The sun., 1908-01-06
srArF RANK IN rHE NAYY.
A Doctor Thinks It should Confer the TSnss
Used IN no Lane.

AAAAtAAAN @N~HNA~N-
Used IN no Lans.
To rHn EDiroR or TIE suN-!sir: The i'm
pending agitation regarding the status OF
naval stan officers invites renectiOn and dis
cusslOn.
some years ago contemplated entering
the medical cOrps OF the United states Navy.
After enlightenment upon existing conditions
concluded not to do 80. The conclusion was
reached chieny a. . result OF conversations
with the late Captain George Peck. Medical
Director, U. 8. N, retired. and the late Rear
Admiral J. A. Smith. Pay Director. u. 3. N.
retired. Both were men Of liberal education
and qualified In every way to reflect credit
upon the 0overnment they had served. These
gentlemen. though holding by act Of Congress
the rank Of Captain and Rear Admiral respec-
lively. were In effect prohibited from using
these designations by decision" OF the
Secretary Of the Navy, published In the ArH'y
AND Nary journal in December. 1902.
am Informed that receipts for pay must
DO signed by naval officers with the designa-
tiOn OF their rank Can the Department JUS
tinSbly require the designation OF rank In
offioial communications to lt and prohibit
such designation for all other purposes2 Such
an attitude would seem 10 constitute q sort
OF paradox.
cannot in the least approve Of the propo-
sition to place medical officers In command
Of naval vessels. Il would be as logical to
expect a line of1oer 20 treat q case Of typhoid
fever or amDutate leg. But do contend
that rank conferred by law upon stan officers
equal In educational attainments and ability
in their respective professions to the gradu-
ates Of Annapolis should be positive rank,
earned through proved ability In their respec-
tive departments and not subject to the petty
QuibblinRs OF line sntagOnism.
A perusal OF the examination papers for
appointment to the medical corps OF the navy
is sufficient to show that candidates must
have completed four years course in medi-
cine. with hospital experience. and In many
instances a total collegiate education Of at
least eight years. before becoming qualified
to enter the United States naval service. IL
is not the rigidfty Of the examination. neces-
stating as II does a broad general education
in addition to the medical requirements. which
deters many good men from entering the
medical corps OF the navy. IL is rather the
eduivocal and undetermined status OF the
office they are called upon to Hll.
The law OF 1871 provided for stan deslgna-
tions OF officers OF the medical corps, pay
| corps. engineer corps. with the relative rank
| OF Lieutenant. Commander. Captain, &c.
The naval personnel act Of 1899 struck out
the word relative" a nd thereby. II would ap-
pear, conferred positive rank.
A so-called prOhibitivs clause exists in sec
tiOn OF the personnel act. as follows:
Neither shall this act be construed as chang
ing the titles of officers in the stan corps Of
the navy Now to the point. Where does
there exist a statute. legislative enactment
or other authority comforting title" on naval
| officers derive their accepted title from their
rankp A naval line Ofioer is commissioned
tain A naval surgeon is commissioned
medical director with the grade and rank Of
| Captain and must sign himself Captain in his
! receipts for pay, The line officer expects to
be addressed always as Captain through
the authority only Of usage. Why not, then.
ti9ctly conferred by law2 It's so In the army.
There can be no question but that certain
esprit de corps born OF Official recognition
by the Government OF attainments honorably
sGGIiTed must act sS STIMULUS Is toward con
/ thus recognized. The opposite attitude must
| invariably result in stagnation. The value
W. G. Gorgas OF the Army NJ MedicaI Corps in
| ridding Havana Of yellow fever and rendering
fsS SnaEy M to ys aaq o TCEn
Commission can scarcely be computed. They
| represent for this countrynnexampled achieve
] Observe in the records OF the Spanish-Amer-
| lean war the ratio OF those killed in battle 20
the number. dying OF disease. and then make
| In the war with Russia The result of such
a comparison is humiliating. but the figures
| A naval organization in order to constitute
an efficient fighting entity in time Of war and
| an efIlC1enB deterrent entity IN time oil peace
should above ali preserve harmony among
| its several elements. In no other way can
| thorough efficiency be secured. lnterOfiicial
| chickering's over uu uestiOns Of social distinction
| or precedence have no place in a well organ
| lied department OF a world Power.
| Rear Admiral RiXey, SurgeOn-G eneral of
the Navy. Is reported as recommending that
| the corps designation be appended to the
| stan designation in the medical CORPS l. G..
| Rear Admiral Medical Corps" | doubt II
| any stan officer would offer objection to such
| an enactment The rank is made unequivo-
| cal and the particular branch Of the service is
| designated. IL leaves no chance for mistak-
| ing a staR of1cer for n line officer and il is
entirely within the limits Of probability that
| a medical of1icer. valuing a. he should his
| degree OF NJ D., might not wish to invite such
/ a Contingenc In short. let every officer OF
| the United States Navy fulfil 20 the best of
his ability the duties OF the station to which
| he is commissioned, but let him also be ac-
| corded without reserve the privileges and
| smoluments thereof.
FREDERICK II. PIERsoN NJ d.
| ELIZABETH, n. j., January5.