New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-01
Ralph Rackstraws OF war
ships Express Views on
Mexica:: Situation.
DANIELS'S TEMPERANCE
ORDER NOT APPROVED
Why Trust Officers with Battle.
ships If You Can't Trust
Them with Beer?
n, ARTHUR RUHL.

Cruz. April 1.-The new general oruei'
providing for compulsory education 'o'
all enlisted men not thorous"'
grounded in the academic branches
turned this big fighting machine INTO
, neacef,:I prammer school every after
moon during the voyage southwark be-
tween the hours OF 1:ib ana Z'So'
sk,rmish drills. practice with rap'd-hre
guns and all except absolutely necessary
ships work stopped while bron:ed ana
bare-throated young sailor men leaned
over the mess tables and struggled with
Maeelan's voyages, arithmetic. spelling
and English composition.
BY way OF making the latter more IN
teresting the officers asked their men to
write on such live topics as the Mexican
Situation" why Went Into the Navy
Secretary Daniels" and so on. Sailor
men in white, machinists from the engine
rooms in their dungarees. even the negro
stewards and Filipino mess boys, strus-
gled with the literary art. The wardroon
steward. a negro who has seen many
months OF tropical service, thus explained
Why Joined the Navy;
ITO fight for the country in time OF
war To try to protect the stars ana
Stripes wheresoever It flies when or
dered to do so and to do all l can TO
maintain the standard OF the American
navy in every respect. and to expose my
self in time OF war when In sight or
an enemy or rebel. Ny desire has been
always to do what can for the navy!
Another man wrote:
I'm regards TO the maner in which the
Secretary OF the navy Daniels is govern
ing the navy at the present time. my
opinion is that he has no more Idea OF
life aboard ship than farmer. and l
doubt whether no has ever seen real
battle ship.
In regards 10 tho law which he
wishes TO enforce concerning the wine
mess for the officers, I would like to ask
him how he expects TO trust those very
same men in time Of war with the lives
Of many men. and the valueless prop
erty of the government in their hands.
when lie is not even willing to trust
them to act like gentlemen when they
do have their wine aboard ship.
If | am not mistaken, they have kept
and used wine and liquor aboard ships
Of every nation. and still continue TO do
so, not alone the officers, but the en-
listed force also.
80 let US hope. that he will consider
the time when ne must trust the officers
and leave things the way they are. and
in regards to stopping cigarette smok-
ing | believe that IL is almost impos-
sibe to enforce such a law.
80. not wishing him any bad luck,
or any thing Of that kind. but hoping he
Will soon be handed his (walking
papers) and leaves for the farm, where
he belongs. let US all hope for the best"
One bluejacket who addressed his COM
munication Dear Presd." and managed
with some difficulty to say that he was
with the President lin joint situation and
circumstance in the regards of the Mexico
affairs" explained that these Mexicans
insulted our flag. that Miss Bessie Ross
made and that is just the same as insult
ing a Female American"
Here are two opinions on the value OF
the warship school hour:
"Mr. Danials. our present Secretary is
a very good man for the enlisted men OF
the navy, | think his idea Of the men Of
the navy going to school is very good ii
freshens the memory and brings back a
great many things We have forgot. 1t
also gives a man who has not had a
chance TO go to school a chance to learn.
This school is very hard thing TO a
great many OF US. II we have a mid
watch and very tired. It is school time,
no rest. II We wish to study something
about our own line of duty. II is school
time, mixed grammar with engineering.
Geography with Boiler repairing, or what
ever line our duty may be. Therefore II
is hard to put our minds TO school days
and be at the top with our duties II he
would try to teach us in own lines we
might be more competent in our duties
and get better-resuts. More Truth Than
POTTERY"
Most OF those who spoke OF Huerta
viewed him favorably one unusually IN
teligent machinist thought that Huerta
was justified In not saluting the Ameri-
can flag In the my country. right or
wrong" theory; others, less thoughtful.
admired him for his crust"
"Huerta Is doing fine He should not
slute any flag for his own good ne has
nothing TO gain by so doing Il Is his neck
sooner or later so stand his grownd be
brave for no man admires a coward.
"Of course we will win out II We de-
clair war on mexico but 1t will not do US
any great good or Cranze IL given the
ruler OF the government will not better
il the only thing vii! benefit Mex And
L. S. IL 10 take the country which will
take three years at least Call the country
L. 5. OF Mex put the old stars * stripes
as their ruler and make their revenuses
pay for our war
The above was written two DAYS before
the order came to change course from
Tampico TO Vera Cruz, and before Presi-
dent Wilson had sent the message 10 Con-
gress. as was also the following:
Being an enlisted man aboard the
L. s. s. Michigan In regards to the Mexi-
can situation am not very well informed
but will try TO write my viewes on the
subject. II was Just last October that
was drafted with 90 other men who were
quarterd aboard the L. 4 :. Washington
then in ~ Y. Navy yard. In a little over
a week found myself aboard the Michi-