Evening star., 1915-06-06

This is the story of the blushing
admiral It is written because
this particular admiral is to be
* much in the public eye in the
next few weeks; dragged away from
his retirement and his loved chess ta-
bic to aid in an historic spectacle
On sentimental grounds. he is tickled
hugely over the thing; but, SO varied
are the emotions with which he looks
upon it, he is about as happy over the
prospect of being part of a spectacle as
4 gunman going to the electric chair
Rear Admiral Charles Edgar Clark.
O. s. N, retired, hero of the Oregon, Is
approaching his seventy-second birth
day Nearly all of his life he has con-
sorted with sailor men He was part
of the navy in the old days when
standards of refinement were not high
in the service; when even a mule-drlver
could enrich his vocabulary by visit
aboard ship. And still he possesses the
capacity to blush.
Prior to going into the battle at San
tiago q sailor on the Oregon wrote in
his log: I'VE all think Capt Clark is
going to be ring-tail snorter for
nRh11n&- Subsequent tSehlS uCAioi-
strated that the prediction was justi-
fed: that the phrasing was entirely de-
scriptiye Nevertheless 1t also has
been demonstrated in the case of Ad-
mira1 Clark that ring-tailed snorter
can blush.
1t is all because Admiral Clark is a
very modest man. Seventeen years ago
the country acclaimed him as hero.
His wonderful exploit in bringing the
battleship Oregon from the Pacific
coast around the Horn to the scene of
naval activity off Cuba in record time,
and reporting with his ship in prime
condition for efficient fighting, togeth-
er with the gallant part the oregon
played in destroying Cerveras fleet,
aroused the admiration of the world
Sir Aimeric Rich. the British naval
authority. said at the time that such
distinguished service by a British ma
val officer would have brought him not
only promotion but a peerage. Every
body-everybody excepting Clark him
self-whooped il up for Capt. Clark. All
the government gave, in addition to
kind words, was a substantial advance
In numbers. meaning thereby putting
Capt Clark up in the line of promo
tion.
This. however, meant little. since so
many officers who had participated
with Admiral Dewey in the victory of
Manila bay had been similarly ad-
vanced that about all the advance in
numbers did was to permit Clark to
hold his own in the line Practically
he received no promotion at all.
But popular opinion insisted that
Clark was a hero, and the public want
ed to see him and tell him so. All of
which fused the modest, retiring off,
Ger not d little. He had been many
years in the navy and this sort of thing
was new 10 him and not at all comfort
able. From IT he ran. as he had never
run from a fight.
Ever since then he has been keeping
out of sight, obtrudinR himself upon
the public eye as little az possible. One
does not observe him writing maga-
zine articles about himself. nor accept
ing Invitations to banquets where he
can make speeches, nor doing any of
the things expected of popular hero.
Why? Well. one reason is that he al
ways bushes when he has to pose and
81 makes him mad to blush.
But now he is being brought out of
seclusion to take the proud. SCARED
through the Panama canal, for the
building of which she. more than any
other single thing, is responsible. Pos
sfbly the great Atlantic fleet is not to
accompany the Oregon as originally
planned. Still It is quite certain that
the Oregon will make the Journey ac-
cording to the schedule. with her IA
mous-if blushing-old commander on
the bridge.
1t Will be his first appearance in the
1imelight since. seventeen years ago
his name was on every American
efaced himself from public view that
many Americans thought he was dead
until the announcement was made re.
Gently that he, with such Of his ole