Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-28
.BROWNSON IS 0USTED
Fighting Admiral Detached From
 Army and Navy Board.
SENATOR HALE DEFENDS HIM
Says Former Chief of Navigation Bureau Acted With Courage In Ten derins Resignation - Will Oppose President's Designation of Stokes.

1 " NdSulllSlOu, lDeC. 70. - huLllIdl Brownson's position in the navy con- troversy will be sustained by a ma | jority of the Republican senators and representatives in congress. An off cial statement by Senator Hale, in which he makes it plain that he will oppose President Roosevelt's designa- i tiOn of Charles +. Stokes to command the hospital ship Relief, is reflection of the general opinion of the ablest men in congress.
 Indeed so strong is the current of feeling that there are rumors it has impressed itself upon the White House, that Secretary Loeb, who is in com munication with the president, has told few friends that the actual appoint ment of Stokes to command the hos pital ship has not been signed by Mir. Roosevelt nor approved by Secretary Metcalf.
 The White House announcement is that the order assigning Stokes will go into effect only when it appears clear that crew from the merchant marine can be enlisted, and that if it is found that the navy will have to be drawn upon, then line officer will be assigned as captain. This is re- garded as begging the question which was raise,I by Admiral Brownson's resignation, but is recognized also as an indication that the administration recognizes that this navy question may be of more concern both to Mir. Roose- welt and to MT. Taft than the curren- cy issue or any other subject likely to come before congress in the present session.
 It is further said by persons who generally speak for the White House that the hospital ship will not be ready for service until February; that the scheme of having a medical officer command in the event that merchant crew is obtained is to have a trial for at least six months, and that then. if satisfactory. the assignment of a sur geon to command hospital ships will be a permanent feature of the naval administration.
 It is not improbable that Brownson's s letter will be made public by the White House, but that it will be ac- companied by caustic letter from the president to the admiral, ill which Mir. Roosevelt will embody his ideas of the conversation he had with Brown son, there is no doubt. The president has done this in the case of other per sons before.
 Rumors that he would do it again led friends of Brownson to say that the admiral knew why he had resign ed; that he stated why in his letter and that if there should he any con- tradiction of his statement he would write letter in reply to any publica- tion by Mir. Roosevelt and thereby force a court martial. whose proceed ings would surely entertain the cOun- try.
 There was great surprise when 1t was learned that BrOwnsOn had been by official order detached from his membership in the joint army and navy board. His resignation from the bureau of navigation. it is asserted. did not detach him from this board
 The order in effect sends Brownson back to his home virtually in disgrace from the viewpoint of the president and has the financial aspect of cutting him of from S1.J00 year for quar- ters, $500 for heat and light and ST. S75, representing 25 per cent of the loss of his full pay as an active. Brownson of course will not mind the loss of income, as he Is a man of in- dependent means. and in any event would have disregarded financial con alterations in taking his stand as a champion of the line officers in the present dispute with the stan
 Senator Hale said:
 ''I think that Admiral Brownson has acted with praisewOrthy courage and promptness in rendering his res ignation. have always sustained tn. stan officers in their fight for positive rank and complete recognition. such as are received by their peers in the ar my. and now have a bill pending which gives them such recognition throughout the service. But in that measure there is a precautionary pro vision against giving them actual con- mand of any naval vessel"