The Arvada enterprise., 1912-05-16
Woes OF SAILORS
Grievances Of British Tars Weak.
ening the Navy.
Condition Of Men on Lower Decks Of
More Importance Than Building
New Shlps-Reforms Are
Demanded.

London.-F1rst Lord Of the Admir-
atty Winston Churchill Is never long
out of hot water. This time he has
reused the Indignation Of the radical
extremists OF his own party because
the reduction on the naval estimates
for the current year did not go far
enough in the direction OF retrench-
ment to please them.
Whereas the Little Englanders,"
as they are called, hoped that saw
ing of at least $5,OO0,00o would be
effected. Churchill only found 1t pos
sible to reduce the naval estimates by
Just over s1,500000. But II he has
not pleased some OF his own parlia-
mentary supporters, Winston Churchill
has been subjected to little but friend
ly criticism by the opposition. who
are bent on accelerating the building
program rather than retarding II.
While there has been the usual
amount of talk about new ships and
armaments, not much attention has
been paid to the factor without which
England's Wanted navy is useless
the man behind the gun. From time
TO time 1t has been whispered that
there Is considerable unrest in the
lower deck rating. where. says Lionel
Yexley. one of the service critics,
many grievances exist, which, unless
rectiiied, will one day shock John
Bull out of his complacency.
AS the jackies are forbidden by
their terms OF service to form n trade
union, the general public knows little
about their wrongs, and half an hours
Salk with some OF the men at naval
station Is required to show that It Is
high time some reforms we're intro
1nced on the lower deck.
All the trouble has arisen through
Che conversion Of the warship from
stately sailing vessel into a floating
Gunnery platform. Much OF the work
and discipline necessary to the early
form of fighting ship has been retain
Cd on the latest types. where cleanli-
sess is still the fetich. Most OF the
unrest Is undoubtedly due to the way
punishment Is meted out for minor OF.
lenses entirely void OF criminality. All
the disciplinary regulations, Lionel
Yexley points out, were framed when
ehe seaman's main duty was to pull on
ropes and to punish him If he did not
get from one to another quick enough,
but you cannot drive men to shoot
straight with modern ordinance
"The state employs the sailor dur.
Ing the day at work which calls for
che full use of cultivated intelligence,
and then 1t will take him and stand
him in dark corner for two hours
each night because he did not have
bis cap on straight or dared to wear
waist belt to keep his trousers up
Another of the seaman's grievances
relates to the decreased chance OF
promotion owing to the increase in
the number of stokers in the person
mel. The leading seaman complains
that he has less chance than ever OF
becoming n petty officer Increased
pay Is also another demand of the
lower deck. An experienced able sea-
man, II married, Is expected to sup
cort home on Just under SO week;
less tho cost of his uniform.
1t is not suggested by any one that
the English jackies are on the brink
Of mutiny, but 1t Is known in the best
Informed circles that large proper
ton of them are discontented, and as
the first line of defense is not the
ships, but the men, pressure Is being
brought to bear on the admiralty to
kn1 I,,,, tai Iru MT
facts of the case.