Evening star., 1919-08-31

EDGAR STANTON lxAcLAY.
century that chaplains were estab-
lished In our Navy. and In too many
instances in the course OF the revolu-
tion the wounded were attended by
members of the ships complement
who had had little or no experience in
surgery. while the paying of of the
crew rested mainly with the disposi-
tion or discretion of the commanding
ofncer. Fortunately. the creation OF
chaplain, Medical and Pay corps in
the Navy has eliminated these dis
couraging conditions for the enlisted
man: and. correspondingly. tho es-'
tAhlishment Of welfare corps will
Sill fufther increase their hetteFment
and conhsntmenk. It will be found
to operate as . most effective meas-
bane 81 Navy LIE. naznslx the hell
ships."
Viewed solely in the hight Of . plain,
hArdheaded. American business propo-
aitfon, the creation Of . welfare corps
in the Navy (and, as for that matter,
it could be introduced into the Army
With equal advantage) Will be found
to be Of practical and immediate
value. For too many years the sailor
has been regarded by landfoIk as .
strange fish," to be treated in an un-
usual manner and to be regarded with
ruling Of courts. from the time of the
drst codihcation of Roman laws, that
a man is adjudged innocent until
proven guilty. This humane legal pro-
cedure seems to have been reversed in
it's application to saiiors-particular-
ly men-of-wafemen. 1t seems to have
been taken for granted that the blue
Jacket was guilty OF every misde-
meanor in the calendar until he proved
himself innocent 1t was on this
theory that he was compelled to wear
his uniform when on shore-so he
he deserted" g.
Better Acquainted.
fortunately. today. landfolk have
become better acquainted with the sea
and sailors. They have discovered that
Jack is, after all. q real human be-
ing just like themselves. and crafty
ing advances have been made in treat
ing him as such. But there Is still
trades on land have their omctaiiy
recognised unions" and COMMITTEES"
and IL we are to consider the sailor
in an equal light the enlisted man In
our Navy should have representation
in some such omcially recognised or
ganixation as q welfare corpe." ap-
pointed with a special view to looking
after his betterment OF condition and
contentment
A single illustration will demon
corps. During the seven years the
writer lived in japan he had occasion
to visit various men-of-war OF that
nation and noted that part Of the
workday routine was the chanting OF
imperial airs and practice at shouting
Il AokAA fhA far the
ceremony. q Japanese ofhcef explain
ed The chanting of national airs and
the shouting Of navy yells by the men
for fifteen minutes every woFkday.
we have found. has added one inch at
least to the chest measurement or
every man within year. 1t has de-
yeloped their lungs and reduced pull
monary diseases to minimum. Be-
fore we introduced this lung exercise
our navy had great trouble with lung
distress has disappeared almost en-
tifeiy."
Opportunity in 1915.
When the writer was q volunteer
sailor on the American battleship
practice cruise in 1916 ne had occa- Z
sion to note that there was ample
HppIrI IN the United states Navy. Our COL
iege students have demonstrated how
efiective organized noise" can be IN
giving college, class. team and fra.
hundred years we have had the old
Hip, Hip, Hurrah" as the vehicle OF
vocal expression of sentiment in our
Navy, but this, being an age OF prog
ernie that time-honored shout with Q .
few navy" and ship yells." Fifteen
minutes Of this routine each work day
at assembly or at the hosting or low
erinE Of ooioEs toEsthnsr w.h n.tr,otie sae
and popular airs (under the direction
Of specially qualified leaders appoint,
ed by the welfare corps). would add
man. develop his lungs and reduce the
tendency toward pulmonary diseasee.
And would the enlisted men like such
a daily routine: would II make them
happier and better contenteds Just
There is no class Of men that has
keener appreciation Of clean emuse-
ments than your true sailor. IL wes
because poor lack Jack vas wa b;s dsps1vsS av.rfoW %
vitality in the past that he became the
proverbial drunken sailor" About
the only reward the old-time naval
commander had to oner his crew tor sr
extra ration of grog," and when on
shore leave Jack found that the pub
lie expected him to squander his
money in the Lowest his tG.ms I..s Of .cSt ce
was gone, to HE himself quickly
aboard again.
Followed Least Resistance Lines.
And what escape was there for the
from this pressure
of nubiic expectation? Generous.
good d-natured and fun-lovtng to
fault, he too frequently followed the
lines Of least resistaniee' INC ',riyr 1ot; De'n5 n5
shore, he Immediately became marked
for such treatment-and II 10 only
within the last few years that the
regulations In our Navy nave ,,3 nee3
man to go ashore arrayed in civilian p
clothes, and it is only in the last few
years that our bluejackets Tin their
uniforms) have oeen eenerauy Wei
coined In our public places OF amuss-
In proportion to its size the United
States Navy has won moro victories
and sustained fewer e'S dshsats q ths tssn any any
period of existence. This astounding
record is directly traceabie to the
fact that our naval administrations
have. almost invariably; taken the
ali the great revolutions in naval
and warfare Of today
originated in Yankee initiative
the introduction OF larger
cannon, steam in place Of sail pro-
puision, the screw propeller In place
Of the paddle wheel. the ironeiad and
then the "all-steel ship" the subma-
rine and the airplane. Lat US 30 q
step further and take the lead In treat
inE our enlisted man-of-warsmsn a. real
human beings-a part o8 our own nesh
and blood.
Paris.-Reports from Budapest say
that the crop in RumantA Is the