Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-01-10
HALE BILL IN SENATE
Senator's Navy Measure SIaps
 President Roosevelt. .4
FORBIDS STAFF TO COMMAND
1t Places Medical Officers In the Line, but Prohibits Them to Take Charge of Ship-Brownson Rixey Controversy to Be Investigated.

70 DC lnVeStiqateo,
 Washington, Jan. 10.-There will be a complete inquiry into the Brownson- Rixey controversy by the senate, in which all of the details of the contest between these two men, which finally led to the retirement of Rear Admiral Brownson, will be aired in the open. This much was agreed to by Senator Hale, chairman of the committee on naval affairs, after Senators Tillman and Eoraker made formal requests for an open inquiry, in which Admiral Brownson would have an opportunity of stating his side of the case. in view of the refusal of the president to make his statement public.
 Republican leaders in the senate have been hesitating for several days as to whether an inquiry should be called for or not. It was agreed that it would be unwise to attack the pres ident openly, but that the same result might be accomplished directly by the introduction of a general bill reorganiz- ing the navy.
 For some months Senator Hale's committee has been in possession of an act introduced by Senator Dick re- organizing both the army and the na- ". President Roosevelt has approved the bill and desires very much that it should be passed before his term ex- .pires.
 !. Senator Hale introduced the naval section of this bill, with a number of changes, leaving the army portion to be reintroduced by Senator Dick and referred to the committee on military affairs
 Since the president has urged re- peatedly the passage of law embody- ing the provisions of Senator Hale's bill, the antiadministration senators be- lieve they have the executive at dis advantage.
 Senator Hale accepts the challenge of the president in his letter on the Brownson affair, published on Monday, in which he declared that hereafter medical officers would command naval hospital ships unless otherwise order ed by congress"
 Senator Hale takes medical officers out of the stan and places them in the line, but makes 1t illegal for them to command ship. z.--
 AS soon as the measure was intro duced Senator TiIlman asked If Sena- tor Hale would allow witnesses to be called and examined on the Brownson affair and the Reuterdahl criticisms. Tn replying Senator Hale said:
 .While realize that the subject is of grave importance and is quite wor- thy of the direct attention of congress. I have selected this method of getting at the facts instead of submitting the navy department to the harmful effects which might be produced by a direct inquiry"
 He ther went on to explain the vari- ous provisions of his bill, pointing out that the creation of numerous boards in the past had caused many contro- yersies between the line and the stan. all of which had proved harmful. He added that he believed the time had come 10 abolish these boards alto gether in order to leave the various bureaus free to do the work for which they were created without embarrass- ment
 Tn discussing the provision to permit only seventy-fve of the members of the graduating classes from the Naval academy to enter the regular service, turning the others back to civil life. Senator Hale brought a protest from Senator Gallinger. who declared that he did not believe that the govern ment funds should be spent in educat- ing young men for civil life. Senator Tillman then renewed his demand for an inquiry.
 What We want 10 find out" he ex- claimed. 'is whether all these charges about unseaworthy ships and improp- CT equipment which are being pub lished in the magazines are true or not. If all ships are what We believe them to be. we should know it. and if We are not getting our moneys worth we should know 1t also.
 ''I don't believe the Brownson affair should be allowed to pass over in It's present status. l notice that tine presi- dent. who has always been crying for a square deal. has denied it to Rear Admiral Brownson"