The new age., 1906-11-03

! President Roosevelt's letter to Rear
Admiral Thomas, commending him for
his stand in the matter of the damage
suit of a sailor who was excluded from
a public place of entertainment be-
cause Of his uniform. and inclosing a
check for 500 toward the expenses of
the suit, calls renewed attention to the
discussion which Is going on in the
country over the attitude manifested
toward enlisted men in the uniform of
the United States. When soldiers or
sailors are on parade or when, in time
Of public danger, they march to the
scene of war or press forward to pro-
tect persons or property, they win pub
lie applause Thousands have their
emotions quickly stirred by the sight
of the lines of blue and the flying flags.
1t is strange that the same soldiers or
sailors, when out Of ranks mingling
with their fellow citizens, often fail to
receive the treatment accorded to the
meaneSt civilian. The soldier In war
Is hero; in peace, 1t sometimes seems
as II no one wants him around. The
President makes strong statement
about the personnel Of the soldiers and
sailors: There is no finer body of
men in all our country than the enlist
ed men Of the army and navy of the
United States, and cannot sufficient
~ express my indignation and con-
tempt for any man who treats his uni
form save with the respect to which
it Is entitled" II all agreed with the
executive on this point there would be
no insults offered to uniformed repre-
sentatiVes Of army and navy. There
Is great difficulty in getting good men
to Join the army and navy. The rough
and tough" often try to enlist, while
men Of fair common school education,
physically qualified, are hard to get.
The requirements of enlisting officers
are severe. Not One-Quarter Of the
men who apply are accepted. Among
them are some low grade men 30 far
as personal habits go, but as a rule
they are even in this respect up to the
average Of citizenship. Still the temp
tations offered to them, owing to their
mode Of life, are trying and some of
them yield easily. 1t is easy to show
disrespect to the uniform If the wearer
Of 1t forgets his own obligation to 1t,
but this does not often happen. The
average American seldom comes In con
tact with soldier or sailor. His opin- |
ion is likely to be adverse toward an
enlisted man because OF slanderous
stories he has heard or owing to popu-
lar notions falsely entertained. For
the soldier or sailor as class he |
has little regard, because he
knows little about life In the |
navy, except as he has read Of 1t in |
the tales for the marines"
and possibly does not believe In a |
standing army. 1t is not difficult for |
the plain citizen" to show lack of re-
gard for the uniform, even though he |
knows the wearer of 1t has sworn to |
preserve, protect, and defend the con- |
stitution and the country, II need be,
with the sacrifice of his life. With the |
new spirit in favor Of a larger and bet
ter army and navy must come more |
general respect for the men who make
them both respectable. The attitude |
of the President and admiral toward |
the case Of the sailor at Newport will
have great effect in creating a public
sentiment opposed to discrimination
against any worthy man in the uni
form of his country.