New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-21
THE NAVAL MACHINE"
ONE-SIDED INTERPRETATION AND EN-
FORCEMENT OF THE LAW

PECULIAR THINas IN CONNECTION WITH THE
MANAGEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT
WHERE THE LINE OBTAINED ITS
POWER AND HOW 1T KEEPS IT
JUGGLING WITH THE STATUTES.
The publication by The Tribune Sunday last Of
some extracts from a letter written by Asa vi. Mat
tice former engineer in tho Navy to Congress-
man Francis II. Wilson. representing the lilo Dis
trtct OF Kings County. stirred UP lot Of talk among
naval people and those who Interested IN the
service and It is a striking comment on the letter
that many OF the officers who read the article ana
had heard OF the letter agreed that the writer was
wise postponIng sending IT until he was entirely
clear Of the service. and not bound by the regila-
tons particularly Article No. 235 One officer. IN
speaking OF the article. remarked that he was sorry
II in pubic print. giving as reason that
It might tend lower the high opinion held by the
civilian public toward the members or the sailor
branch OF the Naval service. but he was compelled
to admit that there lot OF truth In the state
Ileats made by MI Mattice and that the records OF
the Department would show many cases not cited by
the ex-chief engineer fully inconsistent with cor
rect principles OF justice and fully as detrimental
70 the best interests or tho Navy as those which
were quoted In this latter point he was perfectly
correct for the list OF determinations In favor of
the line officers. going further back than the be
ginning Of the present decade Is one not calculated
TO give an outsider favorable idea Of justice rs she
IS administered when the question comes between
line officer and member OF the staff
Where does the trouble lie? has been asked, and
the answer is given by Mr. Mattice in short state
ment: The fact that the line officers invariably
compose a majority of courts-martial. and backed
by the machine run things 10 suit themselves DC
caslonally II happens that court-martiai VIII cen
sure or even punish officer OF the sailor branch
but even IN the few cases where this has happened
nos
who stand in has found OF diminishing the
time of suspension or way reducing the
penalty. The Navy Regulations provide that when
the exigencies of the service will permit AT least
one-thiri OF the court-rnartia shall be % the
corps as the officer to tried This is considered an
excellent Joke A. the trial OF stan officer at
one-third OF the court will have the sausrac-
ton OF knowing that Il might well be In Jericho.
for me whole affair will be settled by tho line OH
GERS who compose the ma jority OF the court II Is
seldom, II ever, that stan officer sits on A court
for the trial OF line officer In order that courts
martial in foreign countries may be composed 70
the satisfaction Of the machine. line officers are
sent hallway around the globe. hut who ever
heard of a stan officer being sent on a similar or
rand? The 'exigencies OF the service do not per
NIT II.
Now" says Mr.. Mattice Tho law does not saw
or In any way intimate. that court-Inartia. Is TO
be composed OF majority OF line officers. but
courts are always - composed. Why should they
not be when tho machine has the whip hand In MI
affairs and interpr-;s the law TO suit Itself? A.
whole. the line officers OF the Navy constitute as
fine and Intelligent a body OF you can IND
ANYWHERE There black sheep among them, OF
course as you will md In any body. but they are IN
a small minority Then why DO such things hap
pen? II Is simply the rrsul; ~ vicious system
which does not take into account tho weaknesses Of
human nature.
A PERTINENT IILr'STRATlON.
Let u.s." continues the engineer, 'for the sake OF
N!ustra ton make the absurd assumption that In
some community a state OF affairs could be orouSh'
about by which the making OF The law. - interpre
tauon and It's enforcement should bc vested only
IN citizens engaged IN one branch Of business. Lot
Us suppose for instance that N" real estate deal
e-s were the unfortunate Individuals Things might
run along all right FOR while. but eventually you
would md a small co'crie q rca'-esiaie dealers
running thing. suit themselves The majority
would DO too much engrossed IN their arairs to
take much interest IN matters. while ih" IDLE and
ambitious clement would gain control 81 the renS ~
power Human nature would assert i,T"' ana The
whole community would De nm IN The Interest 81
the real-esiate men and tho latter would soon con-
sti,uie an sri~iocraoy All other trades and PROBES
sons would - looked down upon by the fortunate
ones who woull eventually come 20 believe nat
they ruled b., divine right serious offences commit
ted by r,al-es,ai~ men would be 'white~aSh~d ny
their own courts. while minor Offences OF al ono?
trades and professions would assume ~" proI'T-
tons - treason and he punished accordingly Inc
bules among The Hesitate men would form ma
chine and the best nar AID suScthest tongu~i OF
3D.. h,u.es would b. the 1,)ss' The machine
,,,,d aic,a.o 10 the remainder OF their guild. 80
that even the best-dsr,osed Of them wouc be com
,ellel 10 indorse the tactics OF the black sheep
KEEPING THINGS TN THE FAMILY"
Knowledge OF the latent barbarism In human nat
ure will show plainly what would happen under we
conditions assumed by Mr. Mattice. Yet 1t IL point
"A an, absurd as tho assumption Is. It IL exactly
srn,lar 70 the state OF affairs now existing III 'he
Navy The control OF affairs OF all KINDS ue IN
,.,nre.s.,c o, the law and the enforcement OF the
law are vested IN one class. the line ofncers' i"ey
do not make the laws u n true. out they HaNe '"'
NAVY Regulations. which embody the Ia" rs uey
,,sn 70 have II apply to the Navy. Finding their
usefulness on the wane with the passing OF SIAi'
a,d saus they have appropriated 10 themselves
du.,es for which their training docs not hi them
and which rightly belong to specialists OF V."'r
c-,rns An Instance Of this IS shown IN te "iSt
bers OF the sailor branch are pa, uo~n a. - 90,
duty Inspecting steel IL Is not 50 many 80 az
those frauds could have been preNe,td pS III =,
had those frauds been psrpetratet while the insPec
ton in The hands OF engneys e hnen so anxious
10 cover up the whole business? , o-
home than the steel plantr where arTnor Is manu-
Isc,mreS In he brooklyn Navy Yard within a iew
weeks the corps Of civil engineers mas D.en c NIX
en- connection with the repairs on the Naval HOS
uital in Fushing-av". and there mas been no nf
f.nce 10 the accuse ion that the faulty WORK Woulu
moi have been attempted had the Government IN.
specion been in the hands OF men whose business II
is TO look after such things
ONE WAY OF KEEPING BUSY.
Tn order 70 Still further exc out the usefulness OF
and make an excuse for the increased proportion OF
,,ne on,cers the "machine' has put the manage
ment OF notwithstanding plants into the hands OF
their CORPS and the spectacle Is presented OF hhe
officers running a little engineering department OF
their own generally taken from whht shoud De the
ouartcrs Of the crew. But the greatest absurdty OF
III g., ,bs connection is the fact that while tho line
- - A.,.o .rltIr .l1arIc Of