Evening star., 1934-01-28

Il States Naval Reserves, IN the
District Of Columbia, only in
the rating of apprentice seaman. For
a number Of years new men entering
this branch of the service have been
taken directly In as seamen, first class.
Under orders received from the
Navy Department, 1t will take q re-
cruit one year before he is even eligi-
BILE for promotion to the next higher
grade Of seaman, second class. But
under system in vogue in the local
organization 1t will take him one year
and three months before he gets pro-
motion.
The local organization has estab-
lished recruit school. Men desiring
to enlist in the Naval Reserve are
placed in this school and are required
to attend drills regularly for q period
Of three months. If 1t is believed
that they will be suitable for the serv-
ice they then are enlisted and fur
nished uniforms and equipment. Even
under the new regulations. which are
effective Immediately, the men must 60
through the recruit school.
Further regulations issued by the
Navy Department also increase the
division by two, one chief and one
f1rst-class petty officer. This regu-
lation, however, will not 60 into effect
until July /, and 1t will provide for
six promotions in the local battalion,
two in each division. The increase
in the number Of petty officers, 1t was
explained, will not increase the total
number of enlisted men allowed in
each division.
The following have been enlisted in
n E..
in the local division:
Claude D. Biedler. seaman. first
class; John j. Stephenson and Edward
E. Goodrich, seamen. second class
Biedler resides at 1348 Randolph street.
Stephenson at ITO Chicago street
southeast and Goodrich at IS Arundel
avenue, Hyattsville, Md.
Rear Admiral j. r. Defrees, who
recently assumed his duties as COM
mandant of the Washington Navy
Yard. made his first inspection yester-
day of the Naval Reserve Aviation
Unit, stationed at the Naval Air Sta
ton at Anacostia, D. c.
The following have been ordered
transferred from the Volunteer to the
Fleet Reserve:
William G. Blasdel, seaman. second
class: William Gift. fireman, third
class: Drew j. T O'Keefe, seaman,
second class; Michael T. Tying, sea-
man. second class, and Watson j.
Simons. jr., seaman, second class All
have been assigned to the Sd Fleet
Division.
Raymond e. Landon. fireman, third
class, has been ordered transferred
a j.in 70 ho Na1-
unteerS for failure to maintain efii-
cheney. 1t was announced at the Re-
serve headquarters.
Loring j. Turner. seaman. second
class. has been enlisted in the I'd Fleet
Division. He resides at 100 Lee High
way, Clarendon. Va.
Pointing out to the Appropriations
Committee that If the country expects
the Naval Reserve to do its duty it
must provide funds for training them.
Capt. John Downes, U. S. N, director
Department, told the House Appropria-
tions Committee at the hearings on the
naval appropriation bill. that the Naval
Reserve morale had borne up exceed
ingly we'll under the appropriation
slashes. but added that it was problem
atical whether it could continue for
another year.
The current fiscal year has been an
exceedingly lean one for the Naval
Reserve" Capt. Downes told the COM
mittee. GAS the committee will recall
the appropriation for the current fiscal
year was S3.346 $50, and the final
amount allowed by the director Of the
budget under cash Withdrawals was 81
064. 500. Inasmuch as the amount ap-
propriated by Congress was in itself
considered insufficient to properly re-
cruit, administer and train the Naval
Reserve, 1t Is easily seen that the
amount allowed in cash Withdrawals
was hardly enough to even hold the
Reserve together
Under the present financial condi-
tons, the Naval Reserve is retrogress-
ing Twenty-four paid drills are not
sufficient to maintain efficiency. Most
Of the members of the Reserve are put
to a personal expense to attend drills,
such as car fare. cost of gasoline. etc.
1t has been computed that with "a paid
drills and "a drills with no pay. the net
average income to the seanen is So
cents per drill. The National Guard,
which in a way is comparable with the
Naval Reserve. received last year 36
Federally paid drills and, am informed,