The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-12-27
STATEMENT By RIXEY
Shows Reason for Resignation
OF Admiral Br0Wns0n.
COMMAND OF HOSPITAL SHIP
Controversy Over the Question Great
ed Friction Between the Bureau Of
<Navisation and the Bureau of Medi,
cine Of the Navy.


Washington, Dec. 26-Surgeon Gen.
eral Rixey OF the navy has returned
home and In response TO many In
Quiries in regard to the resignation OF
Admiral Brownson as chief OF the bu-
reau of navigation, he gave out
statement as TO the hospital ship Re-
lief, which has figured prominently in
the episode While disclaiming any
knowledge as TO the exact cause OF
Admiral Brownson's resignation, the
surgeon generals statement leaves
scarcely doubt that friction between
the bureau of navigation and the medi.
cal department OF the navy was po-
tent factor. The controversy had its
origin in the matter OF sending hos,
pital ship with the battleship fleet on
its voyage to the Pacific, over which
there arose conflict of authority as
TO whether medical officer or an Off.
Ger of the line should be assigned to
the command.
That secret breach exists between
the bureau of navigation and the bu.
reau of medicine of the navy, involv.
ing the question of the responsibility
of the latter bureau, was made APP
parent in the statement issued by Sur.
geon General Rixey. He touches upon
the circumstances leading UP to the
probable selection by the president OF
a medical. officer to command the hos.
pital ship Relief over the protest Of
Rear Admiral Willard p Brownson,
chief of the bureau OF navigation, who
has sent his resignation to the presi.
dent.
Surgeon general Rixey maintained
that hospital ships, as a rule, always
have been commanded by medical off,
GERS. with sailing master and CT
william crew for purposes Of navigation.
This particular vessel, he says, for.
merly belonged to, the army and al
ways was commanded by medical
officer when used as hospital ship.
Board Favored Medical Officers.
In attempting to unity the medical
services of the army and the navy he
says that a joint army and navy board
of medical officers, which was con-
vened by executive order more than
a year ago, recommended that hospital
ships should be commanded by medi-
cal officers and that that recommends
ton was approved by both the secre
tary of war and the secretary of the
navy in general orders. Since the
Civil war, he says. all hospital ships
and medical transports had been
placed under the surgeon general OF
the army. He says further that Japa-
nese naval hospital ships were COM
manded by medical officers after hay-
ing tried line officers. These ships,
he says, are simply floating hospitals,
properly under the control of the medi-
cal department and should be conduct
ed in time of peace exactly as in time
of war This is especially so, he adds,
because during war time line officers
cannot be spared and do not and
should not desire the command OF the
ships.
He maintains that it always was a
doubtful question II the Geneva and
The Hague agreements could guaran-
tee the neutrality of these ships il
combatant (line) officers and crews
We're aboard, and it was this doubt
that prevented the Japanese during
the recent war with Russia from using
line officers on hospital ships.
The internal administration of the
bureau of marine and surgery" he
SAYS. has been, in my opinion, too
much interfered with by the bureau Of
navigation. This interference at times
has caused great inconvenience as to
how l could meet the needs Of those
under our care"
The hospital ship Relief, he says,
should now be with the battleship
fleet on its cruise, but he says the bu-
reau of navigation thought otherwise
and the fleet and its $4,000 men with
it's auxiliary is without hospital ship
and will be until it arrives at Magda-
lena bay more than three months from
now He adds that he cannot under
stand how Admiral Brownson should
be specially interested in the officer
ing of hospitals, as his duties lie in
another direction, and that he should
not interfere in a matter pertaining en-
tirely to the bureau of medicine and
surgery, and therefore to be decided