The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-11
An Enlisted Man on Deserlions From
the Navy.

To rRt FpIroR Of THR SuN--Sir. An lndi-
rect cause of assertions from the navy may be
unsay worry odors Of hot, greasy bilge water and
the inhalation OF coal bunker dust. but the
principal causes are a. lockwood "A detri'
mental factor under any conditions t2l
mon6ey drills and buckoism natural ad
hesiye aduucts II -deadwooi" az rare
privileges OF shore leave, under the slise OF
efficiency" requiraments-a well known cause
Of d'sseusion and l4l misleading promises IN
The recruiting stem which cap the climax
OF other causes fo- deseriion.
In the first place. T. IS TO be conceded th9t
men must be ohtnined 10 man our ships. ana
secondly that where the desired mat eral "a
lacking We must necessarily resort TO the
next best. anG 80 on. IN the pursuance OF
this course, however sell -aRgandzing mo-
tiHes OF the recruiting officers have, unfortu-
nutcly. asserted themselves ara the conse-
quence "a that there has been iryeicled INTO
the navy Ella OF men possessing QUALITIES
totally At vgri nee with the traditional re-
quirements az makeup OF real Uan-o :
warsmen and who lack the first requisites OF
q sailormnn Tho careless energy shown BY
recruiting officers in getting this class has re-
suited I'm recent years IN radical transposl-
ton Of the crews OF our vessels, the best eS-
ample of which Is that a real man-o' -warsman
Western farmland was 0fteen years AGO
AdWitting the necessity Of. procuring fun
compliments for our ships. whether or not
man has the proper degree OF aptitude for
the service Goes Il not appear inconsistent
with good practice 10 continue a system OF
the exhibition IN Western country towns
and villages ot alluring and gaudlly colored
posters to impose on tho simplicity and credu-
lily OF me unwary farm boy, Prize IN nus
proper element. hut on board a ship not only
unornamental hut useless?
Comparatively speaking. there Is the same
demand for good sailors now rs there was
twenty i've ycars ago. The only difference
is that the hattleslips and cruisers have no
sails otherwise the conditions and require
mentS nre the same.
The Increase in the compliments o. ships
something over q third is absorbed by the
engine and lreroom force and these are posts
that demand too mitch stamina. muscle and
Drawn to be satisfactorily filed by mex
pericnced farm bows, unnccustomed 20 such
eXactine work But these boys are selected
Just the same to fll such places. az well as in
Discriminatory placed in all other 81 aces where
vacancies exist The result Is obvious
The posters referred TO above and the care
lessness displayed in the selection 81 proper
material are plainly the root Of the deserving
evil. These posters are more IN N seductive
morsels for the average country boy, for ihcy
present an elaborate description o. life on
the ocean wave" with all its Elories and
shores nj Uncle Sam s expense. and tho privi-
iege of furlough AT he end OF the first six
months cruise Regarding the last promise.
when these boys are once allowed TO return
to their native heath they have an instructive
inclination to remain there. and dos hack
TO the farm for mine Is a common and favo-
rite expression
In order to overcome this. however. the
oiiioials have rcsorted 70 strenuous and
BY this stringent method lAndsmen ARE rated
seamen" az the end Of FIVE months or so
ian absurdtyl In order TO palliate the con-
teIppiated shock to their nerves which Ia
lndiciously held IN reserve for them. When
the last port on the itinerary Is reached lusu-
ally az some ontlandish place In the Caribbean
sea- transfer shin looms M on che horizon,
with special orders 10 crowd on that particular
bunch and plenty OF steam and get OFT to
the orient as fast as it can travel ON 90
the. ready -made "scamen," bag and baggage,
and the new ship, pacSed TO surocation,
takes = on the run for some port in m" Phuip-
pine Islands not stopping UNTIL II reaches
sand hin In the centre OF the Red sea. 4
rube on the ship is worth twenty-one on fur
Tough is the maxim followed. and II works
like charm. Once out on the Asiatic sta
ton the iig is MP II wound surely not be
difficult 10 guess the number OF deserttops II
this course was not adopted
Tho list Of deserters. therefore. Is made up
solely OF those who are fortunate enough to
BE- returned TO the United states n the end
of the first cruise aud OF the real man-o'-
warsmen who become tired OF participating
In the instruction OF rockies and OF being
recipients OF similar treatment.
BRooBLYN. March 7. An ENLISTED Man.