New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-14
THE CASE FOR
NAVAL REPRESENTA- TON
Why Officers Who Are Experts Should Help to Contro
Our Naval Policy

vice 10 intelligcntly safeguard our
naval defence legislation.
There is a great cry abroad in the
land and another one in Congress
about naval expenditures and this drain
upon our people, which is explained in
the term for money spent and conf
dence given" In considering, however,
, the weight Of expense TO the public do
many know or try TO know the tax
upon officers and men, paid cheerfully
and CALAMITY in the coin Of faithful
service? An officer must express no
political opinion. He is loyal TO the
administration. Crew officers are never
able 70 vote They stay too short q
time in one place to establish a resi-
dence. In entering the service an Of
iicer gives up his liberty. He has never
"A moment when he is not under orders.
Even on leave the Navy Department
has its hand upon his shoulder. Neither
love nor sorrow, family nor personal
affairs may stand before his duty 20
his country.
How many people know that he must
pay for his food aboard ship, where
he is a member of the wardroom or
junior officers mess? How many know
that he must provide all his uniforms
as we'll as his civilian clothes out Of
his own salary, and that in our service
there is but the smallest allowance
made by the government for entertain
ing aboard ships? When our ships are
in foreign ports, or there are citizens
10 be entertained, the young ensign,
with a wife and babies at home, must
dig down into mis- pocket and produce
his share of the whole party. How
many people know the partlngs and
separations naval men and women must
face? The sudden orders, the broken
hone Of togetherness, the mad packing,
the wrench of parting and the dull,
steady certainty in both their hearts
that duty must be first-are little I'M
derstood by the general public.
What proportion Of people realize the
responsibilities officers must carry ?
They must answer 20 the public for
fleet efficiency, for national defence, and
70 the government for supplies and
equipment. The commanding officer is
responsible FOR every mistake Of action
or Judgment, and II there is an acct
dent he Is liable to punishment with
the actual offender. The men OF the
navy give their brains and Drawn, their
loyalty and youth, their liberty and
life. Il this no tax that our Congress
men should deny them the opportunity
of expressing voice in the carrying
out of the peoples wishes? Is It so
great thing 70 grant equal justice %
both branches of the service? Why
should the General staff OF the army
be established by law and the General
Board of the navy have no such official
standing?
In view of the facts recently brought
20 light by The Tribune, will the pub
lie any longer permit politics 70 jeop-
ardze the nations safety by the tongue
tying Of the men it has trained?
In the face Of Mr.. Daniels's misuse
of Office, in the face OF our UMPIRE
paredness for war, in the face Of the
European horror, in the name of jus
tice, shall we be content 20 remain un-
represented by our naval experts in
the shaping OF legislation for the ma
tional defence? or shall we realize
that the tyranny Of politics is worse
than taxation without representa-
ton" since il spells disaster? There
can be little doubt, since representa-
tion means not control, but justice and
efficiency.
A FRIEND OF THE NAVY.
Dec. 10, 1914.