The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-11-16
COLONY
TO SOLVE THE
HOME PROBLEM
Pensacola Could Become the
Permanent Base for All of
the Destroyers in the Atlantic
Fleet.
(BY LUCKY BALDWIN,

A wonderful opportunity awaits
Pensacola. An opportunity to serve
the nation, the state and the city. An
opportunity to serve the navy and the
men of the navy. Pensacola. can
become the permanent home of the
entire destroyer force of the Atlantic
fleet.
The officers and men of the flotillas
want a home. They want a port where
they can be with their families. get
acquainted with their children and
make friends with their neighbors.
There is. at present, no definite sys-
tenn of home ports for the destroy
ers. They run from Eastport, Maine,
to the Rio Grande, and never know
what port will be their home. The Of
ficers and men, particularly the chief
petty officers, are unable to be with
their families except when they are
fortunate enough to obtain leave of
absence.
If the boats are ordered to sea the
men are never certain they will re-
turn to the port from which they sail
ed. They don't know whether or not
to tell their families to move or to
stay. They can never settle down.
"A great majority of naval men come
from inland cities. If a ship is based
on New York. for example, and a man
rents a flat and has his wife join him
he can be at home nearly every night
so long as the ship is at New York.
fsut VIXEN the ship is ordered away
there is no assurance whatever that
it will return to New York at ALL 1t
may be ordered to Boston or to
Charleston. The result is that few
navy men are ever joined by their
families. They leave their wives in
the inland cities and see them only
when on furlough, perhaps once a
year.
The greatest single drawback to
navy life is the lack of home ties. 1t
is even more potent than the small
ness of the pay check in taking men
away from the navy.
But it is q condition that need not
exist. Both England and France have
overcome it to a great extent. And
this is how.
At several seaport towns, naval col
onies have been established where
navy mems families live and where
the boats always base. I speak par
ticularly of the destroyers, although
the same plan has been carried out
with the battleships. AT these bases
there are torpedo ranges, athletic
fields, canteens, amusement houses,
all built for, and operated by, the
navy.
These ports are real home ports -
The boats always return to them. The
colonies are apart from the civilian
towns and yet part of them The cot
tages are comfortably built and are
rented or sold at reasonable prices.
The men establish their families in
them and have real home-life.
The problem is one that is vital to
the country. There is no particular
value in sending destroyers to Maine
one month and to Texas the next.
Cruisers for training should be made
in all waters in which hostilities might
develop, of course, but when the train
ing period is over, and the boats are
to lie in port, let them always re-
turn home"
Now for Pensaco1a's opportunity.
The harbor is ideal for destroyer work.
A section of the upper bay could be
set aside for torpedo ranges. A col
onyscould be started, with comfortable
cottages built to be rented or sold at
fair prices on reasonable terms. And
the navy department and congress,
could be offered the wonderful ad-
vantage of a port so admirably fitted
for the work of the destroyers, and a
people so willing TO aid.
1t is a proposition that is feasible.
More than that it is a proposition. in
No. 4Continued on Pace Two