The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-27
BRONNSON s STORY
IS SUPPRESSED.
Surgeon-General Rixcy's Posi-
ton in Naval Snarl Already
\ Published.
WAY DEFEAT NAVAL 'PLANs
Conflict Between Line and Staff
Particularly Deprecated by
Friends of Navy.
MAY DEFEAT NAVAL PLANS

WASHINGTON. p. C., December Pc
Not since the days preceding the pass
age OF the naval personnel law ten
years ago has the feeling between line.
and staff In the navy been so acute as
to-day as result OF the refusal OF
Admiral l3rownson to transmit orders
from his superior officer, the Presi-
dent, assigning naval surgeon to
command vessel In the navy.
In the case OF the personnel act, 1t
WAS Mr.. Roosevelt. then Assistant Sec
rotary OF the Navy, who acted the part
OF pacifcator and succeeded in bring
Ing the two warning factions together
In support Of the measure. In the
present instance. however. the efforts
of the President to reconcile the sur
geons and the line officers has failed.
and 1t Is probably that the whole COM
troversy will be threshed out in Con-
grcss.
This lie much deprecated by conscr-
valve officers in both line and staff.
as likely to prove prejmdicial to the
navys Interest as whole. for they
believe that In order to succeed In se
curing from Congress the four great
battleships. the crulsers. scouts and
submarines which form part OF the
years naval estimate In addition to
securing legislation that will better
the lot OF naval officers personally the
navy must present a united front.
Br"wnson's View Suppressed
Through the published statement OF
Surgeon General Rixcy. the merits of
the Doctors side OF the case In this
instance have been clearly set forth.
Line officers believe that In common
fairness. they should also have a hear
ms. Admiral Brownson preceded his
r<.u lfpV1a Ia, b,,o -
sol presentation If the reasons why
he objected to the assignment OF a
physician TO command a naval ship,
even though that vessel were exclu-
siycly devoted to hospital service.
That statement was submitted TO the
President. and Notwithstanding the
staff has had itsreay in print. applica-
tions at the White House for this let
ter are met with refusal. Now 1t is
clearly impossible for Admiral Brown
son or any of his line officers to make
public copy OF the letter without in
curing the risk OF court-martial. So
they can look for change In the ex-
ecutive mind or for the congressional
investigation which will doubtless get
all the facts. Admiral Brownson's OH
lection to the execution OF the Prcsi-
dents order to place surgeon In
command of the hospital ship Relief
every officer. he believed that the sub
ordination OF any lire officer. 10 STAFF
officer on shipboard. WAS bad policy
and subversive OF naval discipline. But
stronger objection In his mind was
that the proposed action was clearly
illegal. inasmuch as II Is forbidden b.
law or naval regulations TO assign
staff officer To command ship 80
1t is only fair to the staff side e
state that this is debatable ground
and that 1t would not be difficult &c
construe the naval laws and resula'
tions In either way.
Position of Line Officers.
The reliance of the line officers !:
upon provision In section OF the
naval personnel act OF March 3. 1897
Up TO that date staff officers had en-
joyed what was called relative rank,
with which they were not satisfied. Sc
in section Z the word relative" wa
struck out SO that all sections of tbs
Revised Statutes. which. which In de
fining the rank of officers OF position:
in the navy. contained the words the
relative rank Of were amended 81
as to read the rank Of" To this
provision the following importan
But officers whose rank is SO de
their rank ito command In the line o.
In their staff corps"
Line officers understand this L
mean that no surgeon or engineer o.
paymaster or constructor shall b,
where he may command the move
" \ 49, : g.