Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1919-12-25
UNCLE TELLS OF
INTERESTING GAME


Hurry up, Sis" called Jack to
his sister who was up stairs working
on what she called her secret
Christmas gifts, uncle Ted is COM
ing and you know he said he would
tell us all about his trip to New
York"
There was a real boys reason for
Jacks eagerness to hear about his
particular one he was lucky enough
to carry a ticket to the Army and
Navy football game. Like all
and he had followed every move of
the two teams before the great bat
tie. He had waited what seemed
to him like years for his uncle's re-
turn and for the story of the game
from one who had been right
there"
well Jack" said his uncle, II
know what you want to hear and so
here goes without any waits"
Jack sat with eyes popping, all at
tention as he drank in every word
from his big uncle who repeated
move for move of the two teams as
they battled over the field at the
big Polo grounds in New ork City.
AS they neared the end of the
game Uncle Ted said: $50 Jack,
you see it was great game, a
wonderful game although l wanted
to see the army win, having been in
the army myself put those navy boys
from Annapolis put up a great
fight. 1t was the first game they
had won from the West Pointers
since 1912 and you can bet there
was some celebrating that night.
Now children, all this victory of the
future officers of our navy brings
up an even more important story
which I want to tell you. 1t may
mean the future success of our
country in any trouble we may
have with outher countries. 1t is
about the condition of our navy to-
day"
els there anything wrong with
it?" asked Jack.
Eyes, Jack, there is On my way
back from New York / stopped in
Philadelphia where one of our larg-
est navy yards is located. More
than fifty vessels of the great At
lantic feet are tied up to the docks
there. They can't be moved, all be-
cause there are not enough men in
the navy to run them. You can see
that such a condition is worse at
this time than 1t might be other
wise because of the threatened trou-
BILE with Mexico. II we should de-
clare war on Mxeico tomorrow it
ships could be moved. Now you
xx,slI nlr hu 10
the navy so short of men, That is
a question that may be answered by
Josephus Daniels, secretary of the
navy. 1t hasn't been answered
yet. Why children, since Novem-
Der IL, 1918, when the armistice
with Germany was signed, so many
men have been discharged and so
many others have deserted that to-
day there are only two-fifths the ne
cessary number of men to run the
navy in peace times, not to speak Of
war times"
what do you mean by men who
have deserted?" asked Jack.
when a man deserts, it means
that he runs away from the service.
II he is caught, he is punished and
must serve the rest of his enlist
ment and in many cases some addi-
tional time. Every enlisted man
in the navy knows that it is dan
gerous thing to desert and no man
ever deserts unless he is bound to
get out and is sure he can't be dis
charged honorably.a He knows he
is taking dangerous chances. He
is not only deserving his ship or post
or wherever he is located but he is
also deserving his country.
II tell you all this to show that
as a rule conditions must be mighty
bad or something awful wrong be-
fore men will desert But despite
all this more than 1000 men, or
two percent of the entire number of
men of the navy have deserted in
the last five months. To show by
example what this shortage of men