The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-01-08
hOoSEVELT USES HARSH Ian.
GUAGE IN CRITIClsING RES.
IGNATION.

says TA"irars Conduct Was Unseen.
ahd Improper in That He Re.
iused to Obey Orders OF Superior
omcer-Intimation is That Nava,
Officers Are Not to Have O,.in,,,s
f'"t do as President Says.
washington, Jan. 5.-President
Roosevelt's attitude on the ,,,.s.,o,
OF 'he command Of the hospital ships
the navy, which resulted in the
resignation Of Rear Admiral Villa ri
H. 1rownson' and. incidentally, some
caustic observations on that incident
ana the controversies among the nava,
oH1cers and their adherents as TO de.
tails of naval construction and n.,h
ods OF training, were made known To-
uay' when Secretary Metcalf gave TO
'he press two letters from the nras.
ident addressed to him on ,bes. CO.,
jects.
III the first OF these letters, Presi-
oeht Roosevelt, without mincine
words. condemns in unmeasurea +.u
the act of Admiral Brownson. de.
caring 1T to be unseemly and impron-
er. The question as to which Admira,
iSrownson took issue with the n.y,v
department, the president declares is
one as to which there can be entirel,
legitimate differences of opinion but
ne adds. there is no reason for d,f-
ference OF opinion as to the gross
impropriety Of the admiraps conduc,
IN resigning sooner than carry ont
the orders of his superior officers in
sucn matter. The officers OF the
navy must remember that il is not
merely childish but in the highest de-.
gree re2rehensible to permit either
personal pique, wounded vanity ,.r
iactional feeling On behalf OF some
particular organization, to rcndar
tnem disloyal to the interests Of the
navy and therefore of the country as
I whole"
| Regarding the controversies in Tho
navy the president admits there al
ways are and always will b. defects
u correct, both in the construction
Of the ships and in the organizatj IN
ct The department, and in the ac:ual
drill OF the fleet. It is well he saws
fnat these defects be pointed out but
it is also we'll that they should be
pointed out without hysterical exag-
scration or malicious untruthfulness
He scathingly rebukes those guilty of
exploiting them in grossly exagger-
ated form In the fancied interest Of
an individual or clique of individuals
'r Tor the sake Of supplying material
20 newspapers. Because Of so much
misrepresentation and exaggeration'
The president has asked Secretary
Me:calf for statement as to the ex-
"t Iacts concerning which there mas
:"em dispute. desiring particularly
tine opinion Of Admiral Converse, for
merry chief Of he navigation hur"an,
who because of his high professional
attainments and standards of con.
duct on duty. the president says, is
peculiarly fitted to give Judgment.
| The presidents second letter to Mr..
Metcalf is an argument to sustain his
decision to assign medical officers t.,
The command of hospital ships H.
recalls an order Of the navy depa t
nlent OF Dec. IL, 1906. made by Sec
retary Bonaparte, directing that hos
I'ital ships be placed u.der command
of 1 medical officer. Such shiI.s tn.
president therefore directs shall hero
afi"r, unless otherwise uire.ted b,
Congress, be placed unrler the contro,
AMI &C mmand Of medical officers ,!.ei,
ia tigation being exclusively controll
ed by competent sailing master and
civilian crew, the sailing master hav-
irg the complete responsibility for ev.
crything connected with the naviga-
tion Of the ship.
Hospital ships should be maintain-
ed in time Of peace exactly under tho
same conditions as in time of war;
declares the president; ''the system
has been tried in the army, and tried
in foreign navies and has worked
without hitch.'
Admiral Brownson was shown the
presidents letters today by a repre-
i
and asked If in view Of the fact that
Mr.. Rcosevelt's side cf the subject
had been stated in these communica-
tions, he would not feel at liberty to
say something in his own behalf. mot
a wcrd," was his prompt reply ana
this attitude he maintained to all IN.
quiries for mis- views The admiral
| has consistently declined to say any