Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-04-26
POWER OF THE
NAVY Is IN ME-
Said Big Jack Dempsey, the
Fireman Recruit, in
Interview

The power of the navy is in me. =
Big Jack Dempsey, fireman re-
cruit thus unburdened himself as he
sat with legs dangling on the turrent
of the Virginia.
Around him seethed the prepara-
ton for war. From the huge navy
yard shops arose the din and clamor
of mighty force rushing the final
work to place in readiness the big
steel fighting machines which are
to play an important part in uphold
ing the honor of our nation. On the
parade ground adjacent. couple of
hundred bluejackets were running a
quarter oval, hardening up for their
work ahead.
Something of the inspiration. of
this vitality energetic scene glistened
in his eyes, as he swept his pipe
stem in a short semicircle before
him to emphasize the might of which
he was master.
huge OF frame, horny of hand is
Dempsey. 1t was only two days ago
that he drifted into the navy re-
cruiting office to offer himself to his
country.
Whether its salorin' or soldierin'
/ told him at the recruiting office,
de same to me so long as | can
serve me country. Anyways that u
tonne loike this is the best way"
was the gravely enunciated philo-
sophy.
80 | enlisted as fireman, the
greatest branch of the service of
the U. S. navy.
"Whin a man has put in a few
years on the job. there is somethin'
about the tireboX of Il enGin that
pulls YOU to it, vance YOU have fed
the big, hungry mouths that are al
ways open and roarin'.
And after little hustle of feed
in the big babies. the job is done
and ye can take yer ease while the
byes above are dhrilling and the ship
is follin' easy-like in the cradle ov
the sea.
Every man in his task, says I,
and I'm fireman by inclination and
force of habit. And it is me duty to
play fireman for Uncle Sam whin he
needs me above all others.
Vance l stocked on a tramp
steamer, and it was there l learned
the power oV me calm.
I'VE wuz down where the heathens
and the fever wuz thick as mud. an
wan the sickness took hold ov the
officers and crew until they wuZ
only a handful ov us lift to navigate
the craft. What with the fever
raging we had powerful time. Wan
after anither the byes below fell
down with sickness, and it wus thin
the real trouble began.
1T wuz the captain himself who
came down to talk to us. 'byes' he
said, 1 kin get along without me
officers, but for the love of Hivin,
me ship will perish If me firemen
deset me in this me hour ov need
That is why / say the power ov
the navy is in me. Whin the coal
stops, the battleship stops, and the
inimy can take yer at his own time. -
Across the slip between the Nir-
ginia and the next dock, the sailor
drill had spread out into an open
order exercise. They were the men
behind the guns" an integral part OF
! the great fighting mechanism which
is soon to spread its influence world
wide in the mighty conflict facing
this nation. L looked sideways at the
man beside me, who represented the
silent working force of the American
| battleships, but his gaze was lifted
above the immediate animation oi
moving units. 1t rested in the smoke
clouds coming from the huge stack
of an adjoining vessel.
THE byes hev started work fei
Uncle SAM" he observed with G
| lOuSl VI pllue' anu hilSW tiei
down in the cavernous recesses Of
| that gray steel hull, other represen.
tatives of the power ov the navy
were bending their backs to the enc
that the traditions of the American
navy might be upheld and the hon
or of the flag maintained upon the
seas.
The navy needs more firemen a!
well as men in other branches O.
the service. 1t needs thousands more
patriots like Jack Dempsey.