New-York tribune., 1909-06-07
iOT LINE-STAFF FIGHT
Conflict OUer NauaI Orders Ms
understood.

Washington. June 6-Naval officers have grown
weary of seeing references tc the line and stan
fight" and they assert that tie term Is often ap-
piled 10 controversies in the nay which are in no
way related to the historic strife between The line
and the staff They point to the fact that the con
troversy over the midnight orders has been de-
scribcd as a feud between the line and the stan
when it was so. strictly speaking; that the
same description applied to the proposed
changes in the system of physical training at An
napolis. but wholly naccurately, and that some
newspapers are prone to refer to every difference
in The service a conflict between the line and the
staff
In the case OF the conflict over the Newberry or
ders the lines not drawn clearly between the
line and the staff. Among some of the supporters
of the Newberry orders were officers of the line,
together with the naval constructors and the pay
corns, while opposed 10 them were a majority oI
the line officers and the civil engineers
The rivalry between line and staff officers in the
navy dates from the beginning of the STAFF corps
officers Of specalteS. such those now in charge
Of disbursements. the health of the navy. and de-
sign and construction sometimes felt by Inc
officers to he overstepping the functions with
which the staff corps is charged. The trouble proo-
ably about from the fact that the line when
is commonly called "the fighting personnel has
always jealous of its pr@rogatves and regards
members Of the staff corps not entitled to the
same privileges as nelbers of the oldest and most
active branch that Of the line.
After the Civil War it was found that the navy
was to steam instead of sail. and this brought into
the service engineers. who called mustangs
and who in time came 10 form separate and DIS
tinct corps with commissioned personnel The
real hard fight between the line and the stan be-
gan when the engineers came to feel their own I'M
portance and realize their value, and the principal
contest was waged the right of staff officers
to the same titles as officers OF the line That qUes-
ton has never been settled. Staff officers to-day
have relative instead of positive ranks, and they
maintain that sooner or later. they must be known
by the same titles the line officers They hold
that this will much of TIE liz feeling which
now exists In the army officers Of the staff have
the same titles those of the line, and the situa-
tion in the military establishment Is further IN
proved by the fact that line officers are detailed
for staff duty.
A part of the Ill feeling in the navy vas removed.
or at least greatly diminished. when ne naval per
sonnel law went into effect That law was recon-
mended by a board. of which the head was the As
sstant Secretary Of the Navy. Mr. Roosevelt no
coined the phrase ''hghiing engineer TO describe
an officer OF the line who should study and do Ac-
tive work in engineering To that end the old enSl-
neer corps analGaHated with the line. IN Ine
course of wears the differences which formerly x
listed between the line and the naval engineers have
disappeared and there are few evidences OF them
remaining.
The feeling between the line and the existing
staff CORPS Is or less pronounced according
TO individual ureiuGces. Personally, line officers
often have their best friends among the staf. The
distinction largely official and Is marked by re
sistance the of line or STAFF officers TO any
thing which appears TO take from their respective
branches privileges powers which have been
theirs Line officers recognize the need of the s-an
corps and stan officers are prompt To appreciate
that the important part OF the navy Is N tie
line The bone Of contention is still that Of titles.
and beyond that there is nothing which seems to
trouble the serenity Of the service. Mr- Ho'Se-
Welt, while President. sought To adjust this
matter by having compromise Of titles by which,
for instance. a medical officer would be known as
Surgeon Commander Smith, instead OF Surgeon
Smith Medical Corps Commander Smith.
surgeon" bu, the stan officers have been unwilling
to accept a title which makes a distinction and i'm
medisteIy marks them a separate from the com
Tnissioned personnel Of the line In other respects
the fight has been stated Is one which strives To
keep for the line the duties which have all along
devolved upon line officers with the same effort on
behalf Of staT officers FOR the stan
Some naval officers the line and stan differ
ences are more observable In Washington than on
shipboard I continues 20 be a grievance among
some naval officers especially the older line officers
who get much worked up ever the prospect oi the
physicians and the paymasters having line u-es.
Such officers voice a prejudice quite narrow and
unreasonable the ironical description which one
staff officer Is in the habit Of applying TO his breth-
ren Of the line whom he designates a body Of
gentlemen entirely surrounded by leisure" THIS Is
unjust OF course and such vieys expressed on
either side only serve 10 postpone the end of tho
conflict II is understood by officers generally that
there can rever be perfect eduanimity, thai there
will always be controversies-as there should he in
the interest Of progress-and that an officer who
takes pride and interest in his particular branch
stick for II The end, believing in it, in
tegrity and worth compared with other branches
of the same service.
The Tine and staff 1Eht." however Is not nearly
so much in evidence IT has been I'm other
years Most officers hear Of II only when the news
papers enormously apply the term 70 differences IN
the service where the division is not in any sense
that between line and staff.