Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-16
Ships Ordered to Proceed to
Home Ports at Once While
Cabinet Confers on Un-
usual Situation.
ADMIRALTY WILL SEEK
TO TIGHTEN HARDSHIPS
Passive Mutiny Is Confined to YES
sells at Invergordon and Rosyth.
Crews Cheer King George as
Evidence of Continued Loyalty.
Marines Man Boats.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, September 16.-Blue-
Jackets of the British Nays At
lantic fleet, through a series OF
demonstrations against cuts in
pay, obtained from the admiralty
today promise Of re-examination
~of the new rates with a view tc
alienation of such hardshipS as
might be revealed.
Announcement was made in the
House of Commons by Sir Austen
Chamberlain, first lord Of the ad-
miralty, that ships of the Atlantic
fleet had been ordered to proceed
to their home ports Immediately
The government has authorized
the admiralty, he added, to pro-
pose measures for alleviating
hardSnips in these classes of cases
in which "the reductions press
exceptionally"
DASckUSeS NO DcLalhSs
He gave no details of the origin OF
the trouble nor Of the course 1t had
taken among the men of the feet who
we're reported to have staged a sort
CT non-yiolent mutiny in protest against
prospective pay cuts.
What he said, however. made it clear
that the government had capitulated
at least to the extent Of investigating
the complaints with view to remedying
whatever hardships might be found.
A Labor member tried to open debate
on what he called the urgent and
definite matter of abandoning the At
lantic feet exercises" but the speaker
ruled this would be out of order.
Thus the House and the country were
left without any authoritative state
ment on what has happened in the
feet.
Reports from Invergordon, where the
feet is anchored, indicated that what
ever trouble there may be does not
constitute a serious menace.
When reveille blew this morning
these reports said, hundreds of men on
the battleship Rodney tumbled out OF
their hammocks and gathered on the
gun turrets to raise rousing cheer
for King George.
Then they sang the old-time "Froth-
blowers Anthem" favorite with the
feet. Somebody yelled, Are we down.
heartfelt" and there was an answer
ing roar of mol"
Echoes Down Line.
6off
anchored nearby, and was carried down
the line among the rest of the ships
Meanwhile here in London Rear Ad-
miral Colyin. chief of staff to the COM
mander in chief of the feet, was in
forming the cabinet of the situation
It was stated the men are COM
planning that the cuts constitute un-
equal sacrifice in comparison with the
rest of the defense forces.
Another officer who reached here
from Invergordon described the situa-
ton as mot serious, but unprecedented
in the British Navy" He said that
the crews felt they were being unjuSti-
fiably penalized by reductions in pay
nIaced as high as 25 per cent.
Available reports indicated that tho
disaffection had been confined to two
points-Invergordon and RoSyth. There
was nothing TO show that 1t had ex-
tended to English home ports. either
at Portland, which Is the fleets home
base. or at the important naval base:
of Portsmouth, Plymouth or Chatham
There was said to be considerable
dissatisfaction, however, at Portsmouth
among the men of lower naval ratings
Refuse to Obey Orders.
The best available information indi.
Gated that Is ships were involved ir
the movement. but details were care
(Continueo on Page z, Column 81