Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-05-10
NAVY.

NAVY.
No announcement IN recent year.
has caused such a sensation In mill
by the Secretary OF the Navy THU
week when he made public his ap
proyal Of an aviation course for mid
shipmen at the Naval Academy
True 1t Is that the special board ap
pointed by the President recommended
in general terms a plan which might
have been interpreted as calling fol
a radical change in the naval es
tablishment; and rumors were current
that the curriculum at the Nava
Academy would be modified, but no,
until the President signed the order
this week. did naval officers evince
particular interest in either the
boards Recommendation or the
rumors.
Simultaneous with the Navy De
partment pronouncement, the benei
was expressed in certain quarters OF
the War Department that similar
policy will in all probability be adopted
at the Military Academy at West
Point The decision of the Navy De-
partment in including q course IN
aviation at the Naval Academy, 1t is
pointed out. has complicated matters
in the War Department, as the
general staff is now engaged In q
comprehensive study OF the entire
aviation personnel problem. That
the military establishment will be
forced to adopt the same policy Tor
West Point which has just been put
I'm effect at Annapolis is insisted In
some quarters, but 1t Is understood
that the Secretary of War Is disin-
clined to go before Congress with
recommendations for aviation legisla-
ton II it is at all possible that eXecu-
tive orders or changes In the policy
of the administration will provide
this relief. 1t is recognized, however,
that the general staff in making
recommendations for the Army Air
Service will seriously consider the
action of the Navy Department which
will make all Navy line of1cers either
pilots or observers.
1t is a foregone conclusion that
flying pay will be abolished In the
Navy, and already consideration has
been given as to what recommendation
will be made to Congress on this sub
ject. 1t goes without saying that the
Secretary of the Navy could not Sc
cure the approval Of the director OF
the budget for an allowance for flying
pay for the Navy when practically
every graduate of the Naval Academy
could qualify for this pay.
Another point which is complicat-
ing the situation is whether or not
Congress will permit the Army to
draw flying pay II it is abolished for
the Navy. 1t is prescribed in the
Joint service pay act that the pay and
allowances of the services shall be
equalized, and it will be recalled that
Chairman Wadsworth Of the Senate
committee on military AFFAIRS has al
inS1Stanf
military and naval establishments be
given the same pay and allowances
for similar services.
It Is true that a different situation
presents itself to the War Department.
as only about one-fourth of the Army
officers are supplied from West Point.
1t Is advocated in certain quarters Of
the War Department that the Army
should go as far as the Navy, 1t being
insisted that eventually the War De-
partment will be forced to adopt this
policy, In which event 1t would be
required. 1t Is believed, of those COM
missioned in the regular establishment
from the National Guard, reserves and
from Grill life to qualify for aviation.
Another point which was the sub
ject of considerable conjecture In the
War Department this week was in
the event that the War Department
in dealing with aviation, whether the
Army Air Service as now constituted
would be continued. The naval air
arm is maintained under the detail
system, and should the aviation serv-
ice be extended to all Army officers, 1T
10 insisted that the detail system
would have to be employed by the
War Department. Great interest Is
being evinced in the results Of the
general STATS study of the Army Air
Service, and as high military au-
thority expressed 1t. cit looks as II
we are going to have a flying Army
rs well as a flying Navy"
Under a decision of the Judge Ad-
vocate General, 1t is understood that
Marine Corps officers who come up for
promotion will be required to be
re-examined. On this matter the
Judge Advocate General Of the Navy
held that 'in accordance with the
provisions of the act approved March
4, 1925, 1t will be necessary for officers
who had been examined prior to
March 4. 1925, in advance of becoming
due for promotion and found qualified
under the old law, but had not become
due for promotion on March 4, 1870,
to be re-examined In accordance with
the provisions of section of the act
in all cases, regardless of whether or
not the proceedings have been ap-
proved by the authority converting
the examining board, and regardless
of whether or not such officers had
become due for promotion prior TO
March 4, 1925, but owing to the
exegencies of the service had not been
examined for promotion, or, II exam
ined for promotion, had not been pro-
NOTED prior to that date. Considera-
ton of the provisions Of the afore-
said act relative TO- the appointment
of heads Of departments discioses that
it applies only to vacancies occurring
after March 4, 1925. Accordingly. va
cancies which occurred prior to that
date and remain untitled may be filled
in accordance with the provisions OF
the law relative thereto i'll force prior
to March 4. 1926"
With the converting of Congress
next December, the naval building pro-
gram will be one Of the most impor.
tant items included in the legislation
which will be sent to Congress by the
Navy Department. Navy department
authorities, it is understood. VIII IN
sist that an increase of $50,00O.O0O IN
the naval appropriations will be need
ed for the minimum requirements. FIJI
ty million dollars, 1t is pointed out.
viii be needed to lay down the four
additional light cruisers which were
authorized last session, and to con-
tinue the work on two light cruisers
.ceu submarines and China gunDoats.
In addition to this construction,
great consideration is being given by
the general board of the Navy and
the Bureau of Construction and Re
pair to replacing the two battleships
authorized by the naval treaty. In &C
cordance with the treaty. these two
battleships will not be laid down until
-, ,,>or foq1 hut under the