Evening star., 1935-05-19
Naval Reserve ArmOry /
Plans Given Approval
Commandant of Washington Navy Yard
Supports Program as Public /
Works Project.

event Of war for the expansion and
operation Of the United States Fleet
and Naval Transportation Service.
The magnitude Of the tasks involved,
he continued, can be appreciated when
it is realized that it will require ap-
proximately four times as many offi-
GERS and men as are now available In
the Regular Navy to carry on the
first 120 DAYS of the war.
NO country" he went on, has
ever had the resources to maintain
its fighting strength at full capacity.
All nations depend upon organized
Reserves for rapid mobilization. Our
naval problem in this respect Is TO
prepare for the first 120 days OF any
possible war. We estimate that after
that time our training stations and
special schools can turn out the re-
quired numbers to continue the war.
The number of Naval Reservists
needed depends upon the ships avail
able for operation. This is a known
quantity. 1t is here where the re-
quirements for Naval Reserves and
Army Reserves differ. The number OF
Naval Reserves that can be used is
limited by material conditions. The
number of Army Reserves that can be
used depends upon the expansion Of
man power and is limited only by the
population.
1T is thought that eventually a
policy must be adopted adjusting the
approximate ratios Of Army, Navy and
Marine Corps Reserves to be trained
and drilled in time of peace
1T is a recognized fact that the
Navy must be ready for a much
more rapid mobilization chan the
Army, yet the Army budget for Re-
serve training is about ten times
greater than the Navy budget This
difference in providing funds for
civilian training of the Army and
Navy is all the more marked when
the relationship of the various
branches of Reserves are considered
The National Guard is a State force.
trained by the Regular Army, designed
to expand and fight as a separate
organization under their own officers.
In time of peace they are required
to perform two weeks training duty
and 48 drills annually with pay.
The Fleet Reserves are required
TO perform the same annual drills and
training duty as the National Guard
under regular Navy supervision, but
differ from the National Guard in
that they are utilized to fill vacancies
in the fleet and do not fight as a
separate organization.
'On the other hand, the Merchant
Marine Naval Reserves have the dual
status of the National Guard in that
during peace they operate privately
owned merchant vessels and in time
of war fight on board these same
vessels when they are taken over
by the Navy. The law authorizes
peace time training duty under naval
supervision for Merchant Marine Re
ServistS the same as the National
Guard and Fleet Reserves.
The volunteer Reserves of the Navy
correspond closely to the organized
Reserves of the Army. Both are to fill
in special mobilization stations.
About 25 per cent of the Army Re-
serves received annual training duty
This should also apply to the Navy.
"A careful study of the situation
has shown that the naval establish
ment should. in peace time. have not
less than 80 per cent of its war time
requirements of personnel. This indi-
Gates that we should enroll a peace
time minimum Navy Reserve Of all
classes composed of approximately
10000 officers and 100000 enlisted
men"