Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-06
PRESIDENT
RAPS FORMER
BUREAUHEAD
sUNSEEMLY AND IMPROPER"
HIS CONDUCT
CHIEF EXECUTIVE DEFENDS HIS
OWN POSITION
Letter from White House Asserts
Navigation Experts Actions In
Reslonlns 5ordered on
the Childish :.

fEHMNNuutu
with the department I Will deal with IN
q separate letter. - y.
.r+,raIv Legitimate differences of opinion
aIthough in my Judgment the considera-
lions in favor of the course decided upon
a~a o,erxVheluling. But there Is no room
fo~ d,feerences of opinion as to the gross
,mnropriety of the admirals conduct IN
resigning sooner than carry OUT the Or
riers of his superior officers IN suoh
matter. ..,o,,.-
her that II is not merely childish, but
IN the highest degree reprehensloie, 70
hermit personal pique, WOUNDED vanity
or factional feeling on behah OF soiile
,arficuIar bureau to render them as
loval TO the interests OF the navy ai'u
therefore of the country as Whole. ne
question whether one orncer OF anothei
should command ship IS OF httie culiSe
ouence compared with the weakening OF
ali command and discipline which Woulo
,.ee,,lt ~ officers were to refuse to serve
when their tenpers are ruffied by ADVERSE
decisions on the part OF their supeflors.
rrhs,r sole concern should be the good OF
the service, and save only the lack OF
courage in actual warfare onedienee anu
loyalty are the most essential auaiities N
keeping the service up to the highest
standard. -.
ss-rhe different bureaus Of the DEPART
ment. the different branches of the SER
vice. must act in cooperation. ana tne
ouestions that arise between them must
he settled by the authority OF the sec
rotary of the navy and OF the president
under and in accordance with the law
enacted by congress; and the hrst outy
of every officer, whether OF the me OF
the nav department, Of the medical oe-
nartment or of the construction depart
nant. whether in one bureau or an
other Is TO give immediate and loyal
obedience to every lawful command OF
superior and, of course, above all, TO tine
law itself.
..-rbls duty is incumbent upon all, but 1t
is most incumbent upon those high IN
rank whose example may be OF far-
reaching effect.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
Supports His Ideas
The presidents second letter to Mr..
Metcalf is an argument to sustain ms
scheme of assignment of officers TO COM
rnand the hospital ships. The second let
ter says:
srYour predecessor in the navy depart
neut on December II, 1906 directed that
hospital ships had been treated as noat-
ing hospitals and that each such snip
should therefore be placed under the
command of medical officer. the navi-
gaion being controlled by competent
sailing master.
saThis order was issued after the most
careful consideration by the secretary of
the navy and by the president. of all the
reasons that could be adduced for and
against it. The. case has now been re-
onened and the secretary of the navy ana
the president have again listened to and
considered all the reasons that could be
adduced against putting the order into
effect.
AFTER the fullest consideration I have
determined that the order is right and 1t
is hereby confirmed.
ssrhe hospital ships of the navy will
hereafter, unless otherwise directed by
congress, be placed under the control and
command of medical officers OF the navy
their navigation being exclusively con-
trolled by competent sailing master ana
civilian crew, the sailing master having
the complete responsibility for every
thing connected with the navigation of
the ship. Such a ship is merely float
ing hospital. The hospital ship now in
question, the Relief. has already beer
used BY the United States army as such.
II was then commanded by a medical Of
ficer with a sailing master under him.
This arrangement has worked well and
II is preposterous to suppose that it will
a.
If this navy as under medical officer OF
the army"
Cites Other Examples
The president cites the experience of
foreign navies as well as that of the
United States as proving the wisdom of
The order issued. The absurdity of per-
hitting n line officer to command a hos
pifal ship was shown, the president says.
in the case of the United States hospital
shop Solace during the war with Spain.
when the line officer in command actually
attempted to put in claim for prize
money for the part the Solace took in
the capture of the Adult while the Solace
was flying the Red Cross flag and pro-
Tossing neutrality.
On another occasion the Solace inter
fered with the passage of schooner in
the old Bahama channel, so that the
United States torpedo boats nearby could
board and investigate her. On yet an
other occasion. but for the vigilance of
the medical officers aboard her, the So
lace would have carried armed men from
New York TO Cuba. Her senior medical
officer reported the violation Of neutral
ity TO the navy department and the ship
was recalled after passing through the
Narrows and the armed men removed.
The president closes his letter by say
ing: 'srhe hospital ships afioat should
no more be under the command or line or
ficers than regiments or warships should
he under the command Of surgeons; one
kind of appointment Is quite as inappro-
pirate as the other.
Hospital Ships for Peace
Hospital ships are to be maintained II
time of peace exactly under the same
conditions as in times of war The sys.
TEN has been tried in the army and tried
in foreign navies and has worked with.
out a hitch. 1t is the only system that
should re tolerated; and II It faie to work
well this failure can only be due to lack
Of desire to have II work well on tbs
part of those concerned.
Il direct that, unless congress pro.
vides otherwise. the practice in the navy
be similar to that now observed in tbs
army. In the army the hospital ship /.
treated as a general hospital; and articl,
467 reads as follows:
"'General hospitals will be under tn,
exclusive control of the surgeon genera
and will be governed By such regulations
as the secretary of war may prescribe
The senior surgeon will command tn,
same
Admiral Brownson was shown the presi
dents letter today and asked II he fel
at liberty to say something In his own be
half.
mot word" was his prompt reply
and this attitude he maintained to all In
quiries Tor mis- views. The admiral ha
consistently declined 70 say anything TO
publication in the whole matter.