Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-01-10
rs ADMIRAL BRONSON A
TRAIToR7

Secretary of the Navy which was
made public from the White House
Sunday would be startling II Mr..
Roosevelt had not famligrized us
with such outbursts. The severe and
extreme language employed against
an officer who, according to the Pros
idents own testimony. has rendered
"ilne service In the past." could ONLY
be justified bv the commission of
some flgrant offcnsc. TO refer to an
officer of the highest rank in the navy.
who has had long and honorable
record OF fine service" as Childish -
M governed by personal picue.'
wounded vanity" or fractional feel
ing,' and, ms climax. to charge such
an officer with "dlsloyalty" TO the I'm.
forests of tho navy and to the coun-
try, Is an Indictment of too grave n
character to he lightly made hy any
one least of all bv tile Commnndcr.in.
Chief Of the army aud navy. whose
words are supposed to be nuthoriia
tive and official. To saw tha: n man
Is "disloval To his, country" is. In ef
feet. to denonnce him as traitor to
his country. and treason by an army
or navy officer Is high crime and
misdemeanor. Tho onlv rnct that tho
President cites nv way of jnstifying
his language and charges against Al.
miral Brownson Ia that the latter re-
signed from the place OF chief Of the
Bnrrau Of Navigation because he did
not agree with the President and the
regarding an order. issued
before he came into tho bureau. rv
Inc Secretary OF tho Navy MS to the
control of the hospital ships"
| The impression is growing day by
day that In order to obtain promotion
in the army ana recognition IN the
navy. practical knowledge OF the
arts of the courtIer Is more scrvicca.
| ole than n record of fine service"
however distinguished What was
Admiral Brownson's offcnsc? He was
on the retired list of the navy lIav-
/ ing devoted all tho years of hia man.
mood TO the service and having served
well. he was entitled to retire from
nctlve work. But before retiring he
had hccn assigned rs chief of the Bu.
roau OF Navigation. and w,is kent
there. II is understood. Mt the Presi.
dents special request The President
Issued an order which In the Judgment
or Admiral Brownson was prejudical
To the service. He could not refuse
to obey thc order. but he could rc-
spoctfully protest against II and call
the attention of tho President to tho
danger which Ii involved to the scr.
vice. Finding himself absolutely ont
or accord with tho President on I'M
important question OF policy. there
was every reason why he should not
remain Mt the head Of the Bureau OF
| Navigation. Under the circumstances
II would have been "unseemly" ana
improper for him to have remained,
In resignlnE he surrendered easy
work ana large nay. To intimate
that such resignation savors in any
way OF disloyalty TO his country" OF
or treason. Is Il prepOstcrous abuse oil
language and distortion of facts. II
WAS rather tho act of n man who was
willing to surrender his own personal
advantage and n large income. and
incur the displeasure of the President
for what he esteemed tho gool of the
service. 1t was. and will he so con
sldered by the country. tho act of nm
nnseliish and loyal official. who pre-
fers what he believes to he the good
of the service TO his own case and
prosperity,
The mere mention or the recent at.
tacks upon the efficiency of the navy
in connection with Admiral Brownson
was an act of gross injustice, for Adj
miral Brownson has l'nen one OF the
stoutest defenders Of the navy from
those attacks.
4 IL VIII appear to MANY that his es
innate of his own infallible Judgment
and omni-scicncc Is such that the
President Is convinced that all those
who disagree with him are, and oil
necessity must be. traitors. The fact
that MIR Roosevelt has Mt last made
public Admiral Brownson's letter OF
designation Will not alter the impress
Sion that he has not been anxious ia
give him square deal 1t looks rs
II he had been forced by public opin.
ION to do what was demanded and
what he knew Congress would do for
him. His conduct In this case. MS in
others. has not heen generous or
chiyalrous or such as belts II knight
who carries banner with the lofty
device--"A Square Deal
The Spaniard whom. 1T is alleged
he shot in the back at San Juan Hill
was an avowed enemy of this country,
and had no right to complain, no mat
ter what part CT his anatomy was So.
lectcd for Mr.. Roosevelt's lead. But
for a naval officer of the United
States. who is practically defenseless.
to be made the target for presidential
broadsides. does not appeal to tho
American sense of fair play.
The country will conclude that the
President has acted in this matter
more on historical impulse than with
calniness, justice and Judgment. II
will now be appropriate for Congress
to intervene and settle the natter
Baltimore Sun