Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-26
OF THE SAILORS
WHY A NEW UNIFORM SHOULD
BE ADOPTED.
Present Style Of Dress Of the Ameri-
can Blue-jackets Antiquated-
Action Of the English.

."The several recent suits for damages
which have been instituted by enlisted men
in the navy against proprietors OF places OF
amusement in various parts of the country
who have debarred the men from going on
the floor of the dancing pavilions while IN
uniform would tend to corroborate an ar
ticle in The Star some time ago that 1t is
the uniform and not the man who Is dis
eliminated against in these instances, SAID
a retired naval officers to Star reporter.
1.-THE Navy Department should take up
this question officially without further delay,
as the effect upon the morale of the force
is not good. and it should also take up Of
icially the question Of the change in the
uniforms worn by the enlisted men and
fall into line with the British idea Of i'm
provement in this regard.
I'VE are very much behind the times in
respect to the uniform for the enlisted men
In the navy of this country. The present
uniform fitted the times when it was first
designed, century ago or SO, and perhaps
NAV be said to have suited the occasion up
to the period Of the civil war. but it is
entirely too antiQuated to be further main
tained for We are not running the navy
on sentiment.
fact some years ago and a commission was
appointed to design more suitable uni
form for the enlisted men in the navy OF
Mt country. The regulation uniform was
fNally adopted, and put into use this
spring, to the satisfaction, understand, Of
all concerned.
while 1 do not happen to have a COM
plete description of the new British uni
form for sailors at hand at this moment,
nv recollection is that it is patterned some
what on the order of the uniform worn by
soldiers and marines. The baggy trousers
with their flowing, Tapping bottoms are
discarded, and a regulation style of cut Is
adopted. The old-style familiar Wide-collar-
ed blue flannel shirt is banished and one
fitting tighter around the neck minus the
collar of yore adopted. A more comfort
able hat in the shape of cap In nautical
STYLE with a very short peak, has taken the
place of the old-style little round collar box
with its flowing black silk ribbons. A short
double breasted coat also cut In nautlcal
style Is supplied.
Why the Sailors Desert.
| Altogether 1 should say that the British
tar now presents very smart appearance
when ashore, and certainly the contrast be-
tween such an up-to-date uniform and the
one formerly worn must be very great. I
should say that the British admiralty have
the more quickly realized than own
people that the day for the sailor on board
of a modern battleship has long since
passed. With the complete disappearance
of masts. shrouds. yard-arms, rigging and
sails the occupation Of the sailor likewise
passed.
HE has become On a man-of-war of
today merely a part of its intricate machin-
cry He is a gunner now. or an assistant
in gunnery, a worker among and a handler
of metals and machinery and mechanical
and automatical appliances. His former
occupation is but memory. and 1t Is
simply furthering a Notion TO retain the
old-style apparel.
'-rhe men, too are tired of 1t. and 1t is
my personal opinion. which has been sus-
tained by numerous talks with enlisted
men, that it has largely to do with the
great desertion problem. which the officials
in the navy feel SO keenly and are trying
SO hard to overcome. A young man will
enlist In the navy filled with salt water en-
thusiasm Nevertheless he is still youth,
filled with the enthusiasm Of youth, too.
But when he comes ashore. he suddenly
finds himself barred from places and as
sociations which before his enlistment were
open to him without anyone looking askance
is hurt. The uniform he wears instead of
being a garb of honor becomes one Of dis
taste-so he deserts.
IT am satisfied If our navy department is
unwilling to accept the conclusions and
actions of the British admiralty as criter-
lon as applied to our own navy that poll
of the enlisted men therein would be over
whelmngly in favor of the change adopted
by our British cousins. If our naval Of
ficials cared to obtain an expression of SEN
tinent On the part of the men who really
wear the old-style toys of long ago 1t would
be simple matter to do so through the
periencc with the men teaches me that some
| of the controlling officials in this city would
| be very greatly surprised and would I'M
derpo a change of mind ON the question Of