Evening star., 1933-01-22
Army and Navy News
Navy.

Navy.
In spite Of the announced policy in
the Senate that confirmation Of all ap-
pointments of any Importance made
by President Hoover will be refused, 1t
has become known that the President
instends to make nominations to I'LL
all vacancies that may occur IN i'm
portant positions up to the close OF his
administration on March 4, including
the Office of the chief of Naval opera
tions. which will be vacated on March
by the retirement on that date Tor
age Of the incumbent, Admiral William
v. Pratt.
Notwithstanding the fitness OF Capt.
Charles NJ Oman for the position Tor
which he has been nominated Ito sue
ceed Rear Admiral Charles z. Riggs as
surgeon general of the Navy and the
general approval of the selection by
members of his own corps there does
not appear, at present, to be any pros
pect that the appointment will be rati-
fled during this Congress. In all prob
ability, the office of surgeon general of
the Navy will remain vacant from the
end CT the term of Rear Admiral Riggs
on January 10 until such time after
March 4 as-the new Secretary Of the
Navy and the new President have op-
portunity to make a selection and ap-
pointment. In that interim, Capt. John
B. Dennis MARINE Corps, assistant
to the chief of the Bureau of Medicine
and Surgery, will serve as acting chief
OF that bureau.
1t is understood the Secretary Of the
Navy has submitted to the President
the names of four officers whom he
deems qualified for the position of chief
OF naval operations, in order that he
may select one of them for the place
They include Admiral Richard H. Leigh,
commander in chief of the United
States Fleet; Admiral Luke McNamee,
commander Of the Battle Force; Vice
Admiral David F.. Sellers, commander
of the battleShips of that force, and
Vice Admiral William H. STANDBY,
commander of cruisers of the Scouting
Force.
Army.
Interest is being manifested in serv-
Ice quarters relative to proposal made
last week which would require con-
tribution from the personnel Of the
military-naval services to provide a
fund from which retirement pay would
have to be paid. The fund would be
produced by making q percentage de-
duction from salaries of service per-
sonnel who are eligible for retirement.
AL other employees of the Government
now are required to contribute 312 per
cent OF their salary toward the retire
ment fund from which their retirement
is paid. Those favoring this proposal
point out that it is the intention to
require all personnel Of the uniformed
services to contribute to fund in the
same manner as is required for civilian
employees of the Government, in order
to finance their own retirement there
by relieving the government of that
burden" The proposal would apply to
all officers, nurses, and enlisted men
OF the military-naval services.
The officer personnel of the military
naval services find that the recon-
mendations which permit an increase
of pay for length of service and on
promotion are considerable improve
ment over the present situation created
by the economy law of June 80, 1882,
Notwithstanding the fact that the new
bill entails further reduction of 2-3
per cent of their pay. Many commits
stoned officers, warrant officers, and
nurses will benefit by such a recon-
mendation which provides that the
prohibition against increase in pay for
length of service or by reason of pro-
motion, contained in the law of 1882,
shall not be operative during the 1884
1+S-tl yCaI. Ills WOulu pSTNtlt H.
cTe23es of per cent in pay Tor each
three years of service, the right to a
higher pay grade upon completing the
spoc5ded number of years service, and
tire r-ght to pay of higher pay grade
U!2n promoted to higher rank.
OPPOSITION has been manifested to the
p-cpcsal to reduce by 10 per cent the
"a CT the enlisted men of the mill
t2ry-nGval services, when such pay Is
in excess of $1,000 per annum, $83 33
par month. Very few enlisted men of
the Army on the active list would be
effected by the proposed reduction of
10 per cent, as few of them receive pay
amounting to $1,000 per annum, ex-
elusive of subsistence and quarters al
lowances.
Horses and mules are doomed for
the Army if the Appropriations Com
mittee's recommendations are enacted
into law. According to these recon-
mendations, light trucks would be SUBJ
stituted for animals and no appropri-
alton would be available for the pur-
chase of any additional animals 1t
has been recommended that all ap-
preparations for the. Quartermaster'
Department for the maintenance of
animals or for the maintenance, pur-
chase or operation of animal-drawn
equipment may be used to purchase
"completely assembled and equipped
motor propelled trucks" providing that
ceed This would enable the Army
to purchase low-priced trucks to tak>
the place Of horses and mules in all
oetiyyifioS