Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-27
WINSLOW is IN CHARGE
Developments Await the Return Of
the President.
HISTORY OF THE CONTROVERSY
Surgeon Stokes Summoned to Wash
ington November 30-His
Career in the Navy.

he OTIeF, QdIeO beCeI1DcE -.
detaching Rear Admiral w. II. Brownson
from duty as chief of the bureau OF navi-
cation. was made public at the Navy De-
partment today. The same order detaches
him from his membership in the joint
army and navy board. Commander Wins
low continues to act as the head of the
bureau pending the selection of an Of
ficer for permanent assignment to that
duty.
Secretary Metcalf again today declined
to enter into any discussion of the issues
which prompted Rear Admiral Brownson s
resignation as chief of the navigation
bureau, and declared he knew nothing
about the statement of Surg. Gen. Rixey
that the internal administration of the
bureau of medicine and surgery had been
interfered with by the bureau of naviga-
ton.
Awaiting the President.
1t was stated today that there will be
no change in the situation pending the
return of the President. Meanwhile, Com
mander Winslow is acting chief Of the
bureau Of navigation, and the orders for
mand Of the hospital ship Relief. prepared
in the bureau of medicine and surgery.
are held up in the office of the acting
chief of>the bureau of navigation.
The officials await the President
specific instructions before issuing the
formal orders in this case. in accordance
with the Presidents announced policy.
Dr. Rixey is now with the President and
family at Pine Knot.
Stokes Called to Washington.
November 30 orders were issued by the
1a&a
Charles F. Stokes from the Naval Hos
pital at San Juan. P. R.. and ordering him
to report to Surgeon General Rixey, at
the Navy Department, for special tempo
rary duty. Surg. Stokes came to Wash
orders. and December IL reported to
Surgeon General Rixey at the Navy De-
partment. He took up his quarters at
the Raleigh Hotel, and his stay was de-
scrtbed as indefinite.
A few days ago Surgeon General Rixey
recommended Surgeon Stokes for the CON-
mand Of the Relief. Then the storm
broke. Rear Admiral Brownson plainly
told the Secretary of the Navy that such
an assignment to ship command would
eral Rixey heard of the action OF the
chief of navigation he protested to Presi-
dent Roosevelt that the attitude of the
bureau OF navigation was .humiliating"
proved the recommendations Of the sur
geon general for the assignment of Sur
geon Stokes to the command OF the Re-
lief, but the actual orders have not yet
been issued.
So far as can be ascertaincd. there
is no precedent in the navy for the
placing of any naval vessel, manned
with a naval crew, under the command
of staff officer.
In Spanish War.
During the Spanish-American war the
only hospital ship in use in the navy
was the Solace. She was commanded
by Commander Andrew Dunlap, now
a retired rear admiral. The navigating
and executive officer of the Solace on
that occasion was Lieut.. Edward Lloyd.
Jr., of Maryland, now commander in
the navy. There were also several
other line officers on board the Solace
as watch officers.
The surgeons aboard were simply
there as such. In his annual report in
1898 Surgeon General w. X Van Rey-
pen went out of his way to compliment
the line officers of the Solace, saying
that Commander Dunlap is an ideal
commander" He also praised highly
the medical officers of the vessel-Sur-
geon Streets and Passed Assistant Sur
geons Stokes, Smith and Bogert.
Career of Surgeon Stokes.
Surgeon Charles F. Stokes, the subject
of the present controversy between the
naval line and staff, is one of the ablest
and most popular officers in the staff of
the navy. He was graduated from the
College of Physicians and Surgeons, Co
lumbia University. in 1884. He was for
a time at the Chambers Street Hospital,
and then became, in turn, house surgeon
of the Bellevue and Gouverneur hospitals,
and subsequently visiting surgeon to the
New York Hospital.
From this field of practice he entered
the navy, where he has served in many
capacities for twenty years. During the
Spanish-American war he was with Ad-
mfral SIMPSONS fleet as senior operating
surgeon on the Solace. He was on the Buff
falo during the Chinese expedition, and
latec on the Ore gon in China. He has been
to the Philippines several times, and was
recently stationed at San Juan. Before his
assignment to San Juan Surgeon Stokes
served as a professor Of surgery in the
Naval Medical School in this city and was
the attending physician for President
Roosevelt and family for several months.
He is the author of book on drills ana
exercise. used in the navy. In athletics
he is we'll known, being considered one of
the best boxers in the navy. which par
ticular qualification undoubtedly endeared
him to the President, aside from his rec
ognized ability in his profession.
SURGEON GENERAL PRAISED