Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-12
Star Staff Photo.

Our people are becoming familiar with
the details of our battleships. our cruis-
erS and aircraft, our guns and torpedoeS,
but they know little of the officers who
control them, and less of the men with
out whose skill these tools would be
useless. 1t is Of these I would speak.
In civil life. where opportunities for
wealth and fame are open to men in
every field of endeavor, the great sur
geonS, the great statesmen, the great
lawyers are known and honored for
their demonstrated ability and skill.
But he whose sole duty it is to defend
his country spends his life training
himself and others for some fateful
hour; an hour that we all hope may
never come, when he is to stake his
accumulated wisdom, training, skill and
judgment on the hazard of a battle
that may mean victory or defeat, honor
or disgrace, not only for himself, but
perhaps for all his fellow countrymen.
1t is this human side of the Navy that
we are apt to forget. We are apt to
forget the life of struggle, OF self denial;
the constant sacrifice of self for the
ideals of service, with little or nothing
remaining at the end for the depend
entS left behind. That Is the story Of
the great majority who uncomplainingly
bear this burden and regard the service
OF Their country as an uOTOTs
Praise as Well as Censure.
Let us remember that it is our Navy
It belongs to you and to me and to
every citizen. To a certain extent its
morale is in our hands. Hostile or de-
structive criticism is as hurtful Of
morale as merited praise is helpful. In
our own interest as shareholders and
part owners of our Navy let us try al
ways to be fair in our attitude and give
as readily Of our praise as OF our GEN.
sure.
I believe, as time goes on, our people
appreciate our Navy and TO regard 1t
with ever-increasingl interest and af-
lection. The safe handling of the con-
voys, with 100000 of our boys. over
seas and back, produced q profound i'm
preston in every home. Then, think
every landsman feels in his blood a
| little Of the romance and mystery of
the sea. While in his inner heart he is
! confident that without further training
he would make an excellent soldier, he
is not SO confident of his ability on the
water, and is willing to concede to the
mariner the respect due to one who
matches his skill and courage against
the dangers of the unknown sea.
The thought wish to leave with you
this evening is one that is in the mind
of every naval officer. It is this, that
to whatever size our Navy may expand,
high morale and thorough training will
still be essential to victory. Mahan has
warned that Good men in poor ships
have always beaten poor men In good
ships" It's the man that counts-the
combination of uncomfortable spirit
with high technical skill We must
have the best weapons though their cost
is great, for money can never measure
the value of victory or the cost of de-
feat. But fine weapons alone or the
most scientifically perfect equipment in
the hands of the unframed may be OF
little more use than bows and arrows.
Complex Profession.
We live in a scientific age. an age Of
unprecedented discovery and invention.
Men over SO have witnessed in their
time more material progress than the
world has known in all its previous his
tory. The day has passed when men
could leave the pillow in the field and
go forth to battle. The fighting pro-
fession, and, especially the naval profess
sion has become the most complex and