Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-31
Navy Officers Of the Line
Cheer Senator Hale
For His 0utspoken Stand In
Their Official Behalf.


The navy officers of the line, which
means all navy officers except paw
masters, doctors, civil engineers, and
chaplains, are throwing up their hats
for Senator Hale. There are very many
Of these line officers on duty in WASH
ington. They were greatly cast down
miral Rixey. the chief of the Medical
Corps. and thus forced the resignation
Of Admiral Brownson, the Presidents
personal friend, as chief of the Bureat,
of Navigation.
Heretofore Senator Hale has been
known as a good friend of the staff
officers, which means paymasterS. doc
tors, civil engineers and chaplains. He
never has approved of any attempts
to deprive the staff officers of proper
privileges, which has figured in the
navy's old and deep rooted fight He
would allow doctors and paymasters to
be called admirals and captains and
commanders and SO on down the grade,
whenever they were promoted TO that
relative rank. That is done in the
army and has always worked well. An
army pc vmaster or an army doctor is
lieutenant, captain, major. colonel, or
general. according to the grade IN
which he is serving.
Put it seemed to the line officers, who
have been somewhat naughty, perhaps.
in standing for ancient prerogatives.
that they were nearly down and out
when Admiral Rixey got the decision
and was given authority to put 4 navy
doctor in command of the hospital ship
- Epl, -,
the many quiet ways that n navy Of
ficer can devise, but none the less the
Presidents order must be obeycd.
Furthermore no line officer could
talk, for it would subject him TO court
martial Admiral Brownson's mouth
was closed. He could say a great deal.
for he is firm believer in the futilitv
of putting doctor in command of 4
ship. Some very tart words passed be-
tween him and the President, which
have not been allowed to reach the
public.
1t was at Il critical point. however,
that Senator Hale. who is chairman of
. the committee on naval affairs and very
potential in navy matters here, came
to their rescue. And that is why they
are throwing up their caps for him and
proclaiming his praises.
The senator has taken no radical
ground, to be sure, for he is relinquish-
ing none of his former ideas. Admiral
Brownson is an officer in whom the
senator has great confidence and he is
interested that the officer should have
justice and nothing more.
Some officers of the line, who by the
hundreds and almost by the thousands,
are very aggressive in trying to get
things from Congress, have not always
relished Senator Hale's stern ideas
about the proprieties for men who wear
the countrys uniform. He has been
unwilling to grant them anything like
as much as they wanted and more than
once has rebukod these officers for GO
ing to the Capitol to lobby for legisla-
ton. They learned long ago to give
him a wide berth when on such err
rantis. although senators less firm, while
regretting the lobbying practice, have
been more tolerant of it,
Nov, however, all this is forgotten ir
their gratitude for the senator's cham
pionship of line officers as having the
sole right to tread the quarter deck
He made it plain in an interview that
he thought Admiral Rixey was wrong
in his contention that medical officers
authority should be supreme aboard
hospital ships.
Admiral Rixey, a very agreeable gen.
tleman, is nevertheless far from popular
with navy officers in Washington. he
has enjoyed exceptional privileges al
the White House during the admins.
trations of Presidents Mckinley anc
Roosevelt. He has long agitated for the
recognition of navy titles for officers OF
the Medical Corps. which recognition
Senator Hale would grant the corps b!
appropriate legislation. but Admira
Rixey has been so persistent about n
as to earn the dislike of navy officers
Of the line. He is the only chief OF
bureau in the department. who puts
his name in the local telephone book
AS a matter of fact the only two adj
Inirals mentioned in the book as sucf
are Admiral George Dewey and "Ad-
mirar Rixey. At best Admiral RiNey
is only a rear admiral and if he is tC
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