Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-08-25
SAILOR SONS" PLEASE
DELIGHT WESTERNERS
Praise for the Middies Heard On
All Sides in California.
FINEST YOUNG MEN INCOUNTRY
Wholesome, Healthy WeII-Mannered
Middies is What Newspaper Woman
Calls Them.

ago called the midshipmen "Pampered
Pets could have seen them in Cali
fornia, he would have, probably, en-
phasized his pseudonym in the super
lative degree.
Every couretsy, every honor. every
kindness was showered upon them and
there was nothing but words OF com
mendation heard on every hand The
middies made a splendid impression
upon California people during their
stay and the highest praise was be-
slowed upon them.
They are the finest body of young
men in the country, and their supe-
riority of character and action i'm
pressed everybody Wherever theywent
Writing under the title sailor Sons"
IN the Los Angeles Daily Times. OF
August Is. a newspaper woman, Alma
Whitaker, has the following TO say
Maybe we did not raise our son to
be a soldier, but since we have seen
the middies some If Us have decided to
raise him TO be a sailor If a mid
shipmans training can be relied upon
TO turn out such wholesome, healthy,
well-mannered bright boys as the
eight hundred samples we have been
entertaining for the last few days.
every mothers heart must yearn for
the improving influence of the sea foI
her man child.
sacks the boy for work,
Jacks the hoy for play.
Jacks the lad when girls are sad
~. 1t.
Hard as nails afI0at,
Best OF friends ashore.
=. Jack ahOy! you're Just the boy
That all our hearts adore"
Every one of those boyish faces
was delight Not an evil glimmer
anywhere, just wholesome, intelligent
goodnes. .unspoiled, unashamed. At the
middies' ball, the most anxious of
mammas felt at rest. The informality
was perfectly safe; even seven dances
with the same young man caused no
alarm. They were just shy enough,
but not too shy just merry enough. but
not too merry. self-control, dignifed
bearing. courteous gratitude. gracious
manners were the order of the dayand
there were no derelictions never one
THE vaudeville songster who dared
to chant L Did Not Raise My Son to
BE Sailor" would find himself hoot
ed off the stage Just now. Why. those
visiting sailor boys have restored our
faith in mankind! They brought a
fresh sea breeze with them that blew
all our cobwebs away. The Bought
and Paid For style of play is un-
thinkable in connection with such men
The ugly social problems promptly
take a back seat when a gay company
of wholesome young middies appear
on the scene They simply ooze up
right manliness, and a Purety League
Congress becomes meaningless in
suit to humanity.
cit would not be possible TO enter
tain Purity Congress md those mid.
dies in the same city at the same time.
the most tactless of civic authorities
would feel the Initness and absurd
ity of the occasion. They are the best
argument for intelligent. constructive
,liscipline-one of the most worthy
products of civilization. Perhaps we
can't make all our boys sailors, but
we will guarantee that the mother
would never feel the heartaches of one
who raised her boy to be a politician
a get-rich-quick aspirant. an effective
Office clerk, or the hundreds of other
vocatiors that call for slick dealing or
gruuby. sordid office.
while We are busy shouting what
we did not raise that son of ours TO
sider just what we did raise him for.
and whether we are entirely satisfied.
| The mothers of those miGdies can
know nothing but pride and satisfac-
| tion. There wasn't a smarty, fresh
young man among them. Their bear
| ing towards womanhood was almost
old-fashioned in its courtliness. Ever
! the friskiest of maidens felt the influ-
ence and profitted thereby. No imper-
tinent condescensions, no coarse com
| pliments, no liberties. Their whole at
titude was about as ideal as we could
wish it to be. II respect you and | re-
speet myself" was in the air. and il
did not mitigate against the fun in
any way.
yet we know very well, deep in our
| consciousness, that the same inform
alities that were permitted to the mid
lies would be grevious risk in a sim
liar company of Young civilians. Man,
a mother who confo~tbly allowed Dor.
othy ana Gladys full liberty at The
naval bail would never for moment
have considered the same attitude a
civilian function. The trust was in.
stinctive-and thoroughly justified
The most youthful of debutsntes wa.
perfectly safe-with a rocmful 81
ready ard genuine Young protectors
self-eontrolled and self-respecting.
"It was good to see the pride Will
which the Admiral looked at his bows
Boys who could heave coal and clear
decks in the morning. ard be court
eous, well-bTed gentlemen in the even
ing. They talked joyously of the gooC