The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-07-26
SAY NAVAL CRUISE
MAY NOT SUCCEED.
Officers of Local Battalion
Are Doubtful of
Results.
THINK BLUEJACKETS
WILL HAZE MILITIA
Doubling Ones Point to Enlisted
Mems Prejudice for Land
lubbers."

Considerable concern is felt by certain
officers and enlisted men of the District
Naval Battalion as to just how well the
plan of scattering them through the
Atlantic battleship feet, to become for a
time at least 2 part of the regular
aTmy's fighting force, will work out.
This is the idea decided upon for this
years summer cruise. which begins next
Friday, July 30. and ends not later than
August g. The Naval Battalion, under
Commander Samuel ". Stratton, viii
90 direct TO League Island Navy Yard.
Philadelphia, where they will embark
on the .. S. S. Prairie for Province
town. Mass.
Prospect Is Picturesque.
Arriving at the Massachusetts naval
rendezvous. the Districts amateur sail
Ors, a majority Of whom will have just
forsaken department desks and stores,
will be broken up into detachments. the
officers to take their stations beside ana
on a footing with officers Of correspond
ing rank in the United States Navy. The
prospect for the enlisted men is less pic
turesque and inviting, from their stand
point Literally. and with all the force
and meaning Of the situation, the men
will become the "bunkies" of the regular
jack tars; will eat sleep, swab decks
and clean brass with them; wash their
own clothes. and do a thousand and one
other things that are incident 10 the
life Of Uncle Sans professional sailor
men. Moreover. the District sailors. as
part of the plan 10 merge their Identity
into that of the regular navy system,
viii be under the regular service Off
GERS, their own being on some other YES
sci Of the fleet receiving instructions
concerning the bigger problem of ma
neuvering and differing a hgnJing ship
For the entire ten days OF the cruise,
or until the District boys assemble for
their homecoming and back-tO-the-desk-
again, this program viii be kept up.
VIII the scheme work out satisfac-
tOrily. and without any bruised feelings
is a leading question around the Nava!
Battalion headquarters today, as 1t has
been for several days past II will. say
Brigadier General HarTies and Comman-
der Stratton. But there are as many
doubling Thomases" among the Of
dcers and enlisted men as there are
shiny buttons on the regulation naval
dress coat.
These doubling ones point TO the
Iong-existng prejudice that mas lurzed
IN the mind Of the enlisted ren Of the
regular navy against the intrusion of
the so-caIled and not a little hated
'1andlubber." The officers, it Is felt,
are assured Of cordial treatment oy
those of the regular establishment, but
there exists a strong feeling, as was ex-
pressed by an officer of the Naval Bat
TALON this morning, that the militia
sailors viii get il rubbed into them by
the jack taTs."
This years plan is wholly an expert
ment, and its future viii depend largely
on how well IL works out or the cruise
which begins early next week.
The officers who viii accompany the
Naval Battalion are Commander STRAIT
tOn, Lieuts. Joseph A. Dempf, j, u. Car
m0dy, Walter 2. Burt, +. II. MorhaTt
surgeon, John T. Johns, paymaster;
John Fl. Mittendorff, chief engineer:
Ross L Fryer, and Ensigns F. S. Ours
ton, J. y. Dalton. Louis +. Brittson,
Walter Z. Guss, Percy n, Smoot.