CAUSE ASSIGNED FOR DISMISSAL OF CIVILIAN INSTRUCTORS Mr. DITTER. Has any criticism been directed by the admiral in charge or by previous administrators of the Academy with respect to the ability of the civilian employees that have been dismissed from the teaching force? Professor KRAFFT. The answer is undoubtedly no. Mr. CLAYTON. I have the dismissal records. It is absolutely no. Professor KRAFFT. They say it was simply for economy. "In the interest of economy solely." (Reply of Admiral Leahy to Senator Copeland, p. 27, Hearings, subcommittee of Committee on Appropriations, 1935.) Mr. DITTER. Was there any cause alleged, at the time of the dismissal of any of these men, other than an economy cause, for such dismissal? Professor KRAFFT. There was no other cause. EXCERPT FROM REPORT OF BOARD OF VISITORS, 1933 Mr. MCLEOD. Mr. Chairman, I think, for the benefit of this hearing, we ought to have part of the report of the Board of Visitors to the United States Naval Academy for 1933, that has been referred to here, incorporated in the record, starting with the last paragraph on page 15, which states what the Naval War College was designed for, and carrying on to the last paragraph on page 16. Mr. CARY. Very well. (The matter referred to is as follows:) From report of Board of Visitors to the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md., Apr. 26, 1933] The Naval War College is maintained for the special purpose of training officers for high command and teaching them the psychology of leadership. Yet without exception the dozen officers who have been selected during the last 30 years (up to 1927) as superintendents of the Naval Academy have not been graduates of the War College. Admiral Hart is the first War College graduate to serve as superintendent of the Academy. Also, only a few years ago, the Navy Department assigned to the supreme command of the United States fleet an officer who had not taken the course at the college. I characterized this in the press as a crime against the people of the United States. This did not, however, deter the Department from assigning another such officer to the same command. RESISTANCE TO REFORMS When all due credit is accorded for the very remarkable increase in the efficiency of the Navy during the last few decades, it is important to remember its failures in order that they may not be repeated in the future. The greatest of these has been the failure in initiative due to the self-satisfied attitude of mind which harks back to the so-called "traditions of the past", and consequently resists change. The result of this has been so marked as to cause the Navy to pass through certain periods of inefficiency so extreme as to be difficult of belief today to those who have not witnessed and understood it. For example, it is an astounding fact that the Navy has never initiated any one of the really fundamental reforms that were essential to bring it to its present efficiency. All of these reforms were forced upon the Navy from the outside; and in every case against determined opposition. And the Navy still resists perfectly legitimate criticism, as witness its suppression of the unfavorable report of the Board of Visitors of 1923, and as witness its disregard of the recommendations of three able boards to appoint a commission to report upon our naval educational system. About the middle of the nineteenth century, civilian opinion, acting through the Congress, forced the Navy to abandon its savage and exceedingly detrimental tradition of discipline, the basis of which was the fear of cruel punishments. This reform was vigorously resisted by the service. When the Congress abolished the "cat", some captains substituted even more dangerous punishments not specifically forbidden by the new law. The "cat" and other severe punishments were at that time in accordance with the tradition of the service, and therefore necessary, in the opinion of the service. In justice to the service, it may be said, parenthetically, that the revolt against cruelty as discipline had not made much advance in civil life, as witness the contemporary ideas of discipline in schools and prisons. Finally, the law specified the list of mild punishments now permitted a commanding officer. NAME, SALARY, AND SERVICE OF PROFESSORS AND INSTRUCTORS DISMISSED Mr. DITTER. I should like to inquire whether the witness now before us can state for the record, if it is agreeable to the chairman of the committee to have it in the record, the names of the professors who have been separated from the academy, who have not as yet been reemployed at the academy; the subjects they taught at the time of their separation from the service; the pay they were receiving when separated; and which ones, if any, are now employed and by whom. Can you prepare that information for submission in the record? Professor KRAFFT. We will supply it; yes, sir. Information regarding the 12 professors and instructors released June 28, 1933, from the U. S. Naval Academy For the most part, the above men are employed at temporary, makeshift jobs, and at meager pay. Mr. DITTER. I have nothing further, Mr. Chairman. Professor KRAFFT. We are very grateful to you gentlemen for your kind and sympathetic hearing. Mr. DITTER. The committee, I am sure, have been happy to extend you the courtesy. Mr. CARY. We have, indeed. INDEX A Page Accident prevention and safety in shore establishments, promotion of.... 763 497 Aircraft and air stations, maintenance and operation of. 534 Number of, to be built at Philadelphia aircraft factory. 511 544 Replacement of 546 Sample and experimental, purchase of.. Undergoing overhaul.. Aviation material, status of Aviation personnel, number and distribution of Coast Guard aviators, cost of training. Construction items in Vinson bill for shore establishments... Estimates, distribution of Experimental and development work. Experimental work items, estimated for and not allowed- Increase of the Navy, aviation_ Lighter-than-air craft: Estimates for.. On hand.. Policy of department on.. Los Angeles condition of.. 543 545 499 504 507 Macon activities of___ - . 502 Allotment of N. I. R. A. and other emergency funds, fiscal years 1934 Amounts available for obligations, reserved, transferred, etc., fiscal Made for fiscal years 1919 to 1935, inclusive, statement showing- Attachés abroad, maintenance of offices for.. 1 26 774 947 Code, effect of, on purchases made by the Federal Government. Construction and Repair, Bureau of Amount requested and allowed for the fiscal years 1934 and 1936. 779 880 935 762 333 441 457 442 460 451 455 457 449 452 444 460 814 450 455 450 454 448 445, 447 6 189 778 819 911 468 468 895 288 838, 848 841 793 Repair and overhaul of by enlisted men afloat. Upkeep of, sufficiency of estimate for- Enlistments in Navy, increase in applications for... Based on current prices.. Expenses of examining, estimates in the field. Major new items in - - Method followed in submission and approval of.... 470 483 471 366 14 11 778 16 42 129 F Fingerprint records of officers and enlisted men. Fleet: Condition of - - Maintenance and operation of Readiness of - - Repair and upkeep of- Fleet training - Fleming, C. H., statement of Foreign countries, increased expenditures for Army and Navy by. 821 470 406, 451, 489 50 400 165 907 68 62 497 |