Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1905-12-20


l A1ARWt Va United States navy or army shall
E@AHfTH be admitted to their playhouses
~ IWSVgA NJ wbiie weariwg the regulation uni
GSIX& f0rms. It s said the theater pro-
prietors are willing for the sailors and soldiers to
occupy seats In the balcony, bat not in the par
Quette and dress circle unless they wear evening
dress Orciviliau clothing. Both the Secretary Of
War and the Secretary Of the Navy have the ques
tion under consideration, and it is understood they
i2dig nant Overthe high-handed methods sought
, to be employed by theater maDagers. IC Is under
stood that the President is also quite dsgusted
this matter, and he proposes to see that the navy
and army enlisted Nen have their rights and are
admittedtto all public places whore admission is
charged under all conditions that pertain to the
ordinary citizens Ut the theater managers still per-
sist in excluding these men from the best seats,
Congress will be aRpealed to and asked TO pass
law fer the District Of COluMbia which will make it
criminal oense not to receive all army and navy
on sabsolute terms Of equality in places Of
amusement, where admission iG charged to the gen.
4eral public. We think this proposed law commend
able andit-EhOuld be adopted by the national egis
laturet to apply to the District Of Columbia. The
people Of this country should not stigmatze the
uniform worn by the brave fellows who protect the
nation 0n'land and ~On the contrary, the uni
form should be badge Of distinction and honor,
whether worn by the private or the commissioned
oficer. IT. is humiliating to think that we should
earry our pFeiudiees far in social matters as to
draw distinction in regard to these men, even in
yPublic places. We are aware that there has been
and always will be distinction made among those
mho are Reiined and courteous and those who are
intelligamt and educated and those wh0 are stupid
and gnOcant still We should not carry this practice
to fanatScal extent AID establish GLASS OF auto
Gratis who will. not deigH to come in.0Ohtact with
those less fortunate than Themselves lest they be
de6led. There lis entirely too much OF this aristo
cratic imbeeitydn this country, and the sooner we
GOMe down 0ntOf the clouds OF selfeHteem and con-
ceit and walk on tho earth with plain com hon men,
the better It will be for the nation and society as
whole. The TespOnsibiity for this social prejudice
against the eGlsted in the navy and army rests
more on the shoulders OF the exalted commissioned
officers than with the general public These little
lieatenants dOtheG with brief authority, strut
arOaAd with q pOmpe0usness and grandilOquence
more proud and patroniziDg thaa ever Caesar did I
when he ruled the world Their lily-white hands
too delicate and too sacred to be besmirched by
coming In contact with the honest rough hand Of /
TOLL possessed by those who scrub the ehiD's deck
or those who dig trenches and load commiasary
wagons. This cOneeited aud Rbam aristoeracy in +
0nr navy and army, 8mORg our small officers, has
been iruitanl in disseminating prejudice against
the privateH In civilian lie, and ii will also have tO
answer for many derelieti0ns and violations Of the
rnles among the enlisted meu. This form OF social
Tyranny and personal exaitstion manilests itself
say In the beginning Of this official career at West
Point and Annapolis. Hazing is nothing more or
less than this ,Ontemptible spirit Of 6gotism and
tyranny, taking its revenge on young men who az
srule come from lOwly parentage and who have not
had advantages Of extended travel. It has grown
% such an alarming extent that the combined efforts
u the President and his Cabinet and Congress have
been invoked to suppress the abominable custom
Il isfaid the entire student body at Annapolis has
become 80 frightened all the mdshipmen will 60 to
Admiral Sands and make g confession. IL is
yell the high authorities in Washington are deter
mined to break up this peFnicous practice fOr1it is
he fountain head, the source and origin 81 al che
rouble. Thosein charge Of the theaters at Wash
ngtOn are merely pandering to public prejudice
ostered and encouraged by silly coxcOmbs wearing
boulder straps in the army and navy Of the Unned
states.