The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-12
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM ALTON
BURE AU
HOW THE NAVY PLAYS.
FREDERIC J. HAsKIN. Director
Warrington, D. c.

HOW THE NAVY PLAYS. x
Washington, D. c.. June $50
much has been written and said ABOUT
keeping the fighting man amused, the
impression is apt to get abroad that
he is incapable of amusing himself.
OF the navy especially. this would be
untrue For while the tars are keen
Ily appreciative of all the shows and
lectures and magazines and concerts
and movies which have been provided
for them by a generous government,
and a still more generous public, they
are by habit to a great extent indie
pendent Of these things. This great
and commendable movement for keep
ing the recruit amused is compara-
lively new, but the navy mas long
since solved the problem of how to
have a good time, no matter where
1t is.
For while the sailors days OF leis-
ure may be spent in London or Paris
or Hongkong. they as often occur
when the ship is at anchor Off some
coaling station among population OF
natives, or in port that is 1uafan-
tined. Hence the navy has formed
the habit of depending upOl its own
resources for diversion. And the new
recruits have quickly caught the ldea.
An old tar. looking over II :oom1ul
of naval reserves, remarked: Throw
a bucketful OF salt water into that
room, and the whole blooming lot will
be seasick in fifty.
And he may have been right at the
time But these men not only got
used to the ways of the sad sea waves,
but also to those of the jolly men that
sail them. For the navy has tradi-
| ton of cheerfulness. The happy grin
is its insigne. The navy has been dec
GRATED with smile for learning how
to have fun under trying conditions
The fundamental principle of the
| navy's method of amusing itself is
that shipload of men will include,
| by the law of averages, many differ
| ent kinds of talent. This talent is
sought out with systematic care, de-
| veloped, and used for all it is worth.
| A belligerent Irish recruit, when
4 asked what he could contribute to-
ward the general joy fund. replied:
Il can't dance aand 1 can't sing, but
1 can lick any ID man in the
crowd
| He soon had a number of chances
to prove his assertion, for boxing Is
one of the navy's standard sports. and
! it has developed some men who would
show to good advantage in the pro-
fessional ring if they chose to enter 1t.
Baseball is another game that stands
high in the estimation of the sailor
man. At training station near
Washington, there are a dozen base
ball diamonds laid out side by side.
and all of them are kept busy most
of the time. Here the naval recruit
! with amplitude for the national game
gets into trim to uphold the onor Of
his ship against the teams from other
vessels. His athletic instruction is as
his profession, for the navy is album
dainty supplied with athletic directors.
The jack always knows what is, going
on at home in the world Of sport, too !:
for the wireless summary of news
that goes out from Washington every
day to ships and naval stations in all
parts of the world includes-the base
ball scores. ~
Rowing is a naval sport which is
more in line with the professional
duties OF the participants, but which
is nevertheless entered upon in a
l sporting spirit. When races between
! the rival crews of the big warships
are pulled of. there is wild enthusi-
asm and strong betting.
Among less strenuous anQjIsements
singing holds first place in the navy
Upon every man-of-war there are a
number of men who can sing, some
who do not attempt one or the other
And music is an aid to work as well
as means of passing spare time
When ship is being coaled the band
usually plays, and the fuel ::oes over
side in jiffy to the rhythm ard
swing of some tune that every mar
can sing.
Quartets are as common in THE
navy as cornet players in a country
town.. Wherever twenty-five sailors
get together. a quartet is sure to be
evolved, and new recruits often form
these important organizations before
they get to the training stations No!
long ago~a group of naval officers OF
high rank were being entertained. and
quartet from one of the vessels
fC-med a part of the program. The
skill of these singers was surprising
} After they had finished a genoemar
. went to the leader. explained that he
had been in the show business, ani
wanted to know where these men h.
acquired such unusual attachments.
1--WE were in vaudeville for thre,
years." the sailor admitted. I'VE en-
listed in a body"
| isn't that fine?" exclaimed the OLD
Snowman.
Maybe So" said the minstrel
sailor, but we never worked SO hare
before in our lives. Once the crew
found out what our business was, the.
started US singing, and we've beer
singing ever since"
n John Philip Sousa has been espe
cially successful in finding and devel
oping musical talent among the sail
ors. At the Great Lakes training sta
Z ton he organized a band of 800 piece
; that is praised by the knowing. an,
9 he now has over a thousand naval re
: cruits on the lakes organized int,
| bands.
I The Great Lakes recruits furthe
distinguished themselves ty staging
!. sailor-written and sailor-played must
cal comedy, which achieved n genu
inc popular success in the Chicag
y theaters, and even won words @
praise from the professional critics. :.