New-York tribune., 1907-12-26
RNEY'S STATEMENT
ON BROWNSON CASE
TALKS fOF AUTHORITY
OYER HpSPIT4E SHIPS.
Surgeon GeneaM 1Sdgs Secretene'
Decreed MedicdSOHcers Should
Com mand Them.


the latter bureau, was made apparent to-nish1
In a statement issued by Surgeon General Pres
ley NJ Rixey. of the navy. in which ne louohs"
on the circumstances leading UP to the proo
able selection by the President of a medfcal
officer to command the hospital ship RELIEF
over the protest of Rear Admiral Willard n
BroWuson chief of the bureau of navigation.
who sent his resignation to the President yes
terday. While disclainling exact knowledge a.
to the cause of Admiral Brownson's res1sna-
ton the surgeon generals statement leaves lit
tie room for doubt that the controversy ne re-
views was potent factor.
Surgeon General Rixey maintains that hospital
ships as a rule, always have been commanded
by medical officers. with a sailing master and
civilian crew for purposes Of navigation inis
particular vessel. he says. formerly belonged 10
the army, and always was commanded Dy n
medical officer when used hospital ship In
attempting to unity the medical services OF the
army and the navy he says that Joint army
and navy board of medical officers which was
convened by executive order more than year
ago recommended that hospital ships should be
commanded by medical officers. and that that
recommendation vas approved by both the Sec
retary of War and the Secretary of the Navy In
general orders.
Since the Civil War, he says all hospital ships
and medical transports of the army have been
placed under the surgeon general OF the army
He says. further. that Japanese naval hospital
ships were commanded by medical officers after
having tried line officers
These ships, he says, simply floating hos
pitals properly under the control of the medi-
cal department and should be conducted in
peace exactly as in time of war This Is espe-
ciaIly so, he adds, because during time line
officers cannot be spared and DO not and should
not desire the command of these ships.
NEUTRALITY IN TIME Or WAR
He maintains that it always has been a doubt
full question if the Geneva and the Hague
agreements could guarantee the neutrality OF
these ships if combatant dine) officers and
crew were aboard. 1t was this doubt, he adds.
which prevented the Japanese in the recent
war with Russia from using line officers on
hospital ships.
The internal administration of the bureau OF
medicine and surgery he says. has been. in
my opinion, too much interfered with by the
| bureau of navigation. This interference has at
times caused grave concern to how I coUl1
meet the needs of those under care
The hospital ship Relief. he says. should
be with the battIeship feet on it's cruise. but.
he adds, THE bureau of navigation thought
otherwise and the fleet of fifteen thousand men.
with its auxiliaries. is without hospital ship
and will be until it arrives at Magdalena Bay
more than three months from now
He ADDS thdt ne cannot understand now Ad-
miral Brownson should be specially interested
in the offering of hospital ships. as his duties
lie in another direction. and that he should not
interfere in a matter pertaining entirely TO the
bureau of medicine and surgery. and therefore
TO be decided by the Secretary of the Navy The
surgeoa generals statement in full follows:
L have been called on the telephone many
times to-day in regard TO the resignation OF
AdH'Eral BrOwnson- Admiral BTownson and
have teen friends FOR many years. and when on
dut,, IN Washington as naval attending surgeon
/ vas his family physician.
MS resigna ton as chief of the bureau OF
navigation has been assigned TO various causes.
among others 10 difference of opinion To
the 1crrrand Of the hospital ship Relief While
I DO not know that this is a cause. il may be
interesting tc know the present status of this
question.
Hospital ships rule always have been
commanded by medical officers. with sailing
master and civilian crew for purposes of navi-
CATION. The Relief. formerly belonging to the
United States army. always commanded
by medical officer when used as a hospital
ship
A joint board OF army and ravy medical off,
GERS convened by executive order more than a
year ago to attempt to unity the medical ser
vice as much as possible recommended that hos
ptaI ships should be commanded by madicel
officers and the recommendation approved
by both the Secretary of War and the Secretary
of the Navy in general orders
The question was settled definitely so far "a
the army was concerned during the Civil War
and all hospital ships and medical transports
placed under the surgeon general of the army
The Japanese naval hospital ships We're com
manded by medical officers after having tried
line officers. Hospital ships are simply floating
hospitals and as such considered by all SER
vices to be properly under the control Of the
medical department which is directly resDon-
sibIe for the care of the sick and injured OF the
services
POWER OF MEDICAL OFFICERS
Naval medical officers have had positive rank
for some wears given them by act of Congress.
but as the of titles which indicate RANK has
been denied them it is not generally known
They also have the right to command IN their
own corps and all those who fntrusted 10
their care whether the sick list, in the hos
pitfalls hospital ships
| have contended that hospital ships should
be conducted in peace exactly as IN time ef
war During wartime line officers cannot De
shared and do not. and should not desire the
command of these ships. and it has always
been considered a doubtful question if. the
Geneva and Hague agreements could guarantee
the neutrality of these ships II c0Inbatant (line)
officers and crew aboard This very doub-
prevented the japanese from using line officers
on hospital ships.
sailing master and for the navigation of
the ship. has been proved over and over again
the proper personnel for this type of ship
The bureau of medicine and surgery is di-
rectly responsible for the welfare of the health
of the navy and every friend and relative looks
TO If for the care of the sick and wounded
This work should have the sympathy and active
support of every one
The internal administration of the bureau
of medicine and surgery has been. In my opin-
ion. too much interfered with by the bureau OF
navigation This interference has at times
caused me grave concern to how I could
meet the needs of those under our care
AT present the hospital ship Relief would Is
in commission and. after having dcne good ser
vice with the fleet before starting. would have
accompanied II on the cruise south The bu-
rea,l OF navigation thought otherwise. and the
fleet Of fifteen thousand men. with its auxflaries.
is without a hospital ship and viii be until It
arrives at Magdalena Bay. moro than three
months from now