Evening star., 1937-04-11
FUNDS INCREASED
F0RRESERVE DUTY
Congress Allows Money for
Additional Men to
Cruise

While provision is made in the
naval appropriation bill, as reported
to the House, for an increase in the
number of enlisted men who will be
allowed to take the training cruises
this year, Reserve officers are hopeful
an increase also will be allowed in the
enlisted men per division. There have
been efforts for severa1 years to in
crease the size of the divisions to 76,
but last year Congress provided for 10,
and the House Committee recon-
mended an increase for all of the divi-
sions throughout the country of 447
enlisted men.
The Navy Department has a plan
for increasing these divisions to the
end that the Reserve can be grad
ually built up to strength which the
department believes is necessary to
Immediately man all available ships in
the event of an emergency.
1t was explained to the House Com
mlttee the fleet divisions are to be
modified intact, each as co-ordi-
mated fighting machine, for duty on a
designated vessel They are for the
purpose of bringing the crews of the
fleet already in commission up to war
time strength, and to commission and
joining up with the fleet certain YES
sells now out of commission, such as
destroyers and auxiliaries.
The total number required in these
organizations, it was asserted, is II ,449
men. The proposed increase urged for
this year is 447. 1t was added this is
a step in the direction of an orderly
building up of these organizations to
mobilization strength, over a period OF
years. An additional appropriation
of 100000 was asked for this purpose.
While the ultimate number of II ,449
which was given as the requirement
for the Fleet Reserve to man all blllets
in the event of a mobilization emer-
gency, it was made clear this is not by
all means the number of Reservists
that would be required to keep the
fleet operating in war time at its full
time efficiency.
In addition to the fleet contingent,
there is the Volunteer Reserve, which
is made up of officers and men who
are not required to attend drills regu-
larly, but whose services would be
needed by the naval establishment
in time of war. These include many
specialists, such as lawyers, news
paper men in the naval intelligence,
communications men such as radio
and land wire operators and engineers.
Then there is the Merchant Marine
Reserve This branch is made up of
the officers and men whose daily life
is working on merchantmen, vessels
which would be taken over by the
Navy in time of emergency for cargo
ships, ammunition ships, troop trans
ports and the like. While the Navy
has some officers and men in this
branch, it is striving hard to increase
these numbers. Furthermore, funds
were sought for the purpose of train
ing these men in naval practices, so
that the proper discipline could be
had in time of war.
1t appears likely Congress this year,
for the first time, will provide funds
with which to give a small number
of these officers and men some naval
shipboard training when study will
be made to see how effective it is.
Because of the lack of training on the
part of merchant officers, it was said.
it was necessary to put the armed
guards on these ships before the
United States went into the war,
whereas if they had been manned
by men trained in naval discipline,
the armed guards could have been left
with the fleet. 1t was necessary to
deplete the feet of personnel for the
purpose of manning these ships with
Navy disciplined men.
Officers of the Reserve here say they
will not have any trouble in getting
sufficient men to increase their divi-
sions to any size which is allowed by
Congress. AS matter Of fact, they
say, there is surplus now, men who
desire to get into the Fleet Reserve,
but who are prevented because Of the
limitation on the size Of the divisions,
this limitation being forced by the
amount of funds allowed by Congress.
Not only are there numbers of mer
seeking admission, but they are Of
the highest type. Because of the de-
mand, the recruiting officers have been
able to reject many who do not come
up to high standard of educational