Evening star., 1936-03-01

TN VIEW Of the plan of the Senate
to investigate the Government
! set-up here, with an idea to as
i certaining how Government bu-
reaus may be eliminated or consoli-
dated with a view to reducing ex-
penses, 1t was pointed out that the
proposal to add another Office in the
Navy Department to handle Naval
Reserve affairs Is not likely to have
smooth shedding. ANY proposal to
increase bureaus is likely to be closely
scrutinized by Congress.
The proposal to add an Assistant
Secretary Of the Navy for Naval Re-
serve affairs, it was asserted, would
have the effect Of establishing another
bureau in the department, with con-
sequent increase in personnel. par
ticularly of Naval Reserve officers
whom the bill would have called to
active duty for this service. 1t was
pointed out that the affairs of the
Naval Reserve are so closely allied
with every bureau of the Navy De-
partment that to attempt to segregate
the affairs under one head would be
merely to duplicate the work.
It was added that the Navy Depart
ment can always obtain the views Of
Naval Reserve officers by calling them
to Washington for conferences, and
that these officers in the field would
be in closer touch with the Reserve
problems than contingent officer
who might be ordered here from va
rious parts of the country for terms
of duty. It can even call for written
recommendations from Reserve COM
manders throughout the country,
without the necessity Of calling them
here at great expense. Opponents of
the bill point that the present system
has resulted in material advancement
of the Reserve, and that the regular
officers assigned to the task of build
ing up and maintaining the Reserve
in a high state Of efficiency have ac-
complished their task we'll during the
past few years, and that the proposed
plan instead of helping the problem
is likely to aggravate 1t.
It was added that members of Con-
gress have pointed out that the act
of 1925 should be thoroughly studied
and recommendations made for
changes which would result in build
ing up a Naval Reserve of great eff
cheney. The general reasons given to
revise the 1925 act are as follows:
-..:.s - tho cfrnn0th nf
the organized civilian components OF
the Fleet Reserve from 56 men to 76
men per division.
To provide more training facilities,
such as Eagle boats and other vessels,
for week end training cruises.
To provide greater amount OF
training duty for volunteer Reserves
To provide for drilling and training
of the Merchant Marine Naval Re-
serve.
To create more Naval Reserve ofti-
GERS in the grades of captain and COM
mander and to provide for a better
flow of promotion.
The board of officers which made a
thorough study of the Naval Reserve
in its report said that the proposal to
establish the Assistant Secretary Tor
Naval Reserve would violate the basic
principles upon which the Navy De-
partment is organized and would create
a new relationship between the regular
Navy and the Naval Reserve"
The Naval Reserve act OF 1925,
said the report Of the board, was the
result of intense study by the Navy
Department and interested members
of the Naval Reserve during a period
of about three years. At the time
of its enactment into law it had the
united support of the regular Navy,
Naval Reserve and Naval Militia. as
well as certain industrial and labor
leaders. Seldom has legislation OF
this importance been SO mitedly sup
ported by all elements concerned. The
united front finally arrived at, how
ever, was the result of many compro-
misses on the part of interested par
ties
Ten years experience in the ad-
ministration of the 1925 law has shown
that the underlying principles were
sound and are practically all still ap-
plicable to modern conditions. Certain
minor defects have arisen, however,
which should be corrected. 1t should
be noted in this respect that the full
effect of the law cannot be judged, due
to the failure in the past to PROVIDE
funds for any training whatsoever OF
the Merchant Marine Reserve and an
insignificant amount for the volun-
teer Naval Reserve.
s'The funds available for maintain
ing the naval establishment have been
greatly restricted during the depression
years. This has curtailed expansion OF
the Regular Navy and required drastic
economies in every activity. Naval
Reserve appropriations have been re-
duced along with those of the Regular
Navy. It is an established fact that
the value of the Naval Reserve de-
pends largely on the training re-
ceived by the personnel. The training
that can be given depends in turn
upon funds appropriated for this pur-
pose.
1.-THE movement to repeal or modify
the Naval Reserve act of 1925 is due,
principally, to an erroneous idea that
failure to provide more training OF
Naval Reserves has been due to the
method of administration prescribed
bv the act. rather than lack OF ap-
propriations for this purpose.
Many Naval Reserve officers con-
slider that their interests would be
better served by having an Assistant
Secretary for Naval Reserve, as pro-
posed by the Howell Board, or by
establishing a separate bureau or
Office. Such organizations would vio-
late the basic principles upon which
the Navy Department is organized and
would create q new relationship be-
tween the Regular Navy and the Naval
Reserve.
ut is a fundamental principle that
the peace-time organization OF the
Navy Department must be such as to
provide for a rapid and efficient ex-