Arizona republican., 1898-04-08
DESERTERS WELCOMED BACK.
Seamen Find Uncle Sam Willing to
 Overlook Involuntary Offence.

Washington, April 7.-The navy de partment has authorized the statement that deserters from the United States navy whose records for good conduct and efficiency up to the time of tneir taking French leave were excellent, may not only expect great leniency II they surrender themselves at this very critical time, but stand tair show of being restored to duty. The department's announcement reads bit narrower than this; but the truth of the matter is that no punishment whatever awaits capable men of wars men, who, for some reason or other best known to themselves, have jumped ship" and who shall present themselves on board receiving ships ready for another bag and hammock. Such men may be taken below and brigged for day or so while an ''ln- vestigation" is in progress, but the chances are about hundred to one that they will then skip up the berth deck ladder and aft to the paymaster's
 
 clothes and gear. The navy has never stood in such need of trained men of wars men as it does at this time Any number of new men are being shipped throughout the country, but even by the most careful manipulation of trans fers the department finds that it will be difficult to get enough old timers aboard each ship to lick into efficient shape the green young fellows now donning the bluejacket uniform for the first time-and it would be difficult to over describe the complete, almost lu- dicrous uselessness of a new man of wars man; the rawest army recruit is a veteran compared to the just shipped naval tar.
 The navy department is aware that not alone hundreds but thousands of men are kicking around the United States, most of them at work at their trades, who during the past fifteen years or so have deserted from the United tSates navy, and the majority of whom are no doubt itching to get back into the sea service, but fear de- lection and confinement in naval pris- ons if they show up aboard the receiv- ing ships for enlistment under assumed names. This is the class of men-a very great number of them excellent men, too-that the department stands willing to forgive and to treat on the books as "stragglers" If they make their appearance in this emergency and apply for re-enlistment.
 A large number of men who during past years have deserted from the navy for reasons that they considered valid, or even for no particular reason at all other than a desire to get back to work ashore, have already, since the beginning of the international excite ment, shipped aboard the receiving ships under assumed names. These have been recognized by former ship has been made to bring them to book. The officers with whom the deSerters formerly served have, many of them, recognized the men as soon as they came over the receiving ship gang ways, but they have given no sign of such recognition, and they decidedly do not wish to take any official cogni- Zance of the returned prOdigals' for mer careers in the navy. In inviting the deserters of good records (aside. from their desertions) to return and be forgiven and restored to duty, the navy department takes it for granted