Evening star., 1923-12-23


the bill printed in last Mondays Star
advocates of the bill say:
contrary to the impression given
by the critic of the bill, the proposed
legislation carries with 1t no loss of
rank or emoluments now enjoyed by
any individual officer. Such staff off,
GERS as, by virtue of the present meth
oos or promotion, are now far in ad
vance OF their ne-running mates of
equal length of service will await
lurther promotion in the rank they
now occupy until their line-runnine q
mates attain to that rank. after which
they VIII proceed upward with him
ana snare the same identical oppor-
Iunlties for further advancement.
ms opposition to the bill is in effect
plea FOR the retention of privileges
ana opportunities which are now in
excess of those of other stafr corps
ana the line, and for continued i'm
niunfty from the hazards Of the age
IN grade retirement law. which has
Deen round so necessary in the line to
insure an even, healthy flow of pro-
Hhotion. There can be no deprivation
or prospective pay, rank or responsi-
unity unless the younger staff officers
think they should receive more pay
lank i and responsibility for equal
tehstn OF service than the line officer
IL proper that a constructor GRADUATE
ing from the Naval Academy in 1912
should be of higher rank Gas is now
the case) than line officers graduating
from the Naval Academy in 1907, and
than medical and supply officers who
rank with the Naval Academy class of
1913, nothing in this bill will be found
to appeal to him.
instead of eliminating the staff
corps the bill tends to allow and
MAKE each staff corps just as strong
numerically as is now provided for
by existing law without the injustice
OF deferring or advancing promo
tlons. 1t strongly tends to hold the
navy together and make the entire
orsanization function harmoniously,
whicn would not be the case were
the urge to increase the various
corps Tor promotion purposes the
paramount idea of each separate
corps. The critic of the bill laws
stress upon the situation in the con-
struction corps, many members of
~nIcn are now in advance of their
Iormer classmates in the line and
ofncers of other staff corps 1t is
interesting to recall that in 1913.
when officers of the construction
corps were confronted by the prob
abllty of stagnation in promotion
ana the fact that their line class
mates We're receiving promotions
then denied the constructors, the
Tour naval constructors who then
testified before the House committee
on naval affairs expressed themselves
unanlnlo ously in favor of just such a
plan Tor promotion of staff officers
with their line running mates as is
contemplated by the proposed bill.
intelligent consideration is desired
ana may be assisted by the knowI-
cage that the abnormally high rate
OF casualties in the construction
corps due to designations and retire
neht when examined shows that
since January /. 1922, the con-
struction corps has had OIL percent
age: the line, "a percentage; the
-heulcdl corps. 5.5 percentage of
designations. AS for retirements the
next ten years will show only five
reurements for age in the construc-
tlGn corps. What real chance for
promotion has the very young con-
structor, especially with the ranks of
captain and commander filled to a
large part with comparatively young
oincers, many of whom have more
than twenty years service ahead of
'hem before being retired for age?"
A number of officers of the naval
reserve force living in Chicago. were
present at dinner last week in
honor of Rear Admiral c. p. Punketr.
L. ;. N. given at the Pantlind Hotel
there. Among the guests were off,
GERS who had served with the admiral
In France where he commanded the
naval railroad batteries These were
the l4-inch naval guns on railway
mountings and constitute the heay-
lest mobile guns on ali the western
front. These batteries. unique in
type. We're designed by the bureau of
ordnance and their construction, tests
and service sponsored by that bureau
After the armistice they were turned
over to the Army and the only Amer
ican-made guns of large caliber that
american troops fired against the
German lines are now parked idle on
a
Legal questions necessitating cor
reSpondence with west coast officers,
have caused a slight delay in the
cases arising out of the destroyer
disaster off the California coast last
September. The papers have been in
the judge advocate generals office
the bureau Of navigation for review.
They will probably be submitted TO
Secretary DENLY for final action with
in the next few days.
In order to meet the demand for
additional hospital facilities at the
Pudget Sound navy yard, two wings
are being added TO the main build
ings. The construction is of rein
forced concrete and brick and will
provide quarters for officers as well
as increasing the bed facilities for
patients from 40 to zoo.
The Navy Department is sending out
invitations for brief visit to the
United States feet to the editors of
the more important daily newspapers
throughout the country. The invita-
tions have said in substance that
early in the new yaer the United
States fleet will assemble for extensive
maneuvers in the vicinity Of the Pan
anna canal and in the Caribbean.
These maneuvers increase operating
efficiency, improve morale and foster
sea habits. They uncover defects and
teach valuable lessons, besides fur
nishing an opportunity for the fleet to
prepare, solve and carry out problems
under simulated war conditions.
The department is inviting q num-
Der of editors to make this trip be-
cause the Navy wishes the people of
the country to be as thoroughly in
formed as possible in regard to what
short, the United States Navy wishes
to report to it's owners through the
press of the country.
Many Washington correspondents
have been on somewhat similar trips,
and the department is most anxious
the Navy-their Navy-for them
selves.
1t is planned at present for the Hen
derson to sail from Charleston, S. c.,
with the party of editors, on the 10th
of February. arriving at Culebra Is
land on the 18th of February. A week
will be spent inspecting the marines
camp on Culebra Island, visiting the
various ships of the fleet and inspect
ing the aircraft carrier Langley and
the air squadrons Of the fleet. From
the 25th to 27th of February the ed
itors will witness the maneuvers of the
fleet and will return to New York city
on the battleships of the battle fleet,
arriving on March 2.
Introduction by Representative
Britten, chairman of the yards and
docks subcommittee of the House
naval affairs committee, of his bill
Thursday marked the opening at
this session of the long-fought
Alameda project While there arc