Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-27
Navy LINE AND STAFF
AT SWORDS POINT,
Bitter Feeling Over Retirement Of Rear
Admiral broWnSon From the
Bureau Of Navigation.

Washington, Dec. 26.-Not since the
days preceding the passage Of The nor.
sonnet law 10 years ago has the feeling
pet"ee1 the line and staff OF the navy
been so acute as it is today. as th,.
result oil the refusal of Rear Adiniral
bro"nson to transmit orders from his
superior officer, the President of the
| nlted States, assigning naval sur
geon to command Il vessel in the navy
AS IN the case of the personnel act.
IL was Mr.. Roosevelt, then assistant
secretary of the navy, who acted the
part of pacilicator and succeeded i'm
bringing the two warning factions to
gether in support OF the legislation
which for 4 decade past, though a
makeshift, has served to mainta in
peace between the two factions in the
navy. In the present instance. however.
the efforts of the President to reconcile
the surgeons and the line officers has
failed and it is probable that the whole
controversy will be threShed out on its
merits in Congress.
This is much deprecated by conserva-
tive officers in both lire and staff, as
likely to prove prejudicial to the navy.s
interest as a whole, for they believe
that in order to succeed i'm securing
from Congress the four great battle
ships, the cruisers. scouts and sub
marines which form part of the years
naval estimates, in addition to securing
legislation that will better the lot of
naval officers personally, the navy must
present united front, which cannot
be done if just at the beginning Of =
xtorf 70 -
a fierce strife.
Through the published statement of
Surgeon General RiXey, the merits of
the Doctors side of the case in this in
stance have been clearly set forth. Linz
officers believe that in common fair
ness they should also have hearing,
but they are in an embarrassing posi-
ton in that resepCt. Admiral Brown
son preceded his resignation BY cold.
clear and logical presentation of the
reasons why he objected to the assign
ment Of a physician to command
naval ship even though that vessel
were exclusively devoted to hospital
uses.
That statement was submitted to the
President and Notwithstanding the staff
has had it's say in print. applications
AT the White House for this letter are
met with refusal 1t is clearly impos-
Sihle for Admiral Brownson or any Of
his line officers to make public copy
nf the letter without mourning the risk
Of q courtrlartial on charges Of disr@-
snect towards their superior officer. the
President OF the United states. SO they
can only look for change in the cXecu-
tive mind or for the Congressional In
yestigation which will develop all the
facts.
It may be stated in the absence of the
text of Admiral Rrownsons letter. that
his objection to the execution OF the
Presidents order to place surgeon IN
command of the hospital ship Keller was
two-fold In the first place, like every
line officer, he believed that the aubnrdi-
nation Of any line officer. no matter how
low in grade to q staff officer on ship
hoard. was bad policy and suhverSive OF
naval discipline. But n stronger oblec-
lion. in his mind. was that the proposed
lion was clearly illegal inasmuch as it
Il forbidden by law or naval regulation
t. assign a staff officer to command n
ship.
If is only fair TO the staff side to state
that TINS Is uSD1lsiillt Sioulih '''''' 49,
would not be difficult 10 consrue the naval
laws and regulations in either way. ="
il is not to be doubted that when the
subject comes before Congress for consid-
Grafton the lawyers in that body VIII ma
material to support either contention.
Now that the legality of the President
proposed action in the matter of assigning
of a staff officer in the person Of sur
reon Stokes to command the hospital
shin Relief has been called in question.
i, is proper to state that the reliance OF
tbe lire officers is upon n provision in
Section : of the naval personnel act OF
March 8. 1899. That section. among o'her
things. was designed to clear up DOUBT
that existed as to the right of a stan
officer to assume the title of line Off
Ger of n corresponding grade in the mat
fer of paw and emoluments and length OF
service Up to that date staff officers mad