Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-26
Some Light Shed on Sud
den Action of Rear
Admiral BroWnson.
SURGEON RIxEY TALKS
Clash Occurred Over Command
of Hospital Ship Going With
a Battle Fleet.

Washington, Dec. 2G.-Surgeon Gen
eral RiXey Of the navy returned home
last night. and in response to inquiries
in regard to the resignation OF Admiral
Brownson as chief OF tne bureau of
navigation gave out a statement as
to the hospital snip Relief which has
figured prominently in the episode.
While disclaiming any knowledge as
to the exact cause of Admiral Brown
sons resignation the surgeon generals
statement leaves scarcely a doubt that
friction between the bureau of navi-
cation and the medical department of
the navy was potent factor. The
controversy had its origin in the mat
ter of sending a hospital ship with the
battleship fleet on its voyage 10 the
Pacific. over which there arose Il CON
fict of authority as to whether med
ical officer or officer of the line should
be assigned TO the command.
While disclaiming any knowledge
to the exact cause of Admiral Brown
sons resignation the surgeon generals
statement leaves little room for doubt
that the controversy was a potent
factor. Surgeon General RiXey main
tains that hospital ships always have
been commanded by medical officers.
ttritb
crew for the purpose of navigation.
This particular vessel, R:xey says,
formerly belonged to the army, and
always was commanded by medical
officer when used as a hospital ship.
In attempting to unity the medical
services of army and navy, the joint
army and navy board of medical Off
GERS which was convened by executive
order more than a year ago. recon-
mended that hospital ships should
be commanded by medical officers
and that recommendation was approx
ed by both the secretaries of war and
of the navy in general orders.
Under Surgeon General.
Since the civil war, he says, all hos
pital ships and medical transports for
the army have been placed under the
surgeon general of the army. He says
further that the Japanese naval hos
pital ships are commanded by medical
officers after having tried line officers
These ships are simply floating hos
pitfalls, properly under control of the
medical department, and should be
conducted in peace exactly as in war
This is especially so, because during
the war line officers cannot be spared
Rixey maintains that it has always
been a doubtful question if the Gen
eva and Hague agreements cOul(
guarantee the neutrality of thest
ships if line officers and crew were
aboard, and it was this which prevent
ed the Japanese during the recent wa,
with Russia from using line officer;
on hospital ships.
Has Been Interfered With.
"The internal administration of tn,
bureau of medicine and surgery" h,
says, has been, in my opinion, to-
much Sinterfered with by the burea,
of navigation. This interference ha
at times caused much concern as L
how | could meet the needs of thos
under our care. The hospital shi
Relief should now be with the battl,
ship fleet on its cruise. but the burea
of navigation thought otherwise. an
the fleet of $1,000 men with its auxi
iaries is without a hospital shop. an
will be until it arrives at Magdalen
bay. more than three months frol
now
Duties of Another Nature.
Rixey adds that he cannot unde
stand how Admiral Brownson shoul
be especially interested in the Office
ing of the hospital ships as his dutiC
lie in another direction, and that i
should not interfere in a matter poin
ing entirely to the bureau of mediciT
and surgery, and therefore to be d
cided by the secretary of the nav
The surgeon generals statement in fu
follows:
Il have been called upon by tel
phone many times today in regard
the resignation of Rear Admir-
Brownson. Brownson and have bee
friends for many years, and when {
duty in Washington as naval attendil
surgeon, | was his family physicia
His resignation as chief of the bure;
of navigation has been assigned
various causes, among others to a d
ference of opinion as to the commai
of the hospital ship Relief. While
do not know that this is the cause