The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-04-13
NAVAL LEAGUE TO
WORK IN MONTANA
PATRIOTIC CITIZENS OF EVERY
SECTION ARE ASKED
TO COOPERATE.
Eugene Carroll of Butte, Former Ma
val Officer, Is at Head of Move
ment; Purpose of League Is to As
sist President in Bringing Navy to
War Strength.

head of movement which should
appeal to the patriotic people of Mon
tana. He is state chairman of the
Navy League OF the United States,
the purpose of which is to aid the
President Wilson in increasing the
personnel of the navy to war foot
ing. The work of the league has
been undertaken at the request OF
the president.
Mr.. Carroll. who has long been a
prominent citizen of the state, was
formerly an officer of the navy. He
is a graduate of Annapolis, and not
withstanding the fact that he has
business interests which demand his
attention, rendered his services to
the secretary of the navy some weeks
ago. He was advised by the depart
ment that the navy could use only
the younger men, so Mr.. Carroll pro-
poses to devote his energies to the
encouragement of emil M n t.,
through the state branch of the navy
| league.
At Mr.. Carroll's instance a large
an enthusiastic meeting was held in
| Butte recently. At this meeting
man prominent citizens of the min
ing metropolis became affiliated with
the league, and have pledged them
selves to do all they can to further
the work undertaken. A large meet
ing will also be held in Helena April
II, one in Great Falls at an early
date, as we'll as in other centers in
Montana. No community is too
small to help. A branch of the league
should be formed in every town to
the state. and great and laudable
movement, of incalculable good to
the navy, furthered. Any individual,
or group of individuals, in any Sec
ton of the state, who desires to aid
in this work of the naval league are
requested to communicate with Mr..
Carroll
Speed Up Recruiting.
Since the rising of real war cloud
the preparations of the army and
navy have been speeded because it
has been possible fl TT executive Off
GERS to put into being plans definitely
adopted long since, but up to this
time kept unused on account Of lack
of legal authority to employ them
1t is the first thought to speed re-
cruiting in both arms of the service
There are several reasons why many
young men have refrajned fOm join
ing the navy. These reasons are no
sound; they are based on false be
liefs. In the first place it seems t,
have been fairly general opinion
that the men in the navy, as class
were not of the highest standard so
cially, and that there was a grea,
per centage of foreign born wearing
the colors of the United States The
| facts, as explained to a representa-
tive of the navy league by one of the
higher officers in the navy, are
these:
Statistics show that of all the en-
listed men 95.5 per cent are citizens
of the United States. OF this number,
try; and of all branches of the naval
service about AS per cent are mess
attendants and men in such positions
principally from the island posses
sions. No man is received in the
navy unless he is first of all an
American citizen; then he must be OF
the character and type of man that
would be welcomed in any trade or
| procession.
Reasons for Enlistment.
The advantages offered to young
men in the navy are more than the
average person realizes. This is
strikingly illustrated by canvass
recently ade of the reasons given for
enlistment of 230 men. These were
the first ones received at the Great
Lakes station, Illinois. The results
were as follows:
Ninety-three men gave as their
reason their desire to learn trade,
or that they had always intended to
enter the navy, and simply waited
until they were old enough; 67 men
were persuaded to enlise by relatives
or friends in the navy who were we'll
informed regarding the conditions;
GO men enlisted because of reasons
furnished by literature issued by the
department and newspaper articles;
six men enlisted because they were
out of work, and one man because he