Evening star., 1927-10-16

dent to the retire
ment of r + = : = Azas.'<'A'@
Admiral Charles l.. Rear Admiral Latimei
Hussey and Capts.
Roscoe c. Moody and John T. JACK
son on October 1, Lieuts. G.. r. Fair
lamb. ]. w. Gregory and B. +. Stauo
became due for promotion TO heuten'
ant commander on October :. AS 9
result of the transfer of Rear Admiral
clarence S. Williams to the retired
list of the Navy for age on october
the following officers became due
for promotion on the same date: capt.
Henry V. Butler, Comdrs. Harold u
Rowen and Edgar G.. Oberlin (addi'
tional numbers) and George V. Stewart
T,iert. Comdr. Mark c. Bowman, and
Lieut.. F. c. Denebrink. The following
officers of the Medical Corps have been
found qualified for promotion to the
next higher ranks. respectively: Lieuts'
William w. Hall and Roger d.
NIackev. and Lieuts u. gl Herman
seal Harvey F. Robbins, Henry Nj.
Weber. John r. Smith and William
E Pinner.
Due to the small number OF mid
shipmen that will graduate with the
1928 class next June, both the Marine
Corps and the Supply Corps Will suner
a loss in officers. For the last TWO
wears il has been the policy or the
Navy Department to authorize the ap-
6ointment of 25 graduates OF the Naval
academy as second ieutenants in the
Marine Corps. and graduates as en-
signs in the Supply Corps. In accord
ance with the Instructions issued ny
the Secretary of the Navy, there will
he hut 15 graduates appointed second
sieutenants in the Marine Corps, ana
but four appointed ensigns in the
Supply Corps.
The aircraft carrier Saratoga. build
Eng at Camden. n. j., is scheduled Tor
completion at the contractors works
and for commissioning on October 81.
She will then proceed to the Ph1ladel-
phia navy yard for several weeks OF
fitting out, following which she Will
he subjected to the usual trial and
shake-down runs before this new air.
craft carrier will be ready TO leave Tor
the west coast to become the flagship
/. of the aircraft squadrons of the battle
fleet. 1t is interesting to note in this
connection that orders have been Is
sued for the organization at the Nor
folk navy ward of Marine detachments
pf two officers and 81 men each. for the
new aircraft carriers Lexington and
Saratoga. Capt. Robert c. Thaxton.
now on duty at the Navy Department
I'm the Office of the judge advocate gen
eral. and Second Lieut.. Verne j. Nc
Caul, will be assigned TO the Saratoga
detachment.
The aircraft carrier Lexington, build
ing at Fore River, Mass, according
to present estimates, viii probably be
placed in commission some time In NO
vember, at which time it is hoped to
take advantage of favorable tide con-
ditions to transfer the ship to the
Boston Navy Yard during the early
part of December. The Lexington Will
probably be kept at the Boston yard
for five or six weeks before she is
ready to go to sea for preliminary
trials and shake-down runs, which
have to be carried out before the ship
Is ready for service as flagship OF the
aircraft squadrons of the scouting
feet. Capt. Joseph G.. Ward, who will
be relieved from detail as an assist
ant paymaster, and Second Lieut..
Robert L. Griffin, jr., will be assigned
10 the Marine detachment on the Lex
ington.
The vote on the proposed changes
in the bylaws of the Navy Mutual
Aid Association, counted at meeting
I held last week, decided that no extra
charge should be made to ayiators or
any reduction be made in the amount
paid their beneficiaries, but that the
assessments be stabilized on a basis
of $6 for each $1,000 protection and
that the benefit be continued at
$500. In other words. the association
is not to be commercialized, but will
be continued as strictly mutual, and
1 the helping hand of each member ex-
tended to the dependents Of any who
Anx ma q
cause of death.
1t is the intention of the Navy
Department, 1t was learned last week,
to submit bill which will permit all
retired officers to receive full pay and
allowances of their grade when per-
forming active duty. A law was
passed a few years ago which pre-
vented retired officers, above the rank
of lieutenant commander, from recefv-
ing full pay and allowances when on
active duty. The reason for the pass
ing cf this legislation, it is believed,
was>to prevent officers of high rank
being assigned to active duty in pre-
kerred positions, to the detriment of
the officers on the active list. The
construction placed on this law by
accounting officers prevented any re-
tired officer above the rank Of heuren-
ant commander from receiving other
than the retired pay of his rank when
on active duty. and, consequently. but
few retired officers of high rank went
on active duty. The situation was
somewhat relieved by the pay law of
June 10. 1922, which provided that re-
tired officers below the rank of com.
3modore should receive full pay and
allowances when on active duty, but
the disability continued for flag off,
GERS. On several different occasions
this situation has been somewhat
embarrassing to officials of the Navy
Department who desired to assign
some flag officer to active duty for
particular purposes. Such case was
that of Rear Admiral Hugh Rodman n,
who was assigned to duty with Presi-
dent Harding on his trip to Alaska
Flag officers who have been retired as
. rule do not desire active duty. but
1T has frequently happened that the
Navy Department, considering the
best interests of the Navy, has desired
the active services Of some flag officer
for the performance Of a particular
duty for which he was peculiarly
3itted.
Army.
With the approaching expiration in
January of the tour of duty of Mai
Gen. Charles Nick. Saltzman, as chief
signal officer of the Army, an animated
discussion has been revived in the
War Department pertaining to a
Limitation to one four-year term for
the chiefs of branches in the War
Department. Considerable speculation
has been INDUCED in. founded on the
,rumor that the Secretary of War
,favors such a restriction upon dura
tion Of Office in such high assignments
this view being based on the theory
it is said, that il provides a certain
rotation which would increase the