Evening star., 1936-03-15

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raise them to q higher state Of EN-.
cheney.
ct explained to the President that
In our budget I had included certain
increases in different Reserve items,
these increases in all amounting to
about 1,200, 900 over and above the
similar budget for previous years.
After studying the Naval Reserve
question, was convinced that the
great trouble, or one Of the great
troubles, was lack Of funds, lack Of
sufficient appropriations to train and
expand the officer and enlisted per-
sonnel of the Reserve.
THE President discussed at some
length the question of increasing
oflcer personnel AS you know, the
number which we would like to have
is about 10000. He was very much
interested in the work of the young
r. o. T. C. men coming out of our
universities.
Il explained to him the conditions
under which these young men are
trained in the different universities.
He was familiar with the law which
limits the number Of Naval r. o. T. c.
students to 1900. We discussed a
further means Of procuring young men
Of proper caliber for the Navy as
young Reserve officers. His idea was
to obtain about thousand young
men, not Naval r. o. T. c. students.
but sophomores and juniors Of other
colleges, for Six-weeks' training
course during the Summer, similar in
many respects to the training which
we gave to applicants for Naval Re-
serve commissions during the war.
We sent these college students to the
Naval Academy, gave them a very
strenuous course, and afterward sent
them out to the feet for further
training.
"The idea, If placed in effect, would
tend to increase the interest in the
Naval Reserve by young men through
out the country and would form a
nucleus of excellent Reserve oficer
material.
ut is contemplated that the first
year we would give them training for
six weeks at a training station or at
the Naval Academy. The next Sum-
mer give them additional training at
training stations or at the Naval
Academy, or give them a cruise in
the feet. Not a special cruise by
particular ship, but to have them go
aboard the ship to which assigned
and take the regular cruise with that
ship. Then to follow these young men
along throughout their career, giving
them the benefit Of study through cor
respondence courses, and so forth,
giving them physical examinations at
certain times, and then, If they keep
their interest alive and are able to
pass certain requirements in the way
Of examinations, physical and mental,
they would be appointed to and pro-
NOTED in the Naval Reserve. That,
in brief, is his interest in that par
ticular branch of it."
In response to questions. Admiral
Andrews explained that these young
men we're to be enlisted as seamen,
second class, during their training
period. In case they are not appointed
officers in the Naval Reserve, it would
be optional with them as to whether
they completed a four-year enlist.
ment. They would have no obliga-
ton further than to volunteer for
training with the idea of becoming
Naval Reserve officers.
Admiral Andrews also tcld the com.
mittee that the President approved
an increase of 10 men for each feet
division. The number is limited now
to 56. The President also approved,
he said, the training of some of the
merchant marine officers and mer.
chant seamen and also to bring cer~
tain units from the Great Lakes down
to the seaports for cruises during the
Summer in ships of the feet.
Asked for his opinion on the pro-
posal for the authorization for an
Assistant Secretary Of the Navy for
Naval Reserve, Admiral Andrews said:
II think that Is an extremely poor
recommendation. I think that with
the present organization of the Navy
Department, we are practically organ
lied for war. ! mean by that, we are
organized SO that We can expand i'm.
mediately in case Of an emergency.
If you take this Naval Reserve and
treat it as a separate and distinct
personnel branch, rather than having
it treated as the regular personnel Of
the Navy is treated, under me, can
imagine that there would be great
deal of confusion in time of emer-
gency."
He said that he believed that such
set-up, tending toward . separate
entity, would largely destroy the ef.
fectiveness of a Naval Reserve.
The local battalion this year will
make it annual training cruise to the
West Indies, report from the ONCE
of the Chief Of Naval Operations re-
vealed last week. Each of the three
feet divisions Of the Washington bat.
talon will be assigned to a separate
destroyer from Destroyer Squadron l.
embarking and debarking at the
Washington Navy Yard. The bat
talon will cruise from July IS to
August Z. No liberty port has been
definitely selected to date. Selection
will be made In accordance with cir
cumstances, or at the discretion Of
the commander of the training
squadron.
The battalion last year made its
training cruise to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
aboard the battleship Wyoming, and
the officers and men are particularly
pleased that they are again to have
the opportunity to cruise in for.
eign waters. The battalion also Ia
further pleased that only one division
will be assigned to q destroyer as this
will allow more room and opportunity
for individual instruction.