Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 108, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1904 — NAVY NEEDS MEN. [ARTICLE]

NAVY NEEDS MEN.

Not Enough Officers and Sailors to Man American War Vessels. Secretary Paul Morton will require all of the genius with which he 4s accredited if h'>,is to dispose of all of the serious problems that will come up within the,next few months without any essentia) decrease Jj} the effiepey of the navy. Because of the rate at which the navy le growing the old question of a shortage pt officers has presented itself in much more aggravated form than ever before. With it is the new problem of a abortage of-men, which is complicated by the danger, due to a ruling from the Comptroller of the Treasury, that it may be impossible to recruit the enlisted force up to the number required to man the ships. _ . - - . . There Is a grave danger that within the next three or four months several warships which are in no need of repairs., may have to be put out of commission, for no other reason than that officers and men capnot be provided for them. There is not a ship in the American nnvy that is not short of officers Que of the first messages the President will send to Congress will be an urgent request that the limit of the enlisted force in the navy be increased, mid that new regulation; tor the enlistment of men be provide!. -