The morning journal-courier., 1907-12-28
HALE RIDICULES
 STAFF COMMAND Chairman of Senate Committee on Naval Affairs Will Push Bill in Favor of Line
 Officers.
PRAISE FOR BRownsoM
Nevertheless, it is Expected Secretary Mctcalf Will Assign Medical
 Officer to Command of Hospital Ship.

Washington, Dec. 27.-The order as-
 signing Surgeon Charles F. Stokes to
 the command of the hospital ship Re-
 lief, it is expected, will be signed very
 soon. it having been definitely decided
 according to Secretary Metcalf, to ap
 point him to that position With this
 end in view every effort will be made
 to obtain merchant crew and master
 for the vessel. Failing to man the Re
 lief with a crew from the merchant
 marine, the enlisted force of the navy
 VIII be drawn op and a line officer will
 pc assigned as captain, in which case
 he will have command.
 Admiral Brownson's relinquishment of his position as chief of the bureau
 ot navigation, carrying with if, as it dias the ex-otf1cio connection with the naval general board always maintain- ed bS the head of that bureau, will result in a considerable loss of nav to him. Being entirely without duty and relegated to the retired list. his income will be diminished in the first place by the loss of the 25 per cent. full of the full pay of an admiral on the active list, namely $5500 a year. ALSO he will no longer receive the al- lowance to an active officer of his grade of $1,50o year for quarters and $500 for heat and light. 1t so happens, however, that Admiral Brownson Is a man Of independent means and able to disregard financial considerations in taking his stand as The champion of the line in the pres snt contest with the staff.
 Much interest has been expressed in
 he attitude of Senator Hale. chair nan of the senate committee on naval lffairs, towards the resignation of Ad- niral Brownson as chief of the bnre3,, # navigation The senator has not leretofore given expression to his Jews of the subject, but when seen o-day spoke very frankly in support # the admirals course. fl think that Admiral Brownsoni has acted with
 trustworthy courage and promptness rendering his resignation" said Sem ltor Haie. Adding that he had not en the admiral since his resignation, vas sent in. Mir. Hale continued.
 "l have always sustained the staff ificers in their fight for positive rank nd complete recognition such as are aceived by their peers in the army nd l now have a bill pending which , Ives them such recognition throueh- ht the service But In that measure lere is a precautionary provision sainst giving them actual command any naval vessel. This is the con :, nuation and an extension of the fight stWee1 the two branches of the ser Ice. That fight is the crux of the resent controversy and because Ink he is right my support is given ' tg the admiral as against : e contentiong of Surgeon General key II may be that on some occa- |. ons staff officers have been in com t and of vessels, but I know of no in- { ance when such officers have been U ven command after the point was {, ised and both sides were heard. !,
 not believe that the contention for U mmand by staff officers has been T essed seriously at any time in the ' ' st" n When asked for his reasons for the e e sitlon taken, Senator Hale replied: '
 They are entirely in the interests of Scipline. Think what might ha'ppen ~
 the command of the vessels should Y
 turned over to a chaplain or even to 4. .il paynlaster, and 1t Is just as reason VI le to put the crews of naval vessels v der the charge of those officers as 1t c to place them under the command of ss,' Evidently Admiral Brown 'i, ,r recognizes this fact, and being a n l,i ln of character and decision. he did V hesitate to resign his position .,i .h len, as the active head of navigation. ~ ! view of the law and of the best <, icy in the interest of the service was nl erruled, He will not lose anything ,e
 his manly course, either in the navy la with the public" sH