Evening star., 1926-04-04
Army andNavy News


cent selected should be more than
sufficient to fill vacancies, the excess
would accumulate, but would even
tually disappear, To prevent too great
an accumulation of such excess or
officers selected for promotion, 1t Is
provided that If on June 80, after the
vacancies are filled. the excess should
be 10 per cent or more in any grade,
then the number to be selected Tor
promotion for the next year would be
only s per cent of the next higher
grade.
Another provision of the new draft
which is of absorbing interest to the
naval service is that pertaining TO
the distribution of officers in the Varl'
Gus grades. This section increases
commanders from to per cent,
lieutenant commanders from ia to 10
per cent, and lieutenants 0unior
grade), and ensigns combined from
141s per cent to AZ per cent. The pro-
posed draft decreases lieutenants from
32l2 per cent to 80 per cent. Ihe
reason for the slight increase in the
ranks of commander and lieutenant
commander. il is pointed out. Is that
the distribution of duties is now quite
different from that of 10 years ago,
when the present law was enacted
The largely increased numbers OF de-
stroyers, submarines and auXliarles'
it is explained, require relative IN
crease in these ranks.
Promotion by selection has been eX-
tended downward two grades, which
makes ii possible for a better check
to be made on the continuous efforts
and efficiency of these officers. This
also results in greater economy than
if the same officers should be re-
tanned through one or two more
grades only to be eliminated later at
a higher compensation rate. At the
same time, however, the interests OF
these officers have been duly safe
guarded, and an adequate compensa-
ton provided for those eliminated.
A most interesting question was
this week answered by the Navy De
partment authorities who interpreted
how graduates of the Naval Academy
shall take rank. The case which came
before the department was that of a
Supply Corps officer who graduated
from the Naval Academy on March
20, 1917. and commissioned an ensign
in the Supply Corps March 80, 1917,
on which date other members of his
class We're commissioned ensigns of
the line. The Supply Corps ensign, 1t
seems, was assigned precedence next
after the Junior member commissioned
ensign in the line.
1t is provided in section 1883, r. s.,
that graduates of the Naval Academy
shall take rank according to their
proficiency as shown by their order
of merit at the date of graduation"
An examination of this statute re-
vealS the fact that no distinction is
made between those graduates of the
Naval Academy who are commissioned
in the line and those who are COM
missioned in the Supply Corps, and
all graduates take precedence accord.
ing TO their proficiency on the date of
graduation. The Navy Department
held that 1t accordingly follows that
the officer in question should have
been assigned precedence with other
graduates commissioned ensigns of
the line on that date as shown by the
order of merit established by the Aca-
demic Board.
A number of important changes IN
the assignments of naval officers will
shortly be ordered by the Navy De.
partment. Capt. Edward C. kalbfus.
now on duty in command of the L. S.
S. Trenton, will be relieved by Capt.
Joseph X. Taussig, who is a member
OF the staff at the Naval War College
The former officer will attend the next
class at that college. Orders have been
issued to Capt. Edward S. Jackson.
detaching him from command of the
L. S. $. Langley, and assigning him
to duty as commandant of the Lake
hurst, n. j., naval air station. Upon
the completion of their course of in
struction at the Naval War College.
Capt. John W. Gleenslade and Comdrs.
alexander H. Van keuren and New.
ton l.. Nichols, all of the Construc-
ton Corps, will be assigned to duty on
the staff of this institution. Capt
Marlyn G. Cook, on duty in the opera
tionS office, Navy Department, will be
assigned to duty as chief of staff to
the commander of the fleet base force,
relieving Capt. Alfred G.. Howe, who
has been assigned to the American
naval mission in Peru. Orders will
also be shortly issued by the Navy
Department detaching Capt. Clarence
s. kempff from command of the u.
s.. s. Seattle and assigning him to
command the L. S. $. Nevada The
officer who will relieve Capt. Jackson
in command of the Langley has not
been designated by the department.
Upon the completion of his course at
tire w dG (OlleSe, 1dpt. ftlcNafd ID.
White will proceed to Paris, where
upon arrival he will relieve Capt.
Thomas l.. johnson as naval attache.
The latter, who will be assigned to
duty afiOat will in all probability be
placed in command of light cruiser.
Capt. Henry G.. S. Wallace, in COM
mand of the L. s. S. Neches, will be
assigned to command the L. s. $.
Procyon. He will be relieved of his
Neches command by Capt. Albert S.
Rees. Comdr. Leo Sahm, who is now
en- route from Asiatic station, will un-
dergo instruction lat the next War
College class, while Comdr. Daniel T.
Ghent, who is now at the War Cob
lege, will be assigned to the naval re-
cruiting station at Los Angeles, Calf.
Comdr. Paul p. Blackbur, until re-
Gently in command of the U. S. S.
Niagara, has reported to the opera.
tions office in the Navy Department
for duty. Six midshipmen, upon their
own requests, and upon their gradua-
ton from the Naval Academy in
June, will be commissioned assistant
paymaster with the rank of ensign in
the Supply Corps. They are: L. T.
Eskilson, Bion B. Bierer, jr; l.. w.
Cease. w. w. Honaker, O. r. Rippey
and +. l.. Haerlin.