The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1922-08-10

| llldL lney Idu III HiH " i"iN'''Hi 'lNi'u'
Members Of the Republican national
committee heralded tne fact that at
| last there was one man connected with
/ the administration who was in favor
Of putting out Democrats, even though
they were in the classified service.
Some Of the hlghup Republicans
were so enthusiastic at that particular
| time as to believe that sooner or later
/ Dover would succeed Mellon as secre-
tary Of the treasury While the To-
trigulng was going on, Secretary Mel
Ion remained silent. When 1t came
! time for him to take a stand he sim
ply said that the politicians could not
run the treasury department, and that
so long as he was secretary they would
not be permitted to have any hand
whatever i'm the administration of the
department. In the end, the President
had to choose between Mellon and
Dover. Although he had appointed
Dover at the solicitation Of the Repub-
llcan politicians he could not afford
to let q satisfactory secretary Of the
treasury go In order that he might
keep man who was in great favor
with the spoismen And so after near
ly three months Of turmoil Dover de-
cided to get out
Professional Politicians Vexed.
The professional politicians are very
much distressed over the Dover res
ignaton. They feel that the President
has to some extent gone back on them.
with Dover out there is no one in the
service Of the government in an i'm
portant capacity to whom they can
turn with confidence Newly appoint
ed cabinet officers, whatever their per-
sonal iuclinations may be, soon learn
that they cannot permit the political
spoilsmen to interfere with the gov
ernments business. Three or four
members of the present cabinet are
not welded to civil service, but not one
Of them is willing to take on himself
the responsibility Of tearing down the
merit system in his department. Tn
Questionably the civil service law needs
revision, but every well-informed per
son realizes that the merit system is
here to stay. The system has at least
two ardent supporters in the cabinet
These are Charles Evans Hughes, sec
rotary of state. and Herbert Hoover
secretary Of commerce. Neither Of
these men has given the slightest con-
sideration of politics in making APP
pointments in his department..
1t is true that Republican politicians,
have been appointed to the diplomatic
service since Mr.. Hughes became Sec
rotary of state, but they are without
exception personal appointees of the
President The one question Secretary
Hoover asks Of an applicant for a
place in his department is "Have you
any special qualifications for this par-
tlcular place"
Ready for Navy Scrapping.
The Navy Department is ready
TO begin the work of scrapping
% battleships the day Great Britt
ain, France, Japan, Italy and the
United States exchange ratification of
the treaty limiting naval armamentsl
1t is estimated that 1t will cost $7O,7
100000 to wreck these fighters of the
sea.
The vessels to be destroyed, new
and old, are estimated TO represent
an outlay Of S5OO,OOO0O0. Most of
this money was expended on battles
cruisers and battleships not yet cons
pIeted but on which construction was
started. It was figured that the Unit
ed States has invested in these new
vessels about S33O,OOOOOO. Add to this
the cost of the Is old capital ships
that are to be strapped, and the half
billion mark is not far away. The fif7
teen old ships range from the MaineS
20 years old, to the Michigan, 13 years
old.
Thirteen uncOmpleted vessels, six
battle cruisers Of most modern type
and seven battleships are also to go,
The battleshps range from II to 20
per cent completed, the average being
about one-third. The doomed battle
cruisers are from II to 80 per cent
complete.
However two Of the cruisers are toy
be converted into airplane carriers
the treaty permitting this-and the.
actual scrapplng will apply to only
four cruisers. The Lexington and the
/ Saratoga, each 33 per cent completeS
/ have been selected for airplane car
rers The remaining four cruisers
+ Constellation, Ranger, Constitution
and the United States-must be useN
ms targets or sold for the metal that
\ Is in them.
In dlsposIng Of all the vessels, OLD
and new, the naval board recommends
that they "be disposed Of by sale I'M
less sunk by gunhre." However II Is
explained at the Navy Department it
IS hard To sell war vessels. They are
unsultcd for merchant use because or
the weight Of their armor ana small
rreight.carryng capacity. Their ma
chlnery will fl into no other ship, ana
the EXPENSE and inconvenience OF re-
moving the nacnlnery are pracllcally
prohibltve. The most that can be eX-
pected is a buying order from some
one who wants to strip the vessels Oh
their metal and furnishings.
Indications are, therefore, that most,
III the condemned vessels VIII pc
tuwpd 10 sea and sunk. The Navy De