The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-01
order Causes Big Losses.

Here and there. for special reasons.
the Navy Department may have extended
the time for getting rid OF wine mess sup
plies but over in the navy yard yester-
day they hadn't been advised OF particu-
lar exceptions. The navy yard has been
going dry for weeks. in preparation for
the official drought. so there was no par
ticular problem for Commandant
Gleaves TO solve He promulgated the
order as formality.
The battleship Utah. recently from
Vera Cruz. IL the only big ship in the
yard at present, although there are
flock OF destroyers. torpedo boats and
submarines being overhauled and pol
lshed up; but they aren't big enough TO
carry more than n mddy's drink any
way, so they weren't much affected.
Capt. Gibbons OF the Utah said that
the order would naturally be carried out
strictly aboard his ship. and that he as
sumed absolute obedience would follow
on every ship The Utahs wine mess
has been given UP practically for sew
eral days. The officer In charge ~ the
wardroom wine mess went TO Washing
ton on leave and the few quarts OF wine
he left In store have trickled down 10
nothing
The talk I'm the navy yard was that
great hardship will be caused on some OF
the big warships by the embargo on
Wyoming. now at Vera Cruz would lose
upward OF $4,000. as the mess had con-
tracted for that much liquor and there
was no way OF breaking the contract
other ships Will be out OF pocket con-
siderably and the loss to officers con-
tributing to the wine nesses hasn't In
creased Secretary Dsniels's popularity.
II the Secretary and his friend Will
lam J. Bryan expect 20 popularite grape
Juice as navy tippte they are apt 10 be
disappointed. As THE Sun reporter was
leaving the yard yesterday All officer OF
rank raised forehnger and halted the
reporter. He had a pleasant grin on his
tanned face.
Grape Juice Under Fire Vow.
Did YOU hear the news that's going
around in the service" he asked. NO?
Well the way I got II IL that most OF
the ships are going 10 prohibit the use
OF grape Juice, on the ground that grape
juice Is potentially alcoholic. They've
got opinions from chemists on the point
and are prepared to argue. OF course
that Is not to be taken as slap at
Bryan or Daniels. now is IT. Ger
talnly not"
A dozen officers were willing enough to
give their notion OF the probable effect
OF Secretary paniels's order provided
their names were no, used because they
telt morally certain tNdt Nu'N Nouiu
he punished for even the slightest criti-
cism of their main boss. But they were
agreed to a man In this:
The order Is pretty sure 10 be bad for
discipline. II IL pretty sure to- cause
trouble. Officers who have been drink
ing temporarily aboard ship will now
have to get their wine or liquor when
they go ashore on leave. and the chances
are even that they will drink more on
shore than they would In their own
wardrooms. Besides some officers are
certain to find means OF evading the or
der They will smuggle liquor to their
quarters. and when the dsobedience is
discovered II will mean embarrassment
and trouble for commanders
But the navys keenest chagrin II
caused by the feeling that men who have
always been temperate and careful are
being treated as II they were alcoholics
who had to be suppressed. 1t Is hard for
a naval officer to discuss the o>der with
out getting red In the face and sputter-
ing.