Evening star., 1935-02-22
BY REX COLLIER.


ing Of irresponsible agitators or in
sidious propaganda by organized rev.
olutionists-the persistent appeal to
workers in uniform" by Communist
spokesmen has served to create q
measure Of unrest among enlisted
men affected by pay cuts and re-
strictions Of sundry nature.
There are malcontents in nearly
every organization, and their griev-
anceS, real or imaginary, are certain
to be magnified when conditions re-
quire that salaries be reduced. bonuses
eliminated, clothing allowances cur
tailed or abolished.
Malcontents Fertile Field.
The malcontent element, Com
munists believe, offers fertile field
for nurturing seeds of disloyalty
spread by agents Of the Communist
Internationale at Moscow.
Some of these seeds may appear
innocuous at the outset, but military
and naval authorities who have seen
similar seeds of discomfort sprout
into mutinous rebellions in armies and
navies Of some other countries do not
think the threat should be ignored.
The cultivation of dissatisfaction
among sailors and marines Is the
purpose of the Shipmates' Voice
issued every two rnonthe under com.
munistic auspices.
Realizing that wages and food in
" ~ q hIy rlnfantioI nj dis
satisfaction among enlisted men-as
any veteran knows-the Shipmates
Voice seeks to gain the ear and the
sympathies Of the sailors by leveline
criticism at salaries and mess.
Increased Pay Demands Made.
The paper proclaims its mission In
bold type:
What we want:
81. Abolition of all pay cuts, anc
| the pay freeze: restoration of re-
enlistment bonus and longevity pay
Increase Of base pay to $50 month
for Marine Corps privates and ap-
prentice seamen.
20. Restoration of 1882 clothing
allowance to Marine Corps of s36 q
year. No deductions from pay check.
for incurred debts. All laundry, clean.
| ing and pressing, and all uniform
equipment to be supplied.
"3. No voluntary contributions fol
mess. Plentiful, substantial anc
wholesome food to be supplied without
any voluntary contributions.
| u. Increase of Government main
tenance of the dependents Of de-
ceased service men,"
Doing More Than "Growling." g.
Those do not seem to be seditiou
demands. In the next column, how
ever, the editor, in an open letter,
writes:
The groups of men who publish
write for and circulate this 2ape
are doing more than merely growing
at the hard knocks, but are educating
their shipmates