NEED STRONG NAVAL RESERVE

"With the Naval Radio School gone, the Officers' Material School leaving today, and all the similar training schools throughout the country rapidly demobilizing, it seems to me of the utmost importance that something should be done at once to maintain the interest in the navy that was aroused by the war," said Rear Admiral Spencer S. Wood, commander of the First Naval District, in an interview with a CRIMSON reporter yesterday. "The navy has made a splendid record in the war, and it has attracted more attention than ever before. I feel very strongly that the advantage gained by educating the people to the importance of a good navy should not be lost. Unless we do something in the near future to arouse interest, I am afraid that the navy will sink back to its former size and condition.

"The best way that we can keep the navy at its present high state of efficiency is by the maintenance of a Naval Reserve. I approve very highly of Secretary Roosevelt's plan of having naval units at various colleges, as the best means of educating more reserve officers, and I sincerely hope that such a unit will be established at Harvard next year. In order to help us get through the period of emergency, the Naval Academy at Annapolis was increased four-fold, and a great number of petty and warrant officers were commissioned. In addition to these regular navy men, many civilians who had had experience on the water were made officers. The men in this latter class are now seeking to be released and we are giving them their discharges as rapidly as possible. There are enough men permanently in the service to officer the ships of the navy as soon as the present rush of returning soldiers has passed. But we will need a large supply of reserve officers to man the fleet if another crisis should come. Now that all the emergency training schools are shut down, the only way that we can be prepared is by establishing a large reserve and putting naval units at the colleges.

Maintain Force of 225,000

"Before the war the strength of the navy was 60,000, and it is expected that for a considerable period we shall keep a force of about 225,000. This great increase will require some new source of trained officers. All the present naval appropriations will expire on the 30th of June, and unless Congress is called in special session before then, there will be no funds with which to operate the navy. For this reason, we have to be extremely careful in all expenditures, and can take no steps toward the establishment of naval units or the increase of the reserve this spring, but plans for the organization of the college units should be ready by next fall."

In regard to the possibility of a cruise this summer, Admiral Wood said that there was still a great shortage of ships, and that he doubted very much if any could be spared for training purposes at present. Summer cruises, however, will be part of the regular naval course when it is established.