Evening star., 1935-11-17

ana It's relations WIFI tIle
i United States Navy will be
presented and discussed here in JAN
uary, when the United States Naval
Reserve officers Association holds its
annual convention here. Plans for en-
tertaining the members of the con-
vention and for places Of meeting will
be under the direction of local Reserve
officers, headed by Lieut.. j. E. Sulli-
van, who is commanding officer Of the
local fleet battalion as well as head Of
the local chapter of the association.
The association is to meet here on
January 8, 8 and 10, holding daily
sessions and concluding with ban
quet which will be attended by high
officials of the Navy Department and
officers of the Navy on duty in Wash
ington. Lieut.. j. E. Sullivan has
named Lieut.. John M. Fewell as chair
man of the general committee having
charge of making plans for the con-
vention.
Capt. L. w. HesSelman of New York
is national president of the association
and will preside over the coming ses-
sionS.
A large number of Reserve officers
from all sections of the country are
expected to attend this meeting. The
convention this year is attracting par
ticular interest because it is being
held in Washington, according to the
ic nXnnptnd thQt
each of the sessions will be addressed
by some prominent officer of the Navy,
and that number Of them, particu-
larly those assigned to the Naval Re-
serve Division in the department, will
be present at all the sessions to discuss
with the Reservists problems which
have arisen during the year. The as
sociation has been an active agent for
a number of years in pushing forward
various beneficial changes in the or
ganization of the Naval Reserve. The
watchword of the association is Fol
an Adequate Navy and Naval Reserve.
The association numbers among its
members officers of the Fleet Reserve,
who are drilling actively with the
various fleet divisions and battalions:
officers of the Volunteer Reserve and
the special service officers of the Naval
Reserve.
One Of the most important prob
lens which is expected to be brought
to the attention of the body is the
lack of ships permanently assigned to
the various units for drill purposes
1t was pointed out that many Of them
now are without such facilities and
they are seriously hampered in their
training.
Many of the units formerly had
ships, but number were Withdrawn
from service when the governmental
economy wave was at its height in
order to save the expense of fuel and
maintenance crews. However, when
the vessels were put out Of commission
in the various navy yards the Navy
had to maintain crews which were
constantly going over them to prevent
as much deterioration as possible. OF
course. they saved a. large amount of
money in fuel, as it was not necessary
to keep. fires under the boilers during
the Winter months, as would be neces-
sary if they were assigned to Reserve
organizations.
1t was pointed out that 1t would be
cheaper in the long run to have these
destroyers put In commission and dis
tributed to the various Reserve or
CARNATIONS where they could be kept
in the best of condition not only by
the ship keepers. who would be indef1-
1itely assigned to them, but by the
Reservists themselves as a part OF
their weekly drill schedules Further
more, it was pointed out by the Re-
serve officers that the Reservists would
be able to keep up their training bet
ter by having available vessel which
could be used on weekend cruises
These cruises, in addition to the fuel
only cost the amount of money neces-
sary to subsist the crews for a few
meals, as the men do not get paid fol
the work, which is purely voluntary
on their part.
If the armory project of the local
Reservists has not progressed to the
point of approval by the time the as
sociation meets here it is probable, ii
was indicated, that the national con-
vention will be asked to throw its
support behind the matter. The local
Reservists have neither a ship or an
adequate armory. The present build
ing is an old commercial store struc-
ture, with a lean-to of wood serving
as a drill hall This latter is not
sufficient to drill the whole battalion
and for that reason each division has
to hold its drill on a separate night
The result is that the battalion COM
mander does not have all of his units
together at one time except on special
occasions such as annual inspections
and on Navy day when they are
crowded and jammed into the build
ing with no room for conducting eff
cient maneuvers.
1t was said that the proposal to
build new armory at the Washing
ton Navy Yard now is before the
President of the United States. II
has previously received the approval
of the Navy Yard and Navy Depart
ment officials, including Secretary oi
the Navy Swanson. 1t provides for an
allotment of s50o,000 from the Public
Works fund for the construction of a
building, the site to be in the Wash
ington Navy Yard. 1t is proposed tc
call it the Henry Latrobe Roosevelt
Armory. In addition to the proposal
to house the naval Reservists, it will
include space for the local Marine
Corps Reserve regiment, which also
is housed in dilapidated and insult
abe quarters in the municipal center
area.
The matter of cruising the Re-
servists also is expected to come up
for some discussion. Most of the Re-
serve divisions are organized as a
skeleton crew for a destroyer. as II
is expected that most of them will
be used in this duty in the event
they are called to the colors during
the existence of national emergency
However, in order to round out the
training of the men the deDartment