Evening star., 1929-10-06

Navy.
The proposal that would place men,
kers OF the Navy Nurse Corps on the
retired list with retired pay at the rate
Of rs per cent of the annual active base
pay received at the time of their sepa-
ration from the active service has been
disapproved by the Secretary OF the
Navy due to the fact that the expendi-
lures contemplated by this project
would not be In accord with the imam
ciAl program of the President. Pres
ent law provides that members OF the
Army Nurse Corps or Navy Nurse Corps
who have served 80 years, or reached
the age of so years, having served 20
years, may. in the direction of the Sec
retary of War or the Secretary of the
Navy, respectively be placed on the re-
tired list In the grade to which she be-
longed at the time of retirement. The
annual pay which such a retired nurse
would receive would be equal to 3 per
cent of the pay received on the active
list multiplied by the number of years
service, total not to exceed rs per cent,
and in addition, such a retired nurse
would receive a supplemental annual
retired pay for each year of service
rendered prior to retirement in each OF
assistant superintendent, $45; director,
S45; assistant director, $45; superin-
tendent. $75.
Although present law only provides
for retirement of nurses after 80 or 2O
years, they are eligible for pension on
the same basis as enlisted men OF the
naval service in case Of accident or dis
ease when incident to service: Pensions
range from a minimum of Sc to a
maximum of $125 per month, which is
a graduated system OF compensation.
1t IS felt in the Navy Department that
If the principle of retirement OF nurses,
rather than the present penS1onaole
status for disabilities, is to be accepted,
1t should parallel the retirement OF Of
f1cers, and no doubt If any legislation
Of this kind is taken up during the
December session Of Congress, 1t Will pe
along this line. A computation OF the
cost under the Navy Department based
on the discharge from the Navy Nurse
Corps by reason of physical dlsaolilty
during the past five years shows that
had this proposal been in effect curing
that time the cost would have been ST.
724 for the fiscal year and would nave
increased at the rate of $3,447 per year,
but less any reduction due 10 deaths.
Recommendations have been made by
the Navy Department that will equallze
the allowances for quarters and SUBJ
sistence between enlisted men OF the
Regular Army, Navy and Marine corps.
This will entitle enlisted men OF the
naval service to receive allowance LOT
quarters and subsistence while tner
permanent stations remain uncnangeo
and to receive such allowances "nlIe
absent from their permanent duty sta
tions in a pay status. provided that al
loWances for subsistence shall not ac-
crie to such an enlisted man while ne
is In fact being subSisted at Govern
ment expense. The purpose OF TINS
proposal is to place enlisted men OF the
Navy on parity with enlisted men OF
the Army with respect to allowances
for quarters and subsistence while SICK
in hospitals or absent from their pern1a-
nent duty stations in pay status so
long as their permanent stations re-
main UNCHANGED The increased cost
involved, should this proposal be en-
acted into law, is estimated at not 10
exceed $4,000 per annum for the Navy
and s.. 900 per annum for the Marine
Corps.
Army.
With the selection Of Chaplain
Thomas L. McKenna as Army Transport
chaplain for the San Francisco-Manila
voyage and Chaplain Elmer A. Huset,
who will serve in a similar capacity on
the New York-San Francisco run, the
War Department has inaugurated its
Army Transport detail policy. These
chaplainS Will DE on InlS ouIy lor
term of two years. The old system OF
detailing a chaplain, when there was
no chaplain under orders to or from
foreign service, from the home port TO
make the round trip was not at all sat
isfactory, as it meant that the chaplain
so detailed was taken away from his
regularly assigned duties from two to
three months, which greatly intertered
with his religious work at his post.
Prior to their selection for transport
service Chaplain McKenna was on duty
at Fort Benning, Ca, and his duties at
that post have been taken over by
Chaplain Walter H. Paschel. Chaplain
Huset, who has been on duty at Van
couver Barracks, WASH will be relieved
at that station by Chaplain John w.
WeSterman.
For the purpose Of filling vacancies in
the Army Air Corps. authorized by the
Air Corps act of July 2, 1925, final COM
petitive examinations of qualified flyers
for appointment as second lieutenants in