Evening star., 1919-05-06
Censor Followed Orders.


Last week a German destroyer came
into harbor under the American flag.
Everything had happened on the way
over and her crew had subsisted on
a diet of jelly and pickles for a week
or SO. Nothing was said about it.
Scores Of times during the war Amer
lean naval vessels took part in feats
the relation Of which would have
thrilled every American. Little was
said about them. It is no use roast
ing the censor, because the Navy had
its own censor. That censor followed
the orders of one of the higher-ups.
Early. in the war the marines got
busy on publicity The marines mot
to is First to Fight" They might
sometimes add First to Think" The
marines had a press agent and told
true and chest-swelling stories about
themselves. They got the recruits
they wanted. More than that spirit
was built up in the marines that is
not equaled in any other branch of
the service. A marine is proud of
himself just because he Is q marine.
A squad of marines would undertake
to clean up perdition with feather
busters. They're marines, aren't
they? We'll?
Jared Navy's Dignity.
But that Jared the settled dignity
Of the Navy dreadfully. It should be
made plain that it was not all the
Navy that was Jared. Just some of
the elder brethren of the Navy. How
ever, these elder brethren have the
right to give orders. When they said
that there should be no "undignifed"
publicity the younger brethren were
forced to obey. They wanted to CO.
operate with the press. for they real
lied that the press was doing it's ut
most to help the Navy get the men
which are it's lifeblood. But their
hands were tied. To the superclerks
any publicity was undignifled pub
licity, except now and then a per-
fectly prfm pamphlet issued by un-
doubted authority.
1t Is worth while taking a leaf out
Of the book of British naval expe-
rience. The existence Of Great Brit
ain depends directly upon her main
tenance Of a great navy. In some
what lesser degree tho future safety
aggression will depend upon our
Navy. There was time when one
faction of Great Britain urged the
reduction Of the navy, but the argu-
ment never got anywhere. The Brit
ish navy had plenty Of hrst-rate pub
licity-British style. It is as dfgni-
fed as an admiral. but it has made it's
people acquainted with their navy.
Briton Proud of His Navy.
The Briton is proud Of 1t. He reads
stories continually of his ships and
their men and their fights and feats.
tho size necessary for the mainte-
nance Of the navy and the British
navy will be able to get all the men
It needs when it needs them. Great
Britain understands the needs of it's
navy. The United States does not
effectively
There are Indications Of improve
ment. Lieut.. Commander wells
Hawks has been put in charge of
naval publicity. He knows how, for
he used to be the press agent for
est circus in the world and for many
other amusement propositions. He
may be depended upon to do all that
one man can do in getting true stories
of the Navy into print. But one man
cannot do everything. A change In
Washington is needed. As soon as
naval officers are permitted to tell the
world what the Navy is doing, naval
publicity will get boost.
America Will Need Seamen.
The Indications are that America
will need seamen In the next few
years almost as much as during the
war. Most Of the mon who enlisted
will do 30 for one term only, and that
is probably desirable. The fact that
the ytA>S American Joins for the ex-
perience ard to see the world is the
best possible evidence OF his posses
sion Of punch and ambition. It is his
possession Of those qualities which
has made the American Navy. within
the limits of it's ships and gun power,
the best Navy in the world today. And
he can always return to the Navy in
time Of war-when his country calls
him.
BY and by some Of tho persistent
sitters will be pried OFF the Washing
ton lid. Then the American young
sters will discover that the man who
wants to make the Navy a career may
attain commissioned ranks In a few
years II he has the necessary quality.
There are hundreds Of men dining in
the wardroom tonight who took their
meals in the mess hall few months
ago. The men who just want close
up view OF the world will discover
that the Navy offers the best chance
for them. The canny lad who wants
to study and save money will get in
touch with naval educational courses
and chances. II America is to have
real merchant marine America must
likewise have a real fighting fleet.
The first thing needful is to galvan-
ize superclerk or two into action
OF else change clerks.
The real patriot helps pay Tor his
liberty 1nYDSt In the liberty R0teR,