[No. 9.]

THE COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS.

Friday, December 11, 1908.

The committee this day met, Hon. George E. Foss in the chair.

STATEMENT OF CAPT. CHARLES J. BADGER, SUPERINTENDENT NAVAL ACADEMY, ACCOMPANIED BY PROF. 0. G. DODGE.

The CHAIRMAN. The first item is: "One professor of physics, $3,000." Last year we had " One professor as head of the department of physics, $3,600." Why do you want that change?

Captain BADGER. The department of physics is an old department at the Naval Academy and included originally a limited course in electricity as well as in physics and chemistry. About a year ago, in accordance with the recommendation of the Wainwright Board and the orders of the Secretary of the Navy, a new department was created to take up the study of electrical science, under the leadership of a naval officer of recognized merit as an electrical engineer. The reason for that change was the great increase in the use of electricity on board ship. The same staff with the exception of the two heads of the departments are employed in both. Professor Terry, who has been head of the department of physics, is now 63 years of age, and although he has done excellent service we believe it would be to the benefit of the Naval Academy to combine those two departments under one head, under the head of an officer who comes directly from the navy and who knows its needs. In order not to dispense with the services of Professor Terry, who has given long and faithful service, it is recommended that he be made a professor of physics at $3,000, thus placing him on the same level as Prof. W. W. Johnson, in the department of mathematics, also a very old

In general, it is believed that the academy flourishes better under naval officers who are familiar with the service as it stands to-day, and also that the discipline of the midshipmen is better maintained, and further that no head of a department, except possibly that of mathematics, that does not change from one decade to another, should remain permanently at the head of a department. We want to introduce new blood.

Mr. PADGETT. Do you think that a naval officer is necessarily a better teacher and more learned in physics than a civil professor?

Captain BADGER. I do not think so, but the physics and chemistry part of it, owing to the stress that is put upon the midshipmen, must, to a certain extent, be put in the background and the electrical practice and theory must come to the front, because the navy demands more of that than anything else.

Mr. PADGETT. That was started last year and was put under a different head. Professor Terry does not have electricity now?

Captain BADGER. No, sir; he does not have electricity, but the two departments are running parallel with the same teaching staff, and it will add to the simplicity and, I think, to the efficiency to combine them under one head.

The CHAIRMAN. On page 142 I notice that you are asking for 5 clerks, at $1,200 each, instead of 2: 4 clerks, at $1,000, instead of 1; 2 writers, at $720 each, instead of 1. Please explain those changes. Captain BADGER. I would like to have Professor Dodge answer that question.

The CHAIRMAN. All right.

Professor DODGE. The current appropriation provides for a secretary and nine clerks at an expenditure of $11,660. They are all paid on annual salary. In addition to that, there is now employed, and has been for several years, at the academy seven clerks paid on a per diem basis from lump appropriations. There is a prohibition in the general deficiency act of last year against the further employment of any people in the classified service on a per diem basis to be paid from lump appropriations after this year unless they are expressly allowed by Congress. We have taken those seven clerks and put them on a salary, with a total increase of $585.36. There is an apparent increase in this appropriation of $6,620 because those clerks were paid from other appropriations. They are now brought to this one appropriation and put on an annual-salary basis.

The CHAIRMAN. From what appropriation were they paid?

Professor DODGE. From the appropriation for the department of steam employees. Two were paid from the appropriation "Contingent, Naval Academy," and four were paid from the appropriations for buildings and grounds.

The CHAIRMAN. Do you reduce those amounts?

Professor DODGE. In making up the final amount we have added the salaries of these clerks and then adjusted the others to fit the case. The CHAIRMAN. Why do you strike out the language "to the superintendent" and "to the commandant of midshipmen?"

Professor DODGE. There is no change. That is simply to put the clerks in such a way that when a vacancy occurs promotion can be given to the man to whom it belongs. As they are, if any vacancy occurs, they seem to think that it belongs to that particular office.

The CHAIRMAN. I notice that "one clerk to the commandant of midshipmen, at $1,200," is stricken out?

