Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-26
Is THE UNIFORM A REPRoAcH
Anent Regulation That Enlisted Men
May Get Theater Seats.

From the New Orleans Times Democrat
1t will doubtless surprise many persons in
this section of the country to learn that
considerable discussion has resulted from
the fact that, a Philadelphia theater has
finally decided that enlisted men of the
army and navy may secure seats at per-
formances upon paying the stipulated price.
Heretofore, it appears, in many cities of
the north the soldier and sailor in uniform
were confined to jim crow section of the
upper galleries. not being permitted to buy
seats in the choice part of the auditorium.
This discrimination is probably a survival
or the old days of the press gang, when the
scum OF the cities forcbly entered
upon the ships books and the sailor was
not all that might be desired in social
way. What was perhaps a prudent pre-
caution in those days has become in this
day senseless discrimination and an insult
to the uniform of the country. The aver
age enlisted man of the army or navy is in
this day of careful selection, at least the
equal in behavior of the average man of
any other class, and there can be no danger
whatever In admitting him to any place of
amusement. In fact, there is objection
to him anywhere. If he be not in uniform
which would indicate that the objection is
to the uniform, not to the man. This Is
promptly declared in the case of the sailor.
The objection that has been urged to him
by theatrical managers, restaurateurs and
hotelkeepers is that he does not wear a
coat. an absurd objection when it is re-
membered that the young women of the
country copy his uniform in their costumes
as far as they can do so, considering that
they are not permitted by social laws to
wear trousers
This discrimination against the sailor has
proven a hardship on him because he is not
permitted to wear civilian clothes while on
shore leave. and his uniform debars him
from places of rational amusement He IS
welcomed at music halls and places of
questionable character, and being denied
admission at respectable places. the result
can be readily conjectured. He must fire.
quent the dives in self-defense, or deny
himself the occasional recreation of shore
leave. This is the cause of the recent petit
ton of many sailors that they he permitted
to wear civilian costume while ashore, a pc
tition so far denied them for good reason.
The wearing of the uniform makes the
sailor ashore conspicuous, and is a pawn
for his good behavior. He is so easily
identified If he misbehaves that he is usu-
ally extremely careful of his conduct. His
conduct is. therefore. generally better than
that of the average citizen in his everyday
clothes.
Kipling's Tommy Atkins" complained
that at theater they let drunk civilian
in and had no room for me-" and inquired
Is the uniform of the queen was to be the
soldier mans disgrace. The enlisted men
of this country may well make the same in
quiry If the discrimination is as general in
the north as 1t is said to be- South of the
Potomac there is no such discrimination, so
far as we are informed, and 1t should not
be permitted to exist anywhere. The Ameri-
can who is too good to sit alongside sailor
at the theater at restaurant is rather
too good to live In this democratic country,
and should make his residence elsewhere.
There may be heavy score to pay for the
endeavor to make the life of the soldier and
sailor as disagreeable as possible, and when
the troopers on the tide Il may be too
late to make reparation.