The maintenance and extension of the classified civil service is exceedingly important.  There are nearly 550,000 persons in the executive civil service drawing about $700,000,000 of yearly compensation.  Four-fifths of these are in the classified service.  This method of selection of the employees of the United States is especially desirable for the Post Office Department.  The Civil Service Commission has recommended that postmasters at first, second, and third class offices be classified.  Such action, accompanied by a repeal of the four-year term of office, would undoubtedly be an improvement.  I also recommend that the field force for prohibition enforcement be brought within the classified civil service without covering in the present membership.  The best method for selecting public servants is the merit system.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS

Many of the departments in Washington need better housing facilities.  Some are so crowded that their work is impeded, others are so scattered that they lose their identity.  While I do not favor at this time a general public building law, I believe it is now necessary, in accordance with plans already sanctioned for a unified and orderly system for the development of this city, to begin the carrying out of those plans by authorizing the erection of three or four buildings most urgently needed by an annual appropriation of $5,000,000.

REGULATORY LEGISLATION

Cooperation with other maritime powers is necessary for complete protection of our coast waters from pollution.  Plans for this are under way, but await certain experiments for refuse disposal.  Meantime laws prohibiting spreading oil and oil refuse from vessels in our own territorial waters would be most helpful against this menace and should be speedily enacted.

Laws should be passed regulating aviation.

Revision is needed of the laws regulating radio interference.

Legislation and regulations establishing load liner, to provide safe loading of vessels leaving our ports are necessary and recodification of our navigation laws is vital.

Revision of procedure of the Federal Trade Commission will give more constructive purpose to this department.

If our Alaskan fisheries are to be saved from destruction, there must be further legislation declaring a general policy and delegating the authority to make rules and regulations to an administrative body.

ARMY AND NAVY

For several years we have been decreasing the personnel of the Army and Navy, and reducing their power to the danger point.  Further reductions should not be made.  The Army is a guarantee of the security of our citizens at home; the Navy is a guarantee of the security of our citizens abroad.  Both of these services should be strengthened rather than weakened.  Additional planes are needed for the Army, and additional submarines for the Navy.  The defenses of Panama must be perfected.  We want no more competitive armaments.  We want no more war.  But we want no weakness that invites imposition.  A people who neglect their national defense are putting in jeopardy their national honor.