The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1908-01-03
NAVY STIRRED
BY WRANGLE
Between Admiral Brownson and
Surgeon-Gsnsral Rixie.
Def is SHOWN TEDDY
Brownson Refused to Transmit Order Of
President Assigning Doctor to Com
mand Of Hospital ship.


"A Washington special says: Not
since the days preceding the passage
Of the personnel law ten years ago
has the feeling between the line and
stan 81 the navy been SO acute as ii
is just now, as the result Of the re-
fusal Of Admiral Brownson to trans-
NIT orders from his superior officer.
the president Of the United States. as
signing a naval surgeon to command
d vessel in the navy.
In the case Of the personnel act, it
was Mr.. Roosevelt, then assistant SEQ
rotary Of the navy, who acted the part
Of the pacifcator and succeeded In
bringing the two warning factions to-
gethog In support Of the legislation
which for a decade past. though a
makeshift, has served to maintain
peace between the two factions in the
navy In the present Instance, how
ever, the efforts Of the president to
reconcile the surgeons and the line Of.
Ulcers has failed, and 1t Is probable
that the whole controversy will be
heard on its merits iii congress. This
is much deprecated by conservative ON
GERS iii both line and staff. al like.
ly to prove prejudicial to. the navy's
interest ais whole, for they believe
that in order to succeed IN securing
from congress the four great battle
ships, the cruisers, scouts and subTna-
rines which form a part Of tho years
naval estimates, In addition to secur-
ing Legislation that will better the lot
Of naval officers personally, the navy
must present uns.sd front. which
cannot be done If just at the begin
ming Of a session. line and stan are
to engage In strife
Through the published statement Of
Surgeon General Rixey, the merits Of
the doctors side Of the case In this I'M
stance have been clearly set forth. Line
officers believe that In common fair
ness they should have hearing. But
they are In an embarrassing position
In that respect. Admiral Brownson
preceded his resignation by cold,
clear and logical presentation 81 the
reasons why he objected to command
a naval ship, even If the vessel were
exclusively devoted to hospital uses.
That statement was submitted to the.
president, and, Notwithstanding the
staff has had Its say in print, applica-
tions at the white house for this let
ter are met with refusal. Now it ia
clearly impossible for Admiral Brown
son or any Of his line officers to make
public a copy Of the letter, ~ithouts.
mourning the event Of courtmartIaI
on charges OF disrespect toward their.
superior officer, the presfGshs 81 tho
United Statesi SO they can only look
for change in the executive mind I
or for the congressional investigation
which will develop all the facts.
1t may be stated in the absence Of
the text Of Admiral Brownson's let
ter that his objection to the execution
Of the presidents order to place q Il
surgeon in command OF the hospital
Ship Relief was twofold. Im.the first
place, like every line officer. he be-
lieyed that the subordination Of any
line officer, no matter how low in
grade, to a staff officer on shipboard,
was bad policy and subyersiye Of ma
val discipline But a stronger objec-
ton in his mind was that the pro-
posed action was clearly illegal inas-
much as 1t is forbidden by law or ma
val regulation to assign stan oficer
to command ship. 1t is only fair
to the staff to state that this Is de-
batable ground and that it would not
be difficult to construe the naval laws
and regulations in either way So 1t is
not to be doubted that when the sub
ject comes before congress for consid-
Grafton the lawyers In that body win
find material to support either conten-
ton.