Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-03
SAILORS NOT BARRED
Skating Rink Manager De-
tends His Action.
NO SLIGHT TO UNIFORM
Order, He Says, Applied Only to Men
Acting Disorderly.
TICKET SELLERS MISTAKE
Navy Department, However, May
Be Asked to Investigate Al
legged Discrimination.
TICKET SELLERS MISTAKE

1t is possible that the Navy Depart
ment may be called on to investigate
charges against the Palace Skating Rink,
under Chase's Theater. of alleged discrim-
ination against naval bluejackets on ac-
count of their uniform: In the case in
point, it is represented by T. J. linen,
a seaman gunner under instruction at the
Washington navy yard that he had been
denied admission to the skating rink last
Saturday, as he says, solely on account
of his uniform. In his statement of the
occurrence, linen says that when he
asked why he could not go into the rink
he was informed it was because he was
lin an unfit condition" meaning appar-
emily thereby that he was intoxicated.
He declares that he was not under
the influence of drink at the time, and
says he can prove he does not drink in
toxicants.
Tinen states that he reported the in
cident to his superior, Chief Gunner's
Mate M. Walsh, and on his advice made
another visit to the rink last night, ac-
companied by G. r. Power. also a sea-
man gunner. They applied separately
for admission, he says. and were refused
tickets by ]. H. Richardson. the ticket
seller.
linens Statement.
When I protested and asked for the
name Of the ticket seller the manager,
Mr. Dempsey. was called.
He seemed somewhat worried when
insisted on having his name. which he
gave with reluctance. He OWNED my in
tention to report the matter to my supe-
riors, and advised me not to do So He
then became very affable, and told US
xIo4 TIL
clined and left the rink
Inquiry at the Navy Department this
afternoon showed that the alleged dis
elimination had not been reported to that
department. 1t was explained, however
that If any formal complaint of the char
acter described has been made by any of
the gunner seamen at the Washington
by Commander G. III. Burrage. us NJ, in
charge of the Seamen Gunner's School,
and next by Rear Admiral Leutze, COM
mandant of the navy yard. 1t will be for
the latter official. it was stated to deter
mine whether the case called for the con-
sideration of the Secretary of the Navy.
The Presidents Dictum.
1t was stated by a high official at
the department this afternoon that the
position of the administration in re-
gard to discrimination against the
service uniform is contained in the fol-
lowing emphatic statement on the sub
ject by President Roosevelt, which has
been embodied in an official recruiting
circular:
L have been astounded and morti-
fed at the attitue of certain of our
people ashore in declining to allow
Uncle Sans men WREN they have their
uniforms on to come into places of
nv nrrt of nf ork,{ r
have no control over those places of
amusement. In Washington / have
and any place of amusement to which is
denied to reputable men who are behav-
of the army or the navy will lose it's
license If it is in my power to cause the
loss, and 1 think it is
Says Sailors Were Disorderly.
When seen by a Star reporter today,
Manager P. D. Dempsey Of the Palace
Skating Rink said: II am not discrimi-
mating against the men from the navy
who are in uniform or any others who
wear uniforms. Some sailors came here
last Saturday and seemed to be intoxi-
Gated and acted in such disorderly man.
ner by speaking to ladies on the floor to
whom they had not been introduced and
interfered with the skaters generally that
l told the ticket seller not to let them in
again.
THE ticket seller is new man and
when I told him not to let them in
while in that condition he thought l
meant all sailors. and consequently
when the two sailors applied for tickets
last night he would not sell them. l was
sent for, and when 1 found they were
good. sober men, and not the two whom
/ had ordered not to be let in, told them
to go in and get their skates, but one of
them said he would not do so, but he
would make trouble for me, and then he
walked away.
I'VE are endeavoring to operate our
place respectfully. The people who pa
tronize this place belong to the best
class, and we cannot have disorderly per-
sons among them. Had it been any one
else who had acted in the manner as did
the two sailors Saturday night, l would
have ordered them out of the hall, and
that is all there is to It,"