Mr. WOLVERTON. What yards were they? Admiral BEURET. The Oklahoma is at Philadelphia and the Nevada is at Norfolk. Mr. WOLVERTON. Where would the Pennsylvania and the Arizona be altered and repaired? Admiral BEURET. No decision as to where they are to go has been reached. Mr. WOLVERTON. No yard has been asked to bid or estimate on the work involved in altering and repairing them? Admiral BEURET. There is no authority for the work. Mr. WOLVERTON. But that does not prevent your getting estimates does it? Admiral BEURET. We do not get estimates from shipyards before we put in our authorization. Mr. WOLVERTON. That is just what I am trying to get at. How much faith can we have that these figures now submitted are correct? Admiral BEURET. Do you refer to the Pennsylvania and the Arizona? Mr. WOLVERTON. Yes; in view of my experience with other ships how do we know that this estimate is correct? Admiral BEURET. We have reviewed our figures covering the work on the Arizona and the Pennsylvania in the light of information gained in connection with altering and repairing the Oklahoma and the Nevada. In general our experience with the Oklahoma and the Nevada indicates that the $14,800,000 is not too much. In fact, the allowance for repairs is considerably less than was actually found necessary in case of the Oklahoma and the Nevada. We discussed that with the department as to whether or not it wanted to ask for a larger amount, but it was decided to stand on what we had already requested. Mr. WOLVERTON. The department has certain basic information upon which they have given the Congress this information as to the cost of reconditioning these two ships? Admiral BEURET. Yes. Mr. WOLVERTON. What harm could be done if the Secretary were given the discretion to get an estimate from private yards on the identical basic facts upon which the department based its own estimates? Admiral BEURET. There would be no harm in that, but the trouble is that it is practically impossible to make an estimate that would be entirely binding, because it is not possible to completely specify the work to be undertaken. I do not know, for instance, in the case of this reconditioning. It requires the use for a considerable period of a very large dock. I do not believe that any private yard would be in a position to do that work. Mr. WOLVERTON. I am not sure that they care for such work. Admiral BEURET. No; such work is not so desirable as is building work for them. I will have to look that up. I am not positive that any private yards are in position to handle the work. I do not know that they have the equipment. The CHAIRMAN. Is it not a fact that the adoption of the amendment suggexted by Mr. Vinson would not change the attitude of the department a particle? The department can now do as it pleases. The department can get the lowest bid and accept it. If the depart ment could make complete plans for this modernization, it would do so. It probably feels that it can not, therefore it would not necessarily be influenced by the proposed amendment of Mr. Vinson. Admiral BEURET. It would be influenced by an expression of that kind on the part of Congress. Mr. VINSON. Under the proposed bill there is no assurance that this repair work is going to be done in the navy yards. I would arrange it so that one-half of these vessels must be repaired in a navy yard and therefore all the advocates of that line of thought in the House would say that this means more work for the navy yards. The CHAIRMAN. I should like to get an expression of opinion before we adjourn on this suggestion made by Mr. Darrow. Last year we had a very lengthy discussion in connection with H. R. 13249, which was a bill to increase the cost of modernization of the Oklahoma and the Nevada. The amount involved was $450,000. When Admiral Hughes, Admiral Beuret, the Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, and the Chief of the Bureau of Engineering were here they could not definitely say whether it would cost $450,000 more or $360,000 more or some other amount. They now have gone so far as to say that they will require $450,000. The hearings in regard to this are quite extensive. It is a bill to increase the cost of this modernization. The bill will have to be passed anyway, and I should like to have permission to offer this as an amendment to the Pennsylvania and Arizona bill to-morrow when that bill is considered on the floor. necessary. Mr. VINSON. I certainly want to do the right thing in this matter, but on the other hand I think we should be in full possession of all facts that will justify us in a showing as to why this increase was made Was it on account of the increase in material or the cost of labor? Of course, we all know that there is no assurance that this amount is going to finish the job. We have no assurance that the sum of $14,800,000 will repair and alter the Pennsylvania and the Arizona in accordance with the plans of the Navy Department. If we sit here and hurriedly go through requests for increased costs that will cause somebody to be a little careless in making estimates. If everybody knows he is being checked up and watched carefully and will have to account for any inaccurate estimates, the situation will be made much better. Of course, we all know that this work has to be finished; but year after year there is a monotonous request for additional money in connection with these repair bills. I believe the House is getting very tired of having this kind of legislation sent to it by the Committee on Naval Affairs. The House desires that the Navy Department state just what it is going to cost to do a certain job, and in making that demand the House is doing the right thing. I certainly feel that before we do anything hurriedly or otherwise that we should require the Navy Department to make a clear case and justify its request. The CHAIRMAN. It is now 11.55 o'clock. Let us adjourn to meet again next Thursday morning at 10.30. Inasmuch as we will have bills up for consideration in the House to-morrow, we will not meet to-morrow, because every member is interested in those bills. (Thereupon, at 11.55 o'clock a. m., the committee adjourned to meet next Thursday, December 6, 1928.) O STATEMENT BY HON. FRED A. BRITTEN, CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ON HOUSE RESOLUTION 253, REQUESTING THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY TO DETAIL A MEDICAL OFFICER TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS, The committee this day met at 10.30 o'clock a. m., Hon. Fred A. Britten (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will be in order. Before the committee takes up its usual business or the business determined upon for the morning, I would like to present a resolution, the contents of which I have already discussed with the Speaker of the House, the Democratic floor leader, Mr. Garrett, and the Majority floor leader, Mr. Tilson. I am sure there will be no objection to this resolution by any member of the committee. I am going to ask the unanimous consent of this committee to present the resolution on Calendar Wednesday next and ask for its passage. The substance of the resolution in question is, "That the Secretary of the Navy is authorized to detail a medical officer of the Navy to be in attendance at the Hall of the House of Repersentatives during the sessions of such House." The suggestion for this resolution came from the Secretary of the Navy himself last year after two Members of the House had toppled over, practically, on the floor or in their offices. I may add that both the Speaker and the majority and the minority leaders think it is a very, very good idea to have a medical officer in attendance all the time during the sessions of the House so that when a Member does become ill he will have medical assistance near to hand. The resolution was unanimously reported to the House for passage. 2197-28-No. 31 (235) |