Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-25
D. c.. Naval Reserve

Both officers and men Of the LIST
Battalion, United States Naval Reserves,
of the District Of Columbia, have dis
played considerable interest in the re-
ported proposed cut In activities OF the
Naval Reserve to the extent Of about IL
per cent as q part Of the Presidents
economy program. Just what activity
might suffer In the event that Congress
accedes to the executive departments
suggestions for reductions Is matter
about which the local Reservtsts would
like definite information.
About the only place that an ii per
cent cut might hit here, 1t was sug-
gested, would be in the reduction Of
personnel, as the local Reserve has no
training ship assigned here, this fea-
ture having been Topped of during an
earlier economy move OF the President
when the u. S. S. Abel p. UpShur was
transferred to the Coast Guard for use
in the Atlantic rum fleet Of that serv-
ice. Since that time the organization
has not had a ship, but took its annual
cruises last year aboard the U. S. de-
stroyer Hamilton, one of the ships as
signed to the Atlantic Training Squad
ron, which also has In 1t two battle
ships.
The local Reserve Battalion now has
in it II officers and ITS men of the
Fleet Reserve. All Of these men receive
pay for attending the weekly drills and
for the annual cruises, and a reduc-
ton of this force by IL per cent would
save their pay for the year. This cut
could be effected by transferring them
to the volunteer branch Of the Reserve,
where they are notsrequired to put in
drill time In training and where, OF
course, they do not receive any pay.
The estimates now being prepared are
for the next fiscal year, beginning in
July, 1892. The next cruises of the Re
serve will not be held until that time.
OF course, any reduction in personnel
will cause drop IN the cost OF the
annual cruises. However, the cruises
cannot be eliminated as long as men
are kept on the Fleet Reserve list, as
the law requires them to take Is
days of sea duty for training each year.
The ship keeper force has been re-
leased, with the exception Of one man
kept at the armory for such work as
Is needed there from time to time and
which the inactive ReServiSts cannot
perform during the short periods they
are there each week. 1t Is believed
therefore that the activities Of the local
outfit are right down to the bone, I'M
less, of course, 1t Is decided to weaken
the national defense by the reduction
of the Reserve personnel and cut down
on the training. Reduction Of drill Pc
RODS, Of course, would cut down the
fund for pay.
Any proposed reduction of the Re-
serve activities, 1t was pointed out, also
is likely to meet with political opposi-
ton from the Reserve organizations in
the various States. Many Of them have
move to rob any of them Of what they
have Is usually met with political oppo-
sition.
Not q few Of them at the present
time stil have training ships in COM
mission and use them for weekend
cruises. Each ship eliminated, of
course, would result In quite o saving,
as their upkeep is expensive, to say
nothing Of the pay Of the skeleton crew
Of ReservistS which are kept aboard all
of them ut all times for maintenance
purposes. A number of the Reserve or
CARNATIONS In the States also have Naval
Reserve officers on indefinite periods
Of active duty in connection with &C
tivities of the Reserve in their reSpec-
tive areas, and II the proposed reduc-
ton is carried through the department
may ind 1t necessary to eliminate them
and substitute in their places officers
Of the regular Navy. There also are
Reserve oficers on indefinite active duty
in the Division Of Reserve Affairs at the
Navy Department.
many years xought for the right TO have
some Of the Reserve commissioned per-
sonnet on indefinite active duty, and
the elimination of any Of them would
be q serious blow from the Reserve
viewpoint, 1t was indicated.
The Reserve cut which has been pro-
posed probably will receive consider
able attention from the association
when It meets In annual convention
here the latter part Of this year or the
first Of next, and there Is little doubt
that representatives Of the body will
have conferences with their members
Of Congress regarding the situation
while they are here.
Three enlisted men Of the local bat
TALON accepted the invitation Of the
Navy Department to make q cruise
from Yorktown, Va, to Galveston
Tex, and return to Philadelphia, II
was announced at the local reserve
were John w. Irwin, boatswain's mate
first class; Daniel M. Levy and Francis
T. Tuell, both firemen, third class, and
all attached to the Sd Fleet Division.
None Of the commissioned personnel
Of the local battalion accepted the In
vitation Of the department, which re-
Quired them to meet all their expenses
In connection with the cruise.
The enlisted men, while required t.
meet the expense of travel to and from
the ports Of embarkation and debarka-
ton, nevertheless were to be relieved OF
the cost of subsistence during the Voy-
| age, which will end November 81 next
at Philadelphia. The enlisted men re-
ported aboard the Wyoming at York
town last Monday.
Stanley r. Chase. seaman. second
class, and Robert !. Kelso. with the
same rating. have been ordered trans
ferred from the volunteer to the feet
reserve. The former was ordered as
signed to the list Fleet Division and the
latter to the Sd Fleet Division.
The following men. attached to the
I'd Fleet Division, have been ordered
transferred TO the volunteer branch;
Benjamin J. De Lacy, electricians mate
third class, and Carl B. Beckwith and
ond class.
The local reserve battalion will not
hold its usual drill tomorrow night, but
has postponed 1t until Tuesday, wher
the organization will celebrate Navy day
No elaborate plans have been made fol
the celebration. as has been the prac-
tice heretofore, but every effort will be
made to show friends and relatives Of
the reservistS Just what the citizen
sailors do on their drill nights in order
to prepare themselves for service at sea
aboard ships Of the Navy in time OF
war.
It being the end Of the month. Lieut.
Harold Z. Richardson, commanding of.
ficer of the battalion. will make his
usual inspection. Following this lorna,
| ceremony. officers and men of the outfit
will give q demonstration Of the actiyi.
/ ties