Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-06-10
Dsiskssih "Rist" 4
Greet Lsass Lsyssly
in Reporters Bvsia

The story OF a 'boisheviki riot" at
Great Lakes naval training station,
which was given prominence recently
In a Chicago daily. was largely manu-
featured by an over xcalous reporter.
according to local boy stationed at
Great Lakes In a letter to relatives In
this city. The story gave the impress
sion that the overseas men who had
been returned to the station were en-
tircly responsible for the trouble and
they were made to appear as disciples
OF Leninc and Trotzky. with the most
nnarchistic tendencies.
The incident was the outgrowth OF
sailor sport, says the writer. In which
the overseas "xobs" anu the home
guards" as well participated. and was
not the result OF any intent to create
n disturbance which would gain nation
wide publicity nor an effort to display
disloynlty TO the government. as would
be Inferred from tho newspaper story.
The trouble started at an entertain
ment given In the driil hall. according
to the sailors account. Herbert Gould
was leading song service and II was
suggested that the sailors unite In
singing 'Micky." A rev rockies started
the melody but instead of singing
"Micky" they sang "Boisheviki," par
ady which had gained some popularity
among the sailors. Gould stopped the
singing, saying, Alright. II you want
to sing 'Bolshcviki we will" And the
assembly did sing that song.
When the song was finished Gould
asked, How many OF you are bolshe-
viki?"
"Of course, COB like" continues the
sailors account, everybody yelled. In
fact they would yell at anything.
While everybody was yelling q rookie
waved big red handkerchief. He was
on report and the next morning told
the &. o. that nothing was meant by
It and that he didn't even know what
bolsheviki meant.
AT noon the same day Lieutenant
Wilson gave US a long speech on
'bolshevism.' All the blame was placed
on the overseas men. When the speech
was over Gould mounted the platform
and had us sing America There
were some 1900 or 800 men in the
drill hall that night and only 200 or
800 were overseas men but they were
blamed for the whole thing"
The next day it was runored that
all the four-year men would be ship
ped east for duty. 1t was then that the
ambitious reporter prepared the story
that the overseas men had started a
"bolsheviki riot" and that they would
he shipped away II punishment On
investigation 1t was found that this
report was absolutely. unfounded. the
sailor continues, rs the order had
come from the bureau Of navigation
two weeks prior to the incident. But
the overseas men have been branded
"solsheviks," and everywhere they go
the name follows. The officers de-
clare, the sailor writes, that this must
be expected owing to the publicity
given the Great Lakes incident.
A majority OF the overseas men are
said to be married men and have
good jobs waiting for them at home.
Most Of them have served two years
in the navy and some have had from
year to fifteen months foreign SER
vice. There had been some friction be-
tween the overseas men and the men
stationed at Great Lakes because the
former felt they should be first to be
relieved from active duty.
The men are making no complaint
except against the newspaper story
which presented them in the light Of
"bolsheviks. cut throats and thugs"
and the way in which punishment was
meted out to them for an action Of
which the training station men are
held to be princinallY responstble.