Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-28
THE AMERICAN.
Navy Deserters Would Re-Ship if War
Drum Sounded.

From the Toronto Star.
No less than three hundred men are re-
ported to have deserted from the United
States navy during the month Of March
The authorities at Washington may well
deem it necessary to look into the condt-
tons that cause these assertions, but the
German critics who are talking on the sub
ject are very far astray If they think the
men of the United States navy would be
disaffected in the face Of war. There will
be assertions only in times of peace, and
the war call would bring the men on every
ship into line, eager to be up and doing.
The common people of North America
have notions of their own which will not he
understood by German critics. But what
the German critics do not know the au-
thorities at Washington and at Ottawa
who organize naval and military forces
cannot be excused for overlooking. The
native-born North American has no liking
for the narrow, curbed and seemingly I'M
profitable servitude imposed on him by
garrison duty in time of peace. or the still
more repreSSive serviture imposed on him
in warships floating uselessly on peaceful
seas.
These men are full of enthusiasm when
they enlist before, during or Immediately
after a war. 1t Is the battle story that
has charmed them. and the war drum rings
in their ears But instead of going into
battle they find themselves doing domestic
service in an officers kitchen. Keyed UP
to deeds Of daring they made to do
drudgery Prepared to show the obedience
of a soldier. they are compelled to show
the inferiority Of a mental In control Of
these men Is placed an officer who is their
superior for war purposes only because war
has been his study and not theirs. By any
other test than that of fitness to command
in battle, the officer in America may be
inferior to a private. 1t Is not usually so,
but 1t Is an ever-present possibility The
private may be as ambitious the officer
is or ever was, and may have better nat
ural endowments-and both are citizens of
a country where a mans success is limited
only by his natural endowments and the
diligence with which he applies them.
The army and the navy are the fnStitu-
lions in America that cling longest to the
traditions of Europe. In the naval and
military services the class distinctions of
the old world are still preserved, although
here they are artificial and not real as in
Europe-and being artificial. they disappear
in the heat of war. and officers and men
show equal zeal and intelligence. 1t would
be safe to say that nearly every man of
the three hundred who deserted last month
from the United States navy would eagerly
return to the service next month If war
were declared.
Canadians shared cheerfully in the hard
ships of actual campaigning in South At
RIGA but they quickly became Disconnected
In police duty there. and In garrison duty
at Halifax. The fact is the model in army
and navy is that of the empire or absolute
monarchy. and no republic has yet ade-
quately applied democratic theories to mill
this can never be DONE and yet the meas
ure of it that has expressed itself through
citizen soldiery at one time and another In
America has been far from discouraging.