Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-01-31
Secretary hsIca|fe Decides Against
Doctor In One instance
ACTION TAKEN WAS A !uaPsIsE
There Was Much Pressue Brought 20
Bear Upon Brownson But He Re.
fused to Yield in His Position
ssockes' Power much curtaiIed.

geon-Generll Rixcy has; met his ilrSt
Waterloo ut the hands OF the secretary
OF the nav, in his fight 10 have The
hospital ship Relief placed under the
command OF 4 doctor OF his bureau
which led to the recent sensational
res ynatlon Of Rear-Admlral Brown
son as chief OF the bureau OF navl.
CATION.
Mr. Slercalf has put his foot down
10 the extent of the authority Surgeon
S'oaes Is to have in command OF The
Relief. and no shall not have command
OF apy officer except in the medical
Corps. Following this decision on the
part Of Secretary Metcalf. orders de.
failing Assistant Paymas;er r. H..
Williams to duty as the pay officer OF
the Relief were revoked today by
Rear-Admlial Pillsbury, chief Of nayl.
gstlon, on Secretary Mctcalrs nathor.
ity
This action came as q dis6;nct sur.
prisa 10 the officials OF the bureau OF
meS.!clne and surgery. aG DR.. RIxey
had understood that Surgeon Stokes
was 10 have q pay officer Of junior
tFaHe e;ntloned on his shin. The
naval laws and regulations have been
gen orally construed as prohibiting
naval surgeons from having command
ocer any officer In line or stan, not
In 'he medical corp. DR.. Rixey,
when he first presented the subject
10 the department n year ago last
hummer, recommo' Isd To Attorney.
Gen1J.al Bonaparte, then secretary OF
the navy. that the RELIEF when In
co-rmisslon should have aboard her
one CT more ehaplalns and officers
OF he pay corps" This recommen
dalton was Endorsed by Mr. Bonapartp
und r date of December r. 1900, and
as X has never been Withdrawn Ior
iesuia1ed, 1t was approved By Secrs
tgry Metcah and President Roosevelt
wh,n I Was finally decided last De
cember 10 put the Relief In commits
sion uifder Surgeon Stokes. oon.rars
10 Tho stand taken by Admiral Brown.
son.
Part OF Memoranda Requested.
This recommendation appears in
the correspondence and memorabilia
which Secretary AIetcalf sent to Con.
giress a few days ago IN compliance
With the Gill resolution. The memo
10 Ia does no. contain mach CORES.
pcndslce en- the subject. however
which made plain the DEPARTMENTS
purpose not TO put chaplains on duty
on The Relief. Il was thought that
the law prohibiting one stan officer
having command OF an officer of the |
l'i.1 of another corps could be made |
by General order TO admit of this. IN |
View OF the preceience which DR..
RiXfy has pointed out us existing a,
The naval hospital at Yokohama, and
as The naval hospital ct Fort Lyon
Col. Eo,h OF those hospitals are in |
command OF medical officers, AID Il I,
ray officer is stationed at each.
Tho detail OF pay officer to the
Relief, IL commanded by a medical
officer was opposed by Admiral
BroTnson in the controversy leading
mp 10 hiG resignation. and II has. rey.
or lad the approval of the bureau
of Supplies ana accounts. The medl |
eel department prevailed upon the
sec e.ary for the detail OF slich din
oflt n. and the orders to Mr.. Williams
fer duty on the Relief were issued |
several days ago While no official
explanation Is forthcoming at pres
cnt it Is thought possible that dis.
ship In all its phases at the meeting
of he general board yesterday may
have had some bearing On It, Yes
bo1,d met since Admiral BrUwnson re-
signed as chief of navigation.
Pressure on Brownson.
An interesting development just now
Is t.,at al the meeting OF the general
boa d few days ago before Admira!
BroWnson resigned. strong pressure
was brought upon the admiral 10 take
the stand he did in behalf OF the
rights of the. Ene. rather than pro-
muignte the orders placing Surgeon
STOKES In command OF the Relief.
The December meeting OF the general
beard. OF which Admiral Dewey is
pre- s!dent. was to have been sd De.
center 26. A week before this 1t de-
velcped THAI the orders for Surgeon
Stokes TO command The Relief were
about to be signed by Secretary Met.
calE. and the meeting was called for
Der cn!,er 10 at this meeting. which
gas the first OF the present ssason to
be attended by every member, the
wh,,le subject was thrashed ont. Adj.
mn brCNHSp' %hpiHiiitu Nle "Ioie
Sit stion. and he was at a loss what
TO do. When he left the board rooms
tina day. his mind was made up. The
adnr,ral further imisortuned Secre.
tarv Mccall and PRECEDENT Roosevelt
NOT TO take the step. and when the
VOID was scqtt from the White House
Ec "mber % for the order to be is-
sut l. Admiral Brownson wrote Oh.
his letter OF resignation. which was
ten !ercd the following dav. This ac
Ten was hrg~tily Endorsed at yester.
DAYS meeting OF the beard. there was
al r.tendance.