The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-29
MAY REORGANlE
NAVY DEPARTMENT
Congress As Well as Naval
Circles Greatly Stirred by
Controversy.
RlxEY is NEAR PRESIDENT
General Has His Sup
port-Florida's New Senator's
Career.
Times.Dispatch Bureau,
MtInsey l3iiiIdinr

Washington. d. c. Dec. %.
The controversy between the Pres
fdent and the surgical department of
the navy on one side, and the line,
represented by Admiral Brownson. on
the other, has no new development to-
day, but there are indications that it
will grow in intensity. Senator Hale,
the veteran chairman of the Commit
tee on Naval Affairs, intimates pretty
clearly in an interview printed to-day
that he will endeavor to have Con-
Eress take a hand. 1t is certain that
Senator Hale will not side with the
President.
1t is also practically assured that
Congress will be asked to order gen
eral overhauling of the Navy Depart
ment, and that a measure providing
for this will be introduced shortly AZ
ter Congress reconvenes. The War De-
partment. which was thoroughly re-
organized by Secretary Root after the
Spanish War. is still demonstrating
the wisdom of such course in great
1y improved efficiency.
The need of such reorganization in
the Navy Department is clear to all
save those who are faring exceedingly
well under the present bureaucratic
system. Even some Of these recognize
the need of reorganization. notably
Admiral Brownson himself, who gave
up a position at the head of the most
important bureau of the department.,
the Bureau of Navigation, in protest
against the present system.
No Countcrmund Expected,
Meanwhile. the order that Surgeon
Stokes. instead of an officer of the line,
take command of the Relief. the hos
pital ship fitting out at San Francisco,
has been issued, nor is there the least
Likelihood that it will be counter
manded. Surgeon General Rixey, of
the navy, is probably closer to the
President than is any other man in
the country. He is with lin at Pine
Knot. Naturally, the surgeon-gen
desires that his branch of the service
shall receive fullest recognition, and
his counsel, responsible in the first in
stance for the order, will never be for
Its resembling. Rescision is not likely.
AS stated more than once in this
correspondence. the incident of the
Relief is only the Immediate cause of
the present renewal of the old contro-
versy over the position of officers of the
regular line, the Annapolis men. the
real sailormen of the navy, and the
officers Of the staff-that is, the sur
geons and paymasters. The magazine
article just published, written by an
artist, brought the old controversy to
the fore again. Bureaucratic methods,
so frankly criticized, which criticism
was Endorsed by Rear-Admiral Melville
and Rear-Admiral Brownson. We're
charged with responsibility for evils
which were alleged to initiate against
the greatest measure of efficiency in
our navy. The writer did not know
then that it was proposed to put a
surgeon in command of a vessel of the
navy. The order to that effect brought
matters to a focus and Admiral Brown
son is out and naval men are lined up
for fight which will be warmer than
any in the annals of the department.
The Old Controversy.
Naval officers, that is. line officers.
have long made a fight against staff
officers, that is, members of the medi-
cal corps and the pay corps, wearing
naval titles. 1t Is impossible to find
a line officer, for instance. who VII.
acord to Surgeon-General RiNcy the
title Of admiral. though he has the
rank and pay of that grade. Officers
of the pay corps are entitled to rank
and pay of corresponding grades in
the line, and many of them claim the
title OF such rank. The chief conten-
ton of the line is that such titles are
confusing, that when a man has the
title of admiral, for instance. he is sup
posed to be sailor, one who is COM
petent to command and navigate a
ship.
A rear admiral of the line in con-
versation with The TimesDispatch
correspondent to-day, remarked:
ut is SO now that when man is
said to be an admiral, always ask,
"Tar. pills, or pay?"
That is. is he sailor. or an officer
of the medical staff or of the pay
corps?
Senator William j. Bryan.
Not in a. long time has the selection
of United States Senator excited more
Interest in Washington than the APP
pointment of William j. Bryan 10 the
vacant seat of the late Senator Nal
lory, OF Florida. OF course, the fact
that the young man bears such dis
tinguished name is largely responsible
for the interest in him, but the fur
Their fact that he is only thirty-two
years old, and will be the youngest
man in the Senate, also makes his com
:.