The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-28
SCARCITY OF SAILORS.
EXPERIENCED MEN NOT WILLING TO
MAN UNCLE SANS WAR SHIPS.

?
cruitins in the Prisons-An Old Tar
Who Says Sailors Are Not Wanted. as
tho System Has Entirely Changed.
Uncle Sam wants 900 men to man
his ships" said reporter to a North
End sailors boarding house master few
days ago. What are the prospects of
eniisting them?"
Very poor, should say, for sailors
are not so plenty nowadays as most peo-
pie imagine, and what few there are in
port are needed to man the square rig
gers now loading for foreign voyages,
and the men who go coastwise will have
nothing to do with the navy"
What seems to be the objection"
"Oh, they have many. To begin with,
the long term of enlistment, three years.
the small wages, too much discipline.
liberty ashore cut off in home and for
eign ports, and the best reason of all is
that in the case of foreigners, should
they wish to join a navy they would
have done so in their own countries,
where the laws compel man to give
five or seven years service In the army
or navy or flee the country.
1T must be remembered that Ameri
can sailors are thing of the past. and
inward or outward bound ships are now
manned by Germans principahv with a
good sprinsling of Swedes al * them.
They have pretty good times, and as
long as they can get Il berth, either fish
ing or on merchantmen. they say. The
navy be blowedy
I'm your opinion what would be a
good method for Uncle sam To adopt to
get young and active men for the serv-
ice?"
why. that would be simple enough.
Let the navy officers 20 among the
prisons OF this and other states and re-
cruit from those places such men as they
choose. They would find plenty of fell
lows who had three or more years to
serve glad 10 get chance to go to sea.
and should that be done what would be
the difference? Simply shifting them
from one prison to another. the latter
floating one with not half 80 much
chance to escape
They would make pretty tough
crew, would they mott"
NO, not necessarily: they would be
under the eyes Of the sentry with his
loaded gun, the officers would be armed,
and if they did their work willingly they
would not be punished.
Just TO show you that am speaking
correctly will say the most Of the re-
cruits have shipped in the navy during
the past ten years were men that had
just finished serving time and wanted
to brace up and be men.
Here Is another point that will bear
argument Why don't the good Sarnar-
itans who give lectures 70 these men BE-
fore or after leaving jail urge them ~
go 70 the navy instead Ct securing OF
trying to secure for them some petty
position. which win barely give them
living, and allow them 70 drift oack 20
their old haunts and associates. 70 be
watched and bounded By the pelicsl
Let me tell you another thing. When
a man goes to the navy yard and asks n
be shipped they won. ask hin whether
he wa ever in jail or not.
A. trip along the wharves vss then
taken in hopes Of meeting some old
nan-o-wsr's man. sud aEnonz party
OF sailors who were standing on Allan
tic avenue was . nan who looked de.
cldedly ''tauy7 in his bius "gAozy-
cerseyl and black silk handkerchief tied
10 a true sailors kno.
Would any Of VOC men here like 70
ship IN the navy was the first query.
Why" spoks Ep one does Uncle
Sam want a new crew fer the White
Squadrons He'd better pay me what hs
owes me before go again
Then you ara al Odd timer
-Yas, gness 20. back as far a. 20 and
for seven years after.
Well, don't you think this Is . good
for sailorrY
ss5ailorz. sailc-si What do they want
q saslorsl Why. young fesIAr. there
Amt ropes ezsongh aboard tkose iroa
shirs 90 przrtsre splicing on. tell you
they dons want sailor. Anybody viii
DO, even the rough ard scrES Of this
CITY.
'@Thozs dips steer By steam OF By
traulc po-ss. sasy boast by s;eazn, they
car work a GIN IN posstioa ike yoz
cocA ANAL wise You'd war: search /
wa.rar. 20 find reef t2ckis Ca beard q |
:nern-
"a trc. sailsx xcua1n,t be 10 more 4
zrco-.t than a IazdI1bt<r civ wien