Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-04

Much comment has been aroused by
the announcement that the ship Con-
stitution odd Ironsides make
her exhibition trip at the end of a
toWline instead of under the power of
spread sails. To be hauled by a tug
because the Navy has no crew able to
handle a sailing vessel. is considered
rather a disgraceful thing to happen
to a proud old ship and a rather
SYNONYMOUS sequel to her rebuilding
through Nations contributions. which
were prompted not only by patriotic
regard for the frigate's history but by
a sentimental feeling toward the sea
and sailing days. Some even suggest
the old salts" who can man the ship
and sail her again as she was sailed
in former days.
Expressing its keen disappointment
at the outcome of the arrangements for
the tour, the Rockford Register Repub-
lie states: When the reconditioned
frigate, Old Ironsides,' goes out on an
exhibition tour. 1t will be in' tow of
q tug. Rather a disgraceful thing to
happen to this famous old ship. which
served the country so we'll in the. days
when the Barbary pirates were taught
there was q new and unafraid Nation
continues: Congressman. Bloom of
New York conceived the idea of OUT
fitting the ship as she was IN her hey
day and let her take to the breeze as
she did when Hull, cambridge and
Stewart walked her quarterback. But,
alas. the Navy Department replies there
are no sailor men today of the breed
that Old Ironsides' knew. Men in the
Swedish and Norwegian merchant sfips
might know how to furl and unfurl her
sails, but it would require months to
train an American crew to handle the
ship under sail Hence the Constitu-
ton will be hauled by q noisy, smoke
putting tug. not fit. so far as history
is concerned, to keep her company"
For old Ironsides' to be towed by
tug as she is taken about for exllibi-
ton will not fully satisfy the magma
tion," says the Springfield Mass
Union. IF her old crew of 1912 could
be summoned back, we of today might
witness the beautiful spectacle of the
ship maneuvering under full sail, indie
pendent Of a modern Device" this paper
continues, but presumeS that, under
present circumstances, this resurrec-
ton cannot be accomplished, nor Is 1t
easy to restore other elements of the
picture, for as Assistant Navy Secretary
Jahncke remarks, to require modern
sailors to don the queer and uncomfortI
able garb of crew of 1912 would be
tantamount to inviting mutiny.'
I'm leash, Old Ironsides' which did
so much to assure the freedom of the
seas!" exclaims the Toledo Blade, as
1t pictures the ship 100 years ago under
full sail, bone in her teeth over
taking and defeating sea pirates and
other enemies" The Blade continues
"Conjure in imagination the captain
and mates believing commands, two
men at the wheel, gunners at stations,
seamen swarming aloft, volleys, naval
victories. homecoming triumphant En-
vision all that If you can, or read 1t in
history for thrills and inspiration, and
then ponder the statement of the As
sistant Secretary of the Navy in Wash
ington, that, although the rebuilt Con-
stitution IS completely rugged, no crew
in the Navy knows how to sail her"
AS the Erie Dispatch Herald remarks:
Where oh, where. Is the sailor man
of yesteryear? Surely sailors are not
what they used to be. Sailor men and
the ways of the seas have changed con-
siderably in the last half century"
But are there no sailors capable of
handling the Constitution? The New
London Day thinks there are "a lot Of
old sailors, young IN years, who can