Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-12-28
HALE CHAMPIONS
BROWNSON'S CAUSE
Chairman OF Senate Naval Com
mittee Thinks He Acted With
Courage in Resigning.
TROUBLE OF LONG erANDINa.
IN Incident Only IN the Old Fight
Between stan and Tine Over
Rank ana Recognition

Washington, Dec. 27.-The orders as
signing Surgeon Charles r. Stokes to
the command OF the hospital shin Re
Het are expected 10 be signed very
soon. q having been definItelv decldoi
according TO Secy. Metcalf. to appoint
him 70 that position. with this en-,
I'm view, every effort will be made to
obtain a merchant crew and master
for the vessel Failing 10 man the
Relief with crew from the merchant
marine, the enlisted force OF the navy
VIII be drawn on, and line officer
assigned as captain. in which case he
WIN have command.
While the ship is practically ready
for service, there are number OF
things TO be done 10 put her In the
best OF shape which viii take probably
until the LIST OF February The scheme
Of having a medical officer commanl
the Relief, in the event that "A mer-
chant crew Is secured. Is TO have "a trial
for az least six months, and If the ex-
pertinent proves satisfactory, then the
expectation Is that the assignment
OF a surgeon TO command hospital ships
VIII be permanent feature Of naval
administration.
Admiral Brownson's REIMBURSEMENT
OF his position as chief Of the bureau
Of navigation, carrying with IL, as IL
general board, viii result i'm a consid-
cradle loss OF pay TO the officer Be
ing entirely without duty and relegated
10 the retired list, his income will be
diminished In the first place by the loss
Of % per cent OF the full pay OF an
admiral on the active list-namely,
1880 year. Also he will no longer
receive the allowance TO an active offi-
Ger Of his grade Of ST. 800 a year for
quarters and $500 year for heat and
nghI II 80 happens, however. that
Admiral BrOwnsOn IS a man Of inde-
pendent means and able to disregard
financial conditions in taking his stand
AS champion Of the line In the present
battle with the stan.
The formal order detachng Rear Ad-
miral Brownson from duty as chief OF
the bureau Of navigation was made
public today. The same order de-
taches him from membership in the
joint army and navy board.
senator Hale, chairman OF the COM
mittee on naval affairs, voiced frankly
his attitude toward the resignation OF
Admiral Brownson as chief Of the bu-
reau OF navigation.
Il think that Admiral Brownson has
acted with praisewortky COURAGE and
promptness IN rendering his reslgna-
ton said Senator Hale. adding that
he had seen the admiral since his resig-
nation.
Mr. Hale continued:
II have always sustained the stan
officers IN their fight Tor positive rank
and complete recognition such as are
received By their peers IN the army,
and / now have a bill pending which
gives them such recognition through
out the service. But I'm that measure
there Is a precautionary provision
against giving them actual command OF
any naval vessel. This is the contln-
uance and extension Of the fight be-
tween the branches Of the service. That
light Is the crux OF the present contro-
versy, and because | think he Is right,
my support Is given unreservedly 10 the
admiral as against the contentious Of
Surgeon-General Rixey. 1t may be that
on some occasions stan officers have
been in command Of vessels, but
know OF no instance when such off,
GERS have been given command after
the point was raised and both sides
were heard. | don't believe that the
contention for command by stan OFF,
GERS has ever been pressed seriously
IN the past"
When asked for his reasons for the
position taken Senator Hale replied
They are entirely I'M the interests OF
discipline. Think what might happen
n the command Of the vessels shNjld
be turned over to a chaplain, or even
20 a paymaster. And II is just as res-
sonable to put the crews OF a naval
fleet under the charge OF those officers
as n is 10 place them under the COM
mand of a surgeon.
Evidently Admiral BroWnson rec
ognizes this fact, and, being a man of
character and decision, he did not hesi-
tate 20 resign his position when. AS the
active head OF navigation. his view OF
the law and OF the best policy In the
interest OF the service was overruled,
re will not lose anything by his manly
course. either In the navy or with the
public"