The Washington herald., 1907-12-27
NAVY STAFF LOOKS
FOR INVESTIGATION
Continued from Page One.

secretary Metcalf at once took the docu-
ment TO the White House.
Then the President sat down and die
tated his letter Of acceptance Admiral
Brownson's letter OF resignation covered
three typewritten pages. but the Presi-
dents letter was longer. The President
finished this letter before he went to
lunch, and il was sent by special mes
senger TO Secretary Metcalf. who. in the
meantime, had returned to the depart
ment from his lunch. II reached his
hands ut o'clock Within an hour IL
had been forwarded by special messenger
10 Admiral Brownson at his home in NJ
street.
Nothing that has come up since the
Sampson-Schley controversy has created
the sensation that the resignation has
created. But persons who know of the
text OF both letters say the present sen
sation is only mild in comparison TO
what the publication Of the letters would
create.
Line Officers Consulted.
Admiral Brownson consulted some half
dozen line officers in the Navy Depart
ment and the General Board and several
personal friends on the retired list before
taking the action. All agreed that his
policy was right. but all also advised hin
not 10 resign.
The question was discussed informally
at the monthly meeting OF the General
surprise TO all the officials. Admiral
Dewey was most urgent in his Emporium
lngs that Admiral Brownson reconsider
his decision.
Rixey with President.
When the President left Washington
yesterday for Pine Knot. Surgeon Gen
eral Rixey went with him. and viii be
the guest OF the President and Mrs.
Roosevelt during their absence from the
White House.
There is said TO be nothing specially
significant in the fact that the Surgeon
General was in the party, as he has &C
companied the President in the capacity
Of physician on nearly all Of Mr.. Roose-
velt's out-of-town trips.
Some naval officers claim to be able
to see in the close association of the
President and his physician the reason
for the Presidents decision to put a
naval surgeon in command Of the hospital
ship Relief, against the protest of the
Presidents old friend. Rear Admiral
Brownson.
In the statement which he gave out
concerning the Presidents reasons foI
| deciding 10 place Surgeon Charles F.
Stokes in command of the Relief. Sur
geon General Rixey said: Naval medi-
cal officers have had positive rank foI
some years, given them By act of Con
gress, but as the use Of titles to indi-
cate rank has been denied them, IL IS
not generally known. They also have
the right 10 command in their own
corps, and all those entrusted TO theiI
care. whether on the sick list. in the
hospitals. or on hospital ships"
Line officers claim that this statement
by the Surgeon General is based on 8
far-fetched Interpretation OF a provision
/ in the Naval Personnel Act Of March
/ 5. 1899 That proviso reads: THAT al
sections OF the revised statutes which
/ In defining the rank OF officers or posi-
tons in the navy, contain the words tn,
relative rank Of are hereby amended 5,
as to read the rank Of; but officer.
whose crank Is so defined shall not bC
entitled. in virtue of their rank. 10 com
mand in the line or In the stan corps.
Line Officers Deny II.
/ That this section Of the personnel act
gives authority TO any stan officers tC
command, or that the change Of the ex.
! preston relative rank means thai
positive rank is conferred thereby en- stan
/ officers, is denied by line officers. who
! say that there never has been any lega
| opinion 10 sustain Surgeon General
/ Rixey's claims. In the Naval Medical
Corps there is a placement Of officers ac-
cOrding to what IS known as rank fol
grade"-that is, every medical director
has the rank of captain, every medical
inspector the rank of commander, and
every surgeon the rank of lieutenant
commander. Under the old system some
medical directors had the rank Of cap
tain and others the rank Of commander;
some surgeons had the rank Of lieuten-
ant commander and others the rank OF
lieutenant.
Surgeon General Rixey called attention 70
this new division in one Of his annual
reports anG recommended that a combi-
nation of rank and title be authorized
under his plan. The Surgeon General
would be the surgeon admiral and a sur
geOn would be surgeon lieutenant com
mander. Much fun was poked at the
Surgeon General for this suggestion.
Nothing came Of it.
Suggestion of COurt-martiaI.
Some of those line officers who are
inclined to be critical OF the proposition
70 place a surgeon in command of q
naval vessel were saying yesterday that
Surgeon General Rixey had made himself
liable to court-martial by his statement
1t IS safe to predict. however, that the
Surgeon General viii not be made amen
able 70 the regulation forbidding one
naval officer from criticising another or
any branch OF the naval service in the
public prints.