Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-28
PRESIDENT TALKS TO CREW
Executive fddressss fhcsrS and Enlisted
Men on eattleship Louisiana.
ua TINE OF PEACE PREPARE FOR War
Importance OF KeepinE Personnel
and ships In Highest state Of
Efficiency Pointed ont
~ the Speaker.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 27.- President
Roosevelt on his trip to and from Panama
on the battleship Louisiana mixed freely
with the officers and men, OF whom he
speaks in the highest commentator. He
participated In the chief petty, officers mess
and visited the branch Of the Army and
Navy union, which has an organization Of
about fifty members on the Louisiana and
whose meeting place was way down in the
hold OF the ship. As the ship was passing
Hatteras on tho way home the president
had the engineer department steam up
and for three hours the vessel made run
Of eighteen and q half knots, which is half
knot in excess Of the contract require
ments.
on the homeward trip vaudeville enter
tainment was given by the men in honor
Of the president and Mrs. Roosevelt This
took place during the early part Of the
voyage and was held at night. The presi-
dent and Mrs Roosevelt and the oficers
of the ship were the guests OF honor and
occupied the front seats. while the men
were scattered around in the coming
towers, on the bridge and other points Of
vantage. There was a program Of sixteen
selections made up Of songs, sketches,
solos Of various kinds and monologues.
Address by the President.
Sunday as the vessel was nearing the
Virginia capes the president delivered a
speech to tho men assembled on board the
vessel. in which he told them of what he
had experienced and gave them some adj
vice. Ills remarks were as follows:
Captain, Officers and Enlisted Men of
the louisiana. wish to thank you for
| as pleasant and interesting a trip as any
president has ever had on land or sea, aud
a profitable trip, too. Not only DO not
see how any president, but ] DO not see
how any good American can fail to be-
lieve with all his heart Ia the United
states navy, can fail to do all that In him
lies for the, officers and men of that navy,
in order that the navy itself may be
brought to constantly, increasing state
Of perfection as a formidable fghting
ships on which I have spent some time,
| the other two being, the West Virginia
and the Missouri. ! am very proud of
the ships; ! am even Prouder Of the men
President Roosevelt warmly thanked
! and congratulated the engineers force
for letting out link during the home
ward voyage, during which time the Lou
/ isiana exceeded her contract speed OF
4 eighteen knots by from half TO three
/ quarters OF knot
/ He continued:
| one thing more / take this chance to
4 say: | have been astounded and mortified
! ashore in declining to allow Uncle Sam
men, when they have their uniforms on
! to come into places OF amusement. Outside
/ OF Washington have no control over these
/ places of amusement. ~ In Washington
| have, and any place OF amusement to which
| admission Is denied to reputable men who
/ are behaving themselves and who wear this
uniform Of the army, and navy will lose
! its licenses If II IS in my power to cause
! Now. in closing, one word which / think
/ is needless: hope that every man here
ctiicer, and enlisted man alike-will remem.
/ Der that his profession sets him apart
/ from all other men IN the country. not in
me army or the navy, by putting on bis
T is3ss es PeSgll9g rssPSns16ility You en-
thirty years aud have taken reasonable
advantage e yoqT .oHPoFtunities during thai
FOR IS, retire on %hsig9is practically a pen.
| sion of in the iieghbofhood OF 500 year
! Uncle Sam has your interests at heart
hope and belief and affectIon such as
l rightly enough is yielded to no others.
Duty in Time of Peace.
! Now, in return rbmennber that each o.
| time of peace that IN time Of war he anc
/ his comraues can render such an aCcouul
Of themselves as 70 turn new page in tins
/ long honor roll of United States history. II
/ will depend on how you have done yOul
/ duty in time of peace whether or not
cause to feel proud or 10 feel shame. ' Y oDI
/ effectiveness IN war cannot be acquired
after war has begun. Your effectiveness
! will then depend on the way in which you
/ officers have learned to handle the ships
/ by actual practice it will depend on the
way In which you enlisted men under the
officers have learned to handle yourselves
| in the gun turret and engine room. The
navy has made astounding advances in
Workmanship during the last five years
and II has made &c not only by developing
the hugh quality of the individual man,
but by developing the team play without
which that individual mans prowess counts
for nothing, IL is a revelation TO any
man to the work done by the gun
crews with the twelve, eight, seven and
six-inch guns; II is a revelation to any
man TO see how our people ahoat are
learning TO work together so as to have
in addition to the work of the gun pointers
a perfect system OF fire control just as the
ships are learning 10 maneuver together
at a speed and a distance which ten years
ago would have given captains heart failure
II they had tried e.
| congratulate you on your progress.
Remember that the instant you become
contented with 1t and think you have gone
far enough and remain still that very in
slant YOU will begin to go back, and / be-
lieve implicitly that you will go forward.
In conclusion let me say how glad / am
executive Of the American people | am Of
you and how heartily / believe In the char
acter and quality Of the Officers and en-
listed men OF the American fleet ] greet
you and thank you again.
DEATH RECORD