The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-01-06
P RESIDENT HITS
ADM. BROWN
SON HARD.
Roosevelt Condemns Admiral
For Resigning.
"UNSEEMLY AND IMPROPER ;
Was 0lsioyal To Service and To The
Country He Had Sworn To
Serve.

WASHINGTON. Jan. d. - PRESIDENT
Roosevelts attitude on the question Of
the command Of hospital ships In the
navy, which resulted In the resigna-
ton Of Rear Admiral Willard H.
Brownson and incidentally some caus-
tic observations on that incident and
the controversies among the naval OIL
GERS and their adherents as to details
of naval construction and methods Of
training. were made known here when
Secretary Metcalf gave to the press
two letters from the president address
ed to him on the subjects.
In the first of these letters President
Roosevelt. without mincing words, con-
demns In unmeasured terms the act Of
Admiral Brownson, declaring 1t to be
unseemly and improper. The question
as to which Admiral Brownson took
issue with the navy department, the
president declares, is one that there
can he entirely legitimate differences
of opinion, but" he adds, "there is no
gross improperly Of the admiral's con-
duet in resigning sooner than carry out
the orders of his superior officers In
such a matter The officers of the navy
must remember thgt it Is not merely
childish, but in the highest degree rep
rehensible to permit ether personal
pique, wounded vanity or factional
feeling on behalf of some particular
bureau or organization to render them
disloyal to the interests of the navy
and therefore of the country as a
whole"
Regarding the controversies in the
navy, the president admits there al
ways are and always will be defects
to correct both In the construction Of
ships and In the organization of the
department and In the actual drill OF
the feet. 1t is well, he says. that
these defects be pointed out, but II Is
also well that they should be pointed
out without hysterical exaggeration or
malicious untruthfulness. He scath-
ingly rebukes those guilty of exploiting
them I'm grossly exaggerated form in
the fancied interest of an individual
or clique of individuals.
Because Of 80 much misrepresenta-
ton and exaggeration" the president
has asked Secretary Metcalf for
statement as TO the exact facts con-
corning which there have been dis
putes desiring particularly the opinion
of Admiral Converse, formerly chief Of
the navigation bureau, who because Of
his high professional attainments and
standard of conduct and duty the pres
ident considers peculiarly fitted to give
judgment. The presidents letter says
in part:
in accordance with our conversation
of today, Captain Pillsbury will be APP
pointed chief of the bureau of naviga-
ton.
The action of the late chief of the
bureau, Admiral Brownson. in tender
ing his resignation because he did not
agree with the president and the de-
partment regarding an order issued be-
fore he came into the bureau by the
secretary Of the navy, as to the con-
troll of the hospital ships, was unseen
ly and improper and, coupled with the
various controversies among the ofa-
GERS of the navy and their adhsrents
as to details Of naval construction and
methods of training, has undoubtedly
been prejudicial to the interests Of the
navy and may seriously impair the
confidence In the navy which is essen
tial to securing the legislation so sorely
needed by the navy. The way In
which the controversies have been car
rled out is highly injurious to the serv-
ice, whether the communications are
made openly over the signatures Of the
naval officers or by civilians who have
evidently gained their information
from naval officers.
II would willingly pass over the con-
duct of Admiral Brownson because Of
his fine service in the past If 1t were
not that at time when new chief
is chosen to succeed him 1t becomes
imperative to stamp with disapproval
the behavior, which. II followed
throughout the navy generally, would
literally ruin the navy's efficiency. The
officers Of the navy must remember
that 1t Is not merely childish. but In
the highest degree reprehensible to
permit either personal pique, wounded
vanity or fractional feeling or behalf Of
some particular bureau or organization
to render them disloyal to the inter-
ests of the navy, and therefore of the
oonntrv as a whole. The question