New-York tribune., 1906-09-25
inexplicable misgudance, the Church in the lat
ter countries is protesting.
RESPECT FOR NAVAL CLOTH.

President Rooseyelts manly and patriotic let
ter to Rear Admiral Thomas. conveying a hand
some subscription to aid the suit of yeoman
of the navy against the Newport Amusement
Company for excluding him from a public ball
ON account of his uniform, gives additional point
to Rear Admiral Evans's indignant denuncia-
tion of q similar incident at Portland, Me-,
which we cited the other day, and to the
structures of Rear Admiral Goodrich upon a
like insult TO the navy at the other side Of
the continent. The last named case, which Is
typical of all three occurred some weeks ago
at Tacoma. Wash. The United States war
ship Chicago visited that port, and by invi-
tation of the city government shared IN the
local celebration of Independence Day. A few
days later petty officer Of the ship was refused
admission to public ball. He was man OF
excellent character and conduct. He was per-
fectly sober and well behaved But he was
dressed in the uniform of the American navy.
For that reason, and for that alone, he was
denied admission to public festival. The let
ter Of Rear Admiral Goodrich TO the Mayor Of
Tacoma concerning the matter has been widely
published and its denunclation of that piece
OF unwarranted snobbishness" and its sugges-
ton that the Mayor and other broad-minded
citizens should bring the offenders TO a sharp
and public account must strike a responsive
chord In the heart of every right thinking Amer
lean citizen.
1t may be--we hope it is-that these cases are
novel in American history. There have doubt
less been precedents for them In England, ac-
cordng TO Mr.. Kipling's trenchant ballad Of
Tommy:
I went into a theatre as sober as could be.
They gave a drunk civilian room. but 'adn't
none for me;
They sent me to the gallery, or round the music
alls,
But when It comes to fghtin'. Lordi they'll shove
me in the stalIsl
While it's Tommy this. an Tommy that. an
Tommy, fail behind"
But it's please to walk in front. SIR" when
there's trouble in the wind.
American readers of Mr.. Kipling have hith-
erto congratulated themselves on the supposed
fact that maxim mock O. uniforms that guard
you while you sleep" was impossible In this
country. They now know differently. but they
will not welcome the knowledge. or the Incl
dents to which 1t pertains 1t is not agreeable to
think that in any public gathering In any place
in the United States the uniform of the asso-
ciates of John Paul Jones, of Hull and Decatur.
Of Farragut and Winslow, is regarded with
aversion or as badge of disgrace 1t matters
little whether these three incidents arose from
lack Of patriotism. from the snobhishness to
which Rear Admiral Goodrich attributes one Of
them or from the almost incredibly mean and
contemplate feeling-which has been mentioned
by some wOuld-be apologiSts-that q man In uni
form IS more attractive and wins more atten-
ton than mere civilian The occurrences were
discreditable to every one responsible for them,
and ii would not be credtable to the places In
which they occurred to let them pass without
rebuke. 1t ought to be made plain that-to
adapt Mr.. Kipling again-the naval uniform is
not the sailorman's disgrace