A HEARING ON THE BILL (H. R. 14923) TO AMEND THE NAVAL APPROPRIATION ACT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1916, RELATIVE TO THE APPOINTMENT OF PAY CLERKS AND ACTING PAY CLERKS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The committee this day met at 11.55 o'clock a. m., Hon. Fred A. Britten, chairman, presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The next bill for consideration is H. R. 14923. which is a bill to amend the naval appropriation act for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1916, relative to the appointment of pay clerks and acting pay clerks. The bill in question and a report thereon by the Navy Department read as follows: A BILL To amend the Naval Appropriation Act for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1916, relative to the appointment of pay clerks and acting pay clerks Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That so much of the act approved March 3, 1915, entitled "An act making appropriations for the naval service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1916, and for other purposes" (Thirty-eight Statutes at Large, page 942; United States Code, title 34, section 131), as provides: "The title of paymaster's clerk in the United States Navy is hereby changed to pay clerk, and hereafter all pay clerks shall be warranted from acting pay clerks, who shalĺ be appointed from enlisted men of the Navy holding acting or permanent appointments as chief petty officers, who have served at least three years as enlisted men, at least two years of which service must have been on board a cruising vessel of the Navy" is hereby amended to read as follows: "The title of paymaster's clerk in the United States Navy is hereby changed to pay clerk, and hereafter all pay clerks shall be warranted from acting pay clerks, who shall be appointed from enlisted men in the Navy holding acting or permanent appointments as chief petty officers, or permanent appointments as petty officers, first class, who have served at least three years as enlisted men, at least two years of which service must have been on board a cruising vessel of the Navy." TO AMEND THE NAVAL APPROPRIATION ACT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1916, RELATIVE TO THE APPOINTMENT OF PAY CLERKS AND ACTING PAY CLERKS (H. R. 14923) NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, November 26, 1928. The CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: There is inclosed herewith a copy of a letter, together with a copy of a proposed bill "To amend the naval appropriation act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1916, relative to the appointment of pay clerks and acting pay clerks," this day forwarded to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Sincerely yours, CURTIS D. WILBUR, NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, November 26, 1928. The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. SPEAKER: I have the honor to transmit herewith a proposed draft of a bill to amend the naval appropriation act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1916, relative to the appointment of pay clerks and acting pay clerks. The purpose of the proposed legislation is to increase the number of enlisted men who may be appointed to the grade of acting pay clerk in the Navy in order that a sufficient number may be eligible for appointment to this grade, and to provide effective competition therefor. The inclosed draft of bill, if enacted. would make eligible for appointment to this grade petty officers, first class, holding permanent appointments as such. Under existing law (act of March 3, 1915, U. S. Code, title 34, sec. 131) appointments to the grade of acting pay clerk are required to be made from enlisted men of the rating of chief petty officer, acting or permanent appointment. The number of chief petty officers who become candidates for appointment to the grade of acting pay clerk is relatively small, so that there is little effective competition for such appointments. As an example, at the last competitive examination for appointment as acting pay clerk, there were but 18 candidates for 14 vacancies. Only 12 candidates passed the examination. Obviously with the number of candidates so small the competitive feature of the examination is impaired. There appears to be no valid reason why petty officers, first class, with permanent appointments as such, should not be eligible for appointment as acting pay clerks, particularly as other warrant officers (boatswains, gunners, electricians, radio electricians, and carpenters) may be appointed from enlisted men who hold the rating of petty officer, first class. A number of petty officers, first class, have qualified for promotion to the rating of chief petty officer and are on the waiting list for such appointments. The proposed legislation will not result in any increased cost to the Government. In view of the foregoing the Navy Department contemplates recommending that the proposed legislation be enacted. Sincerely yours, CURTIS D. WILBUR, STATEMENT OF COMMANDER THEODORE S. WILKINSON, JR., UNITED STATES NAVY, BUREAU OF NAVIGATION The CHAIRMAN. Admiral Campbell, do you and Commander Wilkinson desire to be heard on this? Admiral CAMPBELL. Commander Wilkinson, as a representative of the Bureau of Navigation will explain the necessity of this bill. The CHAIRMAN. What is the necessity of this bill? Commander WILKINSON. The only change from present law is found in lines 12 and 13, where the words "of permanent appointments as chief petty officers first class" should be added. The addition of those words would increase the number of enlisted men who may be appointed to the grade of acting pay clerk in the Navy in order that a sufficient number may be eligible for appointment to this grade, and to provide effective competition thereof. The proposed bill, if enacted into law, would make eligible for appointment to this grade petty officers, first class, holding permanent appointments as such. There is only one other grade of warrant officer in which the requirement is that the applicant shall be a chief petty officer. That is pharmacist. All other warrant officers, such as boatswains, gunners, electricians, radio electricians, and machinists are not so limited by law. The CHAIRMAN. As I understand, you would go down one to get these candidates? grade Commander WILKINSON. We would go down one grade. The CHAIRMAN. In order to broaden the field for the selection of pay clerks? Commander WILKINSON. Yes, to provide sufficient applicants to promote competition. It is a promotion, but a number of the chief petty officers are not looking for promotion to officers' status, preferring to transfer to the Fleet Naval Reserve. At the present time we have not enough volunteers for this examination. Mr. MILLER. You would broaden the list of eligibles in order to get sufficient volunteers? Commander WILKINSON. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. And the enactment of this proposed bill into law would not entail any additional expense to the Treasury? Commander WILKINSON. That is right. The CHAIRMAN. If there is no objection, we will report the bill favorably. Mr. Houston and Mr. Miller will please take charge of the bill. Commander WILKINSON. There is another point. Since this bill was written the permanent appointment of chief petty officer first class the issuance of permanent appointments in that grade has been discontinued by the Navy Department, and now the department would like to omit the word "permanent" from line 12, so that it would read "or appointments as petty officers." The CHAIRMAN. If there is no further business at this time, let us adjourn. (Thereupon, at 12.15 o'clock p. m., on Tuesday, February 5, 1929, the committee adjourned to meet at the call of the chairman.) |