Evening star., 1934-09-02
NEW BILL WOULD
INCREASE TO 1000.
OFFICERS OF NAVY
Measure Proposes Larger
Allotment of Midshipmen
to Congressman.

There has been prepared in the Bu-
reau of Navigation preliminary draft
of bill which contemplates an ulti-
mate increase in the line officer per-
sonnel of the Navy to 1000 and which
will serve, it is expected, as basis for
formulation of a departmental legis-
lative project that will be considered
by Congress at the beginning of the
session in January. The measure con-
templates the eventual attainment of
officer strength up to 1000 by COM
missioning graduates of the Naval
Academy, and to provide this increase
it is proposed to increase the allot-
ment of midshipmen to every member
of Congress from three to four for
1885, and to five for 1886 and there
after. At present, each member Of
Congress is authorized five appoint
ments to the Naval Academy, but lin
tied appropriations has reduced this
to three.
Even these increases in midshipmen
will not enable the personnel to reach
a strength of 1000 for over 10 years,
and perhaps 20 years. In fact, it
probably will fall below it's present
statutory strength of 5,499 in 1896,
when there will be many retirements
for service ineligibility for promotion
under the new law, which suspends
such retirements in the lower grades
until that year.
1t is the intention to adhere to the
present percentage distribution officers
to the several grades, viz, / per cent
rear admirals, per cent captains. 8
per cent commanders, Is per cent
lieutenant commanders, 32.5 per cent
heutenants and the remainder Junior
lieutenants and ensigns-with limita-
tions on increases in the grades of
rear admiral, captain and commander
in peace time.
Under the proposal, the present
statutory strength of 5,499 line officers
would remain as the basis of distribu-
ton until such time In the future as
actual strength exceeds tnat number,
when the percentage distribution
would begin to apply to the increase
attained in each year. Then also the
peace-time limitation on increase In
the higher grades also would begin 10
apply. The scheme now is to limit
the number Of rear admirals to go,
which Is five more than the SIS (ex-
elusive Of additional numbers) now
allowed; to limit captains to the pres
ent 220 Exclusive of additiorai nun-
bers); and to take its course as to
the other grades as increases in the
total number of officers are attained
from year to year.
Army.
The project of changing the system
OF officer promotion in the Army has
now reached the stage where a recon-
ciliation must be made of the various
schemes submitted to the general
council by the chiefs of the several
arms and services. These schemes
represent wide divergence of views
as to methods Of producing such
regular flow of promotion that off,
GERS will advance from grade to grade
at ages commensurate with -ank,
duties and responsibilities. OF the %
members of the council, 20 favor some
form of attrition. 1t is apparent that
the consensus of opinion favors in
creasing number in the higher grades
and OF adoption of forced attrition to
the extent necessary to insure that
officers shall reach the grade of first
lieutenant after years of commits
stoned service, captain after 10 years,
major after 16 years, lieutenant COL
onel after % years and colonel after
q years.
Some believe resort should be made
to elimination from the active list of
the least efficient among individuals
Of the several grades, which is dis
similar to the class B method that
theoretically, only the in
efficient. Others hold to the opinion
that instead of this direct selec-
ton out, there should be adopted a
system of selection up similar in
principle to the Navy and Marine
Corps system, with such modif1ca-
tions as are required by Army per-
Sonnel conditions and requirements
and with provisions for eventual elimi-
nation of those not selected for promo
ton. One plan is to the effect that
an officer who has been passed over
twice by selection boards shall leave
the active list.
At this stage Of the proceedings, It
seems that the system eventually rec
will provide both for selec-
ton up and elimination, and that
officers forcibly retired will receive re-
tired pay on the basis of 21a per cent
FOR every year of service.