The Washington times., 1917-05-27

the railroad and can enlist as a fire
man here. II there Is any spirit IN
any OF you two fellows let me see
-Four friend, D"
As you 60 about this ship, as /
have in the last few days. you realize
why the bluejackets write such Ietters
to their friends. have been allowed
to go where 1 liked, and after the
frst day on board l passed unnotlced
everywhere. But l saw no brutal
treatment, nor any sullen 'aees here.
I have seen q great deal OF kindliness
and heard a deal OF friendly advice
and explanation during drills. don't
mean II Is any picnic here. This 10
hard work, getting ready for var.
And sharp orders and reprimands
come to your ears In q tone you have
heard on the football field when the
coach was putting pep" into the
work. And that II the general atmos-
phere. This ship II q training school
these days. and the rockies are treat
ed like lads In school.
Give Best Conditions.
I'VE want the finest kids in the
land" one of the officers said to me,
land to get them we are trying to
give the best living and working con-
ditlons. and chances to ambitious kids
to get up in the service, to learn
trades and grow more useful for hav-
ing been In the navy"
In these letters from the feet,
have given most OF my space TO the
rockies and the lives they lead A
word about the officers now. ! have
haan With NhApn -
mess and at their various duties, and
1t has rarely been my good luck to
meet q more alert and intelligent,
thoroughly decent and likable lot,
from the captain to the ensigns. Cap
tain Bassett has long been known as
one who is greatly liked by his crew.
In the last few months the proportion
OF Refreshments on this ship has been
so per cent. This speaks for itself
The officers here are absorbed in
the prospect OF the work that lies
ahead At night they would often
bring out maps and charts of the
North Sea and eagerly talk OF ways
and means to get the German
U-boats. Every man had his pet
idea But again the talk would turn
to the larger meanings OF IT all, AMI
found that most OF these officers
hope the war Is going to end in
some immense alliance. The captain
expressed the same idea He seemed
to see In the future a larger Amer
lean navy which after this war may
come In time to perform its share
In a great international sea police
composed OF the nAvies Of the allies.
ave men in the navy no more want
wars than the rest of our fellow
countrymen do"
But war has been forced upon us,
and the fleet is rapidly getting ready
to meet the demands that may soon
arise. AS they lie here so quietly,
these immense grim shapes OF gray
as II were between human liberties
at stake, and a great country rich
and free back there where the sun
Is setting now-many pictures rise
in my mind: pictures OF what has
happened abroad. OF Europe's need
and Americas task, and OF the tradi-
tions behind these ships. And these
pictures seem to me to combine, and
to have one meaning. only one.
think OF the Europe / have seen.
of whole vast regions in despair,
long roads filled with refugees, old
men and women and children starved.
thousands dying by the road. think
of wretched shelter camps and of a
hut in Poland where eight emaciated
children crowded about me crying
for bread, and OF blackened villages
along the Mouse in Belgium, of one
old man who stood In the ruins OF
his home and shook his fist at the
Boches as they passed. / think of