The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-12-26
DISPUTE OVER
HOSPITAL SHIP
Cause of Resignation of Rear
Admiral BrOWnSon Is Def
nitely Discussed.
FLEET MINUS A VESSEL
STATEMENT OF SURGEON GEN.
ERAL RIXEY.

Washington, Dec. 25.-That a serious
breach exists between the bureau of
navigation and the bureau of medicine
of the navy. involving the question OF
the responsibility of the latter bureau.
was made apparent tonight in a state
ment issued by Surgeon General Pres
ley NJ. Rixey of the navy, in which he
touches upon the circumstances leading
up to the probable selection by the pres
dent of a medical officer to command
the hospital ship Relief over the protest
of Rear Admiral Willard H. Brownson,
chief of the bureau of navigation, who
yesterday sent his resignation to the
president. While disclaiming exact
knowledge as to the cause of Admiral
Brownson's resignation, the surgeon
generals statement leaves little room
for doubt that the controversy he re-
views was potent factor.
Rule for Some Time.
Surgeon General Rixey maintains that
hospital ships, as a rule, have always
been commanded by medical officers,
with sailing master and civilian crew
for purposes Of navigation. This par
ticular vessel, he says, formerly be-
lOnged to the army, and always was
commanded by medical officer when
used as a hospital ship. In attempting
to unity the medical services of the
army and navy he says that joint
army and navy board of medical Off
GERS, which was convened by executive
order more than a year ago, recon-
mended that hospital ships should be
commanded by medical officers, and
that recommendation was approved by
both the secretary Of war and the sec
rotary of the navy in general orders
Since the civil war, he says, all hospi-
tai ships and medical transports of the
army had been placed under the sur
geon general of the army.
Japs Tried Line Officers.
He says that japanese hospital ships
were commanded by medical officers
after having tried line officers. These
/ ships, he says, are simply floating hos
| pitfalls, properly under the control of the
| medical department, and should be con-
Quoted in peace exactly as in time of
war. This is especially so, he adds, be
| cause during times of war line officers
! cannot be spared and do not and should
not desire the command of these ships.
J He maintains that it always has been
| a doubtful question if the Geneva and
| The Hague agreements could guarantee
| the neutrality of these ships II COM
/ blatant Qine) officers and crews were
aboard, and il was this doubt which
prevented the japanese during the re-
cent war with Russia from using line
officers on their ships.
Too Much Interference.
'oThe internal administration of the
bureau of medicine and surgery ne
! saws. has been, in my opinion, too
! much interfered with by the bureau OF
navigation. This interference has at
times caused grave concern as to how
I could meet the needs of those under
The hospital ship Relief, he says,
should now be with the battleship fleet
on it's cruise. but, he adds:
THE bureau of navigation thought
otherwise, and the fleet of $1,000 men,
with its auxiliaries, is without a hOspl-
tai ship, and will be until it arrives at
/ Magdalena bay, more than three
| months from now" He adds that he
cannot understand how AdmlfaI
Rrownson should be specially interested
i'm the differing of hospital ships, as MS
duties lie in another direction, ana thaI
he should not interfere in matter per
tanning entirely to the bureau OF medi-
oir,o and surgery, and therefore to be
decided by the secretary OF the navy
surqeon Generals Statement.
The surgeon generals statement in
full follows: -
81 have been called up on the te-e-
nhone many times today in regard 10
the resignation of Admiral Brownson'
! admiral Brownson and l nave Deen
friends for many years, ana When Oh
, duty in Washington as naval attending
surgeon I was his family physician.
His resignation as chief OF the ou-
reau of navigation has been assigned &c
various causes, among others to diff
ference of opinion as to the command
of the shift Relief. While l do not know
that this is the cause, it may be IN
> teresting to know the status OF this
question. -
> Hospital ships as rule always nave
l been commanded by medical Officers
, with a sailing master and civilian ere"
! for purposes of navigation.
Formerly Belonged to Army.
1.-The Relief, formerly belonging to the
United States army, was always com
handed by medical officers when useC
: as a hospital ship.
"a Joint board of army and navy
medical officers, convened by executive
order more than year ago 10 atIeInpl
! TO unity the medical service as mucI
as possible. reports that such SHIPS
! should be commanded by medical OH
Continued on Page 9.