Evening star., 1936-02-16
LEGISLATIVE problems involved
in changes proposed in the acts
of Congress governing the op-

- Grafton OF the Unlteo states
Naval Reserve will be discussed the
night of February 81 by the Washing
ton Chapter of the United States
Naval Reserve Officers Association.
The meeting will be held in the ward
room of the local Reserve Armory in
the Washington Navy Yard.
The principal subject to come be-
fore the organization, which also will
elect officers for the ensuing year, will
be the report recently submitted to
the subcommittee in Congress which
is investigating the Naval Reserve act.
The report, it was said, was prepared
at the convention of the association
held in Washington in the early part
of last month.
The congressional subcommittee has
requested the national association to
submit its views on the subject. The
act, which was a great asset in the
organization of the Naval Reserve
subsequent to the World War, is sid
to be in need of some material
changes, the necessity fol which has
developed in the course of operation
of the law. Reserve officers point out
that changes in conditions have
opened the way to further improve
ments at this time The chapter also
will consider the draft of the new
Naval Reserve bill as proposed and
prepared by the Navy Department.
Officers of the local chapter are
hoping that it will be possible to have
several officers of the Regular estab-
lishment who are familiar with the
proposed changes to be present at the
meeting and explain certain sections
in more detail.
Lieut. James E. Sullivan, COM
mander of the local battalion, is presi-
dent of the local chapter and Lieut..
John Cleland is secretary treasurer.
It is also proposed to present new
constitution and bylaws for the chap
ter at this meeting.
The Washington chapter, it was
pointed out, has shown a marked in
crease in membership during the
past year There also has been more
interest shown in the affairs of the
Reserve association during recent
months. Chapter officials expressed
the hope that a large number of Re
serve officers will be present at the
coming meeting. All Naval Reserve
and Marine Corps Reserve officers To-
Gated in this city and vicinity are
eligible for membership in the asso-
citation.
A large group of guests, including
high-ranking officers from the Navy
Department and the Marine Corps,
Naval Reserve and Marine Corp Re-
serve officers and residents of Wash
/ ington were entertained last Friday
night at a reception and dance given
| in the sail loft at the Washington
| Navy Yard by the battalion COM
mander and officers of the LIST Bat
/ talon, United States Naval Reserves,
in honor Of Rear Admiral Joseph r.
Defrees, U. S. NJ, commandant of
the Washington Navy Yard.
Admiral Defrees and Mrs Defrees,
together with the Reserve battalion
commander, Lieut.. James E. Sullivan,
and Mrs. Sullivan, and Lieut.. Comdr
Marked H. Crouter. U. S. n, and Mrs
Crouter, the former the officer in
charge of local Naval Reserve affairs,
were in the receiving line. The event,
which was one of the first large social
! affairs in the history of the local
/ battalion, was given to Admiral De-
/ frees as token of appreciation for his
interest in the affairs of the Wash
ington Reserve unit Admiral Defrees
| has received orders detaching him
from the Washington Navy Yard in
! June, next.
Officers of the battalion announce
that enliStments in the local outfit
continue on a very high standard of
physical and educational require
ments Although the number of re-
jections is running rather large, to the
acceptances, they say, the position of
the recruit class is being maintained.
Recruiting activities are being con-
| Quoted with view to training the
personnel to be in an advanced stage
of preparation in the event of a na-
tional emergency.
Under the present system the re-
| cruits are required to spend three
months in probation class where
they are given systematic training
prior to transfer to the various di-
visions. In cases where the recruit
has had previous military training or
| service the probation period may be
shortened in the discretion of the
officer in charge. Applications for
enlistments will be considered at the
Reserve armory in the Navy Yard on
each Tuesday at 8 o'clock.
The training of candidates for ad-
mission to the United States Naval
Academy through competitive exami-
nations of the Naval Reserve is now
going through the final phases pre-
paratory to the giving of the exami-
nation which will be held in this city
during the second week in April.
The ranking 25 men in the exami-
nations, which are given in all sections
of the country, will be appointed to
the academy. The Washington bat
TALON has the largest class of appli-
cants this year in its history. More
than 40 men have applied to take the
tests.
Most of the candidates are students
of the various preparatory schools in
Washington. The recruiting officer at
the battalion, Ensign H. Arthur
Lamar, has reported that already
number of applications for enlistment
have been received from men who
wish to compete for the appointments
in 1887.
In making study of the deficiencies
Of the Naval Reserve act, the board
of naval officers reports that, in spite
of its Importance to the national de-
fense, the Merchant Marine Naval Re
serve is the most neglected class Of
the Naval Reserve. No funds have
ever been appropriated for training
this class. Recent disasters in the
merchant marine, the board reported,