Evening star., 1932-02-14

Shortage of naval funds available for
reconstruction purposes, 1t was learned
last week, probably will result in delay
in the arrival here of the converted
launch, designed for the purpose Of TAX
ing out small parties of officers and men
of the 1St Battalion, United States
Naval Reserve of the District of CO.
lrmbia, on week end training cruises.
The vessel is a specially designed one,
to be made by the conversion of a stock
launch by the addition of a cabin, con-
tanning berths for officers and men and
a galley, SO that they might stay away
from their home stations overnight.
Information has been received here,
it is said, that it would require ap-
proximately $700 to fit the launch up
for use of the citizen sailors, and that
even this amount of money was not now
available for this purpose. In view of
these conditions, it was said 10 be i'm
probable that the boat would be here
for some time.
Tentative plans had been made to
send out small parties each week end
for the purpose. 1t was to be used for
the training of seamen in the handling
of small vessels and the engine room
force in maintenance and handling of
internal combustion engines. 1t was
expected that considerable use would be
made of it, for while 1t has been found
difficult in the past to obtain sufficient
men on week ends to make a cruise
aboard a destroyer, there could usually
be found enough to take out a small
boat
A bill has been introduced in Con-
greSs proposing TO amend sections 5 and
nf hn PnCn of of n
as 10 provide additional captains and
commanders in the Naval Reserve. A
section of the act specifies the number
to be permitted in each Of these grades.
in the line and in the staff of the Naval
Reserve These numbers are dependent
upon the number of enlisted men in the
Fleet Naval Reserve attached to and
drilling with the various organizations.
| The numbers. It was said. reflect the
requirements of the Fleet Naval Reserve
only. since the quotas of officers in the
various classes of the Volunteer Reserve,
based on mobilization requirements. are
in no way dependent upon the number
OF men attached TO and drilling with
the various battalions and divisions.
| 1t was pointed out that the Navy De-
partment finds it impossible to procure
men of outstanding prominence for the
| Volunteer Naval Reserve because they
/ are not satisfied to accept the rank OF
| lieutenant commander, which Is the
highest that can be offered them. This
is said to be especially pronounced in
the case of medical officers The Navy
Department. 1t was said further. desires
! to procure about 18 or 20 of the out
standing surgeons and doctors for Serv-
| ice with the Hospital Corps unit in the
event of war. 1t was added that the
Army IS able TO procure such men. COM
miSSioning them in the grades of lieu
/ tenant colonel aid above. In order tc
correct this situation. additional legis-
lation is desired which will give to the
feet class OF the Naval Reserve the
number of commanders, etc, now au-
thorized by law, and will permit the
| appointment of an additional number
to the volunteer class and for the mer-
! chant marine class.
The radio unit in charge of Chief
RadiOman B. E. Stahl and consisting
of Radiomen Murphy. Yost, Fleidner
Laxton and Dunno were in charge OF
the operation OF NED last week
1t was announced that a special
room for the communication reserve
is to be set aside in the basement OF
the Armory, and this will soon be
arranged TO serve as battle station
and as a headquarters for the evening
drills. where the local activities of the
evening will not interfere with the
| operation of NED in the main radio
room.
In explaining the proposed estab-
lisnment of a battalion commander's
staff in lieu of the battalion headquar-
ters divisions which have been ordered
abolished. the Navy Department says
that officers and enlisted men assigned
to duty on the staff should be iSsueC
orders to perform appropriate duties
The appropriate duties assigned them
| il was said should consist of attend