Professor DODGE. They are all included in this statement. You will find in the estimates a list of all the clerks asked for put right together. Now they are scattered.

The CHAIRMAN. I note above that you strike out "one writer" and insert the words "two writers." Why is that change?

Professor DoDGE. There is one writer and it is increased to two. There is a writer now appropriated for at $720. That is not changed except to make it read "two," and that takes care of another clerk who is paid from "Contingent, Naval Academy," at the rate of $2 a day. The total increase, as far as the money received by the clerks is concerned, is $585, and that only comes about by taking a per diem salary and adjusting it on an even basis. For instance, a per diem

man getting $3.04, his salary would amount to $954, and we put that down at $1,000.

The CHAIRMAN. I notice on page 143 that you strike out " one cook, at $325.50.”

Professor DODGE. That is a position that we asked you to strike out last year and to substitute one at $600.

The CHAIRMAN. Where do you put that in?

Professor DODGE. The present appropriation as it stands provides for one cook, at $600, and in another place provides for two, at $600 each, and in another place for one, at $325. We simply brought these three items together, increasing the one from $325 to $600. That is really what they are getting now.

The CHAIRMAN. The next item is "twenty-five attendants" instead of "twenty." That is an increase of five attendants?

Professor DODGE. That is an increase of five in that appropriation. There were three paid from the appropriation for steam employees. I lumped them with the other twenty and increased it two. There is a net increase of two in the appropriation. The appropriation for steam employees has been correspondingly reduced; they were taken off.

Captain BADGER. They are absolutely needed.

The CHAIRMAN. You ask for four cooks, at $600 each; that is an increase of how many?

Professor DODGE. It is not an increase, except the pay of one is increased from $325 to $600. The bill already carried three in one place and one in another.

The CHAIRMAN. Then the two cooks down below on the page are stricken out?

Professor DODGE. Yes, sir.

Captain BADGER. In order to get a capable man, the midshipmen have to pay the difference between $325 and $600 to get his services. The CHAIRMAN. At the top of page 144 "one clerk to the superintendent" is stricken out and "four clerks" are substituted. How much do you increase the clerks?

Professor DODGE. The seven clerks are transferred.

The CHAIRMAN. That covers all the clerks?

Professor DODGE. Paid from the Naval Academy appropriation. Mr. PADGETT. The effect is to transfer them from the per diem to the permanent roll?

Professor DODGE. We have either got to do that or authorize their employment, or they have to be discharged under the present law at the end of this fiscal year. That would leave only two clerks in the superintendent's office and two down in my room.

Mr. PADGETT. Why is that?

Professor DODGE. Because of the clause in the general deficiency act which requires it.

(The clause in the deficiency act referred to by Professor Dodge follows:)

The Secretary of the Navy is authorized to employ and pay, during the fiscal year nineteen hundred and nine, out of the lump appropriations of the several bureaus of the Navy Department, such classified civil-service employees as may be necessary to properly perform the clerical, drafting, inspection, messenger, and other classified work at the several navy-yards and stations: Provided, That the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to Congress detailed estimates for all such classified civil-service employees that may be required

to be employed during the fiscal year nineteen hundred and ten, and annually thereafter, and no such classified civil-service employees shall be employed during the fiscal year nineteen hundred and ten, or in any subsequent fiscal year, and paid from such lump appropriations except under specific authorization granted by law from year to year based upon estimates as herein required. Mr. DAWSON. This portion of the bill includes the appropriation for the Naval Academy band. A special bill has been favorably reported from this committee and is now on the calendar of the House relating to the band, and there seemed to be a disposition on the part of this committee to place the band at Annapolis as near as possible on a par with the Military Academy band at West Point. Have you any suggestions to offer in regard to the band? Has there. been any change in the status of the matter since the last session of Congress?

Captain BADGER. I have written a report to the Navy Department on the subject. That bill was introduced by Mr. Mudd, who wanted the Naval Academy band to be given credit for all previous service of any kind whatever. If the Naval Academy band were enlisted to-day without the bill carrying with it authority to pay them for constructive reenlistment, the increased pay for reenlistment in the past as though they had reenlisted, they would lose pay, they would be paid less than they are at present. Whether the treasury officials would construe the wording of that bill to allow them constructive reenlistment and the consequent increase for reenlistment, I do not know. I think very likely they would not. The only advantage, unless they get the increased pay, is the retirement feature. I have always been in favor of enlisting them and giving them the benefit of the retirement. feature. There are two reasons: They are doing good work and the band is getting very old and we want younger men in the band. If the bill should pass, those men would retire immediately. There are, I think, eight or nine who have had between twenty and thirty years' service in the band. So it would be to the advantage of the Naval Academy band as regards the personnel if we could apply the retirement feature, to do so. There is only one other item in the bill which I object to very strongly, and that is giving the band leader the rank of a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. I would like to see him get the pay and allowances, but if you commission him you have a band leader who may be and often is under a midshipman at the drills and parades, and you have a midshipman commanding a commissioned officer. It would not work in the end, but they could draw up another bill and he could be enlisted as a band leader and have the benefit of the retired list.

Mr. BUTLER. Has that bill passed the House?
Mr. DAWSON. No, sir; it is on the calendar.

Captain BADGER. If you could make him a bandmaster with the pay and allowances of a second lieutenant, I would be very glad to see it done.

The CHAIRMAN. Would that give him the retirement benefit?
Captain BADGER. Yes, sir: I think it would.

The CHAIRMAN. If you give him the pay and allowances, do you not have to put in the word "rank" to give him the retirement benefit?

Captain BADGER. No, sir.

Mr. BUTLER. Are not these men enlisted?

Captain BADGER. No, sir. We have a station-ship band, which we put in the band, but the Naval Academy band is not enlisted and never has been."

Mr. BUTLER. The effect would be to give the retirement privilege to civilians?

Captain BADGER. But to men who have served.

Mr. BUTLER. But they are civilians?

Captain BADGER. Yes, sir; they are civilians.

Mr. BUTLER. Do you know of any precedent for that?
Captain BADGER. I do not, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Do they not do it at West Point?

Captain BADGER. They enlist the men there at the start.

Mr. DAWSON. This bill follows as closely as possible the phraseology relating to the West Point band. I think it was the intention. of the committee simply to put the band at the Naval Academy upon the same footing and give it the same dignity as the band has at West Point.

Captain BADGER. I am not positive, but I am informed that the bandsman at West Point and the band leader of the marine band here, although they have the pay and allowances of a first lieutenant or a second lieutenant, do not have the actual rank; they are not commissioned.

Mr. BUTLER. I think you will discover that the leader of the marine band has the rank.

Captain BADGER. I am told not, I will not be certain.

Mr. DAWSON. Can your report be included in the hearing? Captain BADGER. That is a letter which I sent to the Navy Department. There is only one thing; I was informed by the department that they propose to put all station bands on a civilian basis and stop using enlisted men, for the reason that men get at stations and they are held permanently. They do not do the sea service that the other men have to do, and it creates dissatisfaction among the bands that have to go to sea.

Mr. DAWSON. The complaint that has reached us in the past was that the band at Annapolis was inadequately paid and that a portion of their pay was made up from contributions by the cadets, and that another portion of their pay was gotten by playing outside; and it seemed to us that the band at the Naval Academy ought to be at least on as good a footing as the band at West Point.

Captain BADGER. I think that they receive about the same pay at the Naval Academy now as the West Point band. The small assessment that is given by the officers and the midshipmen is for extra work, and it is done practically with all bands when they do extra work. I have been with bands many years. The band goes with the midshipmen, plays for them when they come from football games, plays for them under all circumstances, to teach them to sing, and at hops it stays an hour or two later than usual, and it is in recognition of that willingness that this is done.

Mr. BUTLER. It is in the character of what is usually known as tips?

Captain BADGER. Yes, sir.

Mr. PADGETT. I understood that the department had intimated that they were opposed to enlistment.