Evening star., 1936-09-06
Navy Yard COmmandant
Inspects Naval Reserve
Rear Admiral George Pettengill Reviews
Local Citizen Sailor Battalion
in ArmOry.

tWeeu Tie navy Depdr tInellC ana tHe
merchant marine has heretofore been
carried on principally through the
Shipping Board. Since the abolish
ment of the Shipping Board by the
economy act of 1882. and the division
of its duties in the different bureaus
Of the Department of Commerce,
there has been no effective Navy De-
partment liaison with the merchant
marine. At the recommendation Of
the President of the United States,
Congress now Is formulating legisla-
tion which will provide means for a
more effective Navy Department
liaison with the Department of Com
merce and the merchant marina.
The naval board pointed out that
from a point Of view requiring high
er type Of Reservist from the merchant
marine, there is still much to be done
to provide the necessary education,
training and discipline of the person.
mel. 1t was asserted that the naval re-
serve act of 1925 provided the machin-
cry for building up the merchant ma
rine Naval Reserve. 1t provided that
Naval Reservists might be paid as d
retainer one months salary per year
Of their grade as enrolled in the Naval
Reserve, and for IA days training duty,
making it possible for each member OF
the Naval Reserve to receive a total
of A days pay per year.
No funds have ever been provided
for either the retainer pay or the
training duty pay of the merchant
marine Reserve. Notwithstanding the
lack Of funds for training, the Navy
Department has appointed more than
$500 merchant marine officers and has
given them certain training through a
system of correspondence courses.
There seems to be widespread in
terest in having the Navy Department
extend a helpful hand in the pro-
curement, education, training and in
spection Of the personnel of the
merchant marine. 1t has been recon-
mended by the Interdepartmental
Board on Shipping Policy, which was
transmitted to Congress by the Presi-
dent, that funds for training and de-
veloping part of the merchant
marine Naval Reserve should be pro-
vided by special subsidy.
1t was asserted that an adequate
Naval Reserve has not been built up
in accordance with the plans of the
Navy Department in proposing the
naval reserve act of 1925. However,
it was explained that the failure to
create such a Reserve has been due
principally to inadequate funds in
Naval Reserve appropriations This has
resulted in reduced facilities for train
ing the Naval Reserve. 1t was added
that it should also be noted that the
Navy Department has not heretofore
placed Naval Reserve appropriations on
a sufficiently high priority to insure
desired appropriations.
There is a proposal for revising the
Naval Reserve act to put teeth into
the law, and the reasons for such are
cited as follows:
Desire to increase the strength of
the organized civilian components -of
the Fleet Reserve from 56 men to 76
men Fer 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 train
ing of the merchant marine Naval
Reserve.
To create more Naval Reserve Of
6sers in the grade of captain and
commander and to provide for bet
ter flow of promotion.
Those who have studied the present
Reserve act state that 10 years of
experience in the administration of
the 1925 law has shown that the un-
derlying principles were sound and
are practically all still applicable to
modern conditions. Certain minor de-
fects have arisen, however, which
should be corrected, they say. 1t was
added, however, 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 in
significant amount for the Volunteer
Naval Reserve.
The funds available for maintaining
the naval establishment have been
greatly restricted during the depres-
sion years. This has curtailed expan-
sion of the Regular Navy and required
drastic economies in every activity.
Naval Reserve appropriations have
been reduced along with those of the
Regular Navy. On this point it was
said that it is an established fact that
the value of the Naval Reserve de-
pends largely on the training received
by the personnel, and the training that
can be given depends, in turn, upon
funds appropriated for this purpose.