve. A sep
arate section provides for re-organiza-
tion Of the present marine corps re-
serve in conformity with the new plan.
1t would have two classes correspond
ing to the fleet reserve and the volun-
teer reserve of the naval establish
ment
All present members of the various
classes of naval reservists, both Off
GERS and men, and the naval militia
would be brought into the new system
officers not to be above the rank of
lieutenant commander except for "a
small percentage" in the rank of COM
mander or captain" for the recruiting
organization, administration, training,
inspection and mobilization of the nav
n1 N,,Is
serve would be for four years while
officers would hold their commissions
during the pleasure of the president" :"
Reservists of the first two classes
could be ordered to duty by the pres
ident in time of war or national emer-
gency to serve throughout the war or
emergency, but in time of peace could
be called out only with their own con-
sent except for prescribed training.
The volunteer reserve would be liable
for war duty only. While on active
duty except training, they would re-
ceive the pay and allowances of their
rank or grade in the regular service
and 500 clothing gratuity would go
to each officer when commissioned in
the fleet reserve with an additional
$50 allowance for each succeeding
four years of service. In time of war
every reserve officer would receive
$3.50 for uniforms.
Any officer or enlisted man of the
reserve injured in line of duty while
on active, training or volunteer, serv-
ice, would be entitled to regular serv-
ice benefits.
In peace time the fleet reserve would
be required to give fifteen days train
ing service annually, receiving regular
par for that period.
Fleet reserve officers below the
rank of ieutenant-commander and en-.
listed men attached to a division
would receive one-thirtieth of the
monthly base pay of their rank or
rating for not more than five drills or
equivalent training a month Those
not attached to such organized di-
visions would receive four-thirtieths
of their base pay for satisfactory
performance" of duties assigned to
them. Division commanders would
receive $240 a year in addition to the
prescribed training pay. Fleet reserve
I officers above the rank of lieutenant
commander would receive $500 a year
! exclusive of training or active service
Nay.
! lieutenant commanders and officers
6f lower rank of the fleet reserve
would be- discharged into the volun-
teer reserve when so years of age,
while commanders would bo to the
volunteer reserve at 55 years and
captains at go years.
To fill up the fleet reserve, author
ity would be given to require a four
year fleet reserve enrolment as a
part and extention of each man en-
listing in the regular navy, assign
ment to the reserve to be made unless
the sailor re-enlisteG. No active duty
without their consent would be re-
quired of men in the fleet reserve and
they would receive $25 a year.
Twenty years in the regular service
would permit transfers to the fleet re-
serve on one-third pay basis. Thirty
years service in the fleet and fleet
reserve combined would mean retire
ment on half pay.
Provision is made for members of
, existing naval militia organizations
recognized by the department to join
the fleet reserve in their existing rank
VI 6Aduc anu lOr no IuTtH6T great sup
port Of naval militia outside the re-
serve thereafter. =
Officers and men of the Merchant
Marine reserve, not on active duty
with the navy, would receive a mouth's s
base pay year for performance of
appropriate duties and would be trans
ferred to the volunteer reserve or dis
charged within a year after they
ceased to follow the sea. Oficers
would be eligible to honorary retire
ment without pay at "a years of age.
The reserve pennant could be flown
by ships Of $500 tons or up designated