The Washington herald., 1908-05-03
The Naval Title Fuss

The celebration of the defeat Of the
project 10 allow naval staff officers to
have the rank and title Of their respective
grades is made the occasion in the New
York sun OF some references which are
unfair to that branch of the personnel Of
the naval establishment, II is no argu-
ment against the conference of these
titles to refer to the situation In such.
words as these;
But the war proceeds hercely as ever in the
dTaWingFooms and boudoirs Of Washington. and
there at least the star officers are winning nnumsr
able if boodless yictores-the only kind permitted
By their occupations. Upon these attractive Aelds.
around the dinner tables. and in the society col
Of the newspapers. the doctors. eommissaFies.
constructors &c., swagger unmolested With their
wariks labels, the pomp aud panopiy Of conflict IN
riotous evidence"
1t is such uncomplimentary and unfair
comparisons which have precipitated this
service controversy; and if there is any
condition which has made this possible it
must be in the titles which the STAFF
officers want and which many line offl-
GERS believe they should have without
the invidious distinctions which now ex-
ist. The persistency with which it is
made manifest that there IS a part Of
the naval personnel which is not of the
fighting" sort constitutes a grievous
feature of the whole ridiculous agitation
This is emphasized by the same New
York paper In quoting from a circular
issued from the headquarters of the So
ciety OF American Wars in Washington
announcing the results of the annual cleo
tion OF officers, with Admiral" II. T..
B. Harris as commander general and
with Admiral George Dewey as a vice
commander general. Attention is called
10 the fact that H. 7. B. Harris is
simply a former Paymaster General OF
the Navy, and that there is really only
one admiral in our navy. the other ''ad-
mirals" being rear admirals. The same
list contains the name Of Gen" George
A. Woodward. U. S. a., as another vice
commander general; but the New York
paper fails 70 observe that there is no
general in the United States army. all
the generals" being brigadiers or major
generals Yet in the army the question
! OF titles AaS NltdNEu % 4AttAS NA1AN'i "N@'-~N
| that Gen. Woodward continues TO be a
/ general" although. in mater of fact, he
/ is only a brigadier. AS We have remarked
/ before. the same indifference to line and
( staff titles In the army might possibly be
introduced proftably into the naval serv-
I ice. Then an officer might be called 'ad-
miral" when he was really 4 rear admiral.
/ or be called rear admiral when he is re
/ ce:ving the pay Of that grade and is en-
/ loving that so-called relative rank.
/ Incidentally. it would be a good thing
for the navy to have the conditions at
/ tending the personnel so adjusted that
an officer who looks after food and cloth
/ ing. who attends the sick and injured,
! or who designs and constructs would be
/ regarded as the equal of the officer who
stands on the bridge TO navigate, or who
1 has something TO do with the direction Of
gun fire. In time Of war that part Of the
military and naval services which have
to do with supplying food and looking
after the wounded is considered OF EN-
inent value, and most people who are
not impregnated with the prejudices Of
/ the service regard all officers as OF the
fighting" personnel when they are
part OF the lighting machine. The gun
that starts the projectile on its mission
/ of destruction is quite as essential as
/ the devastating missile Itself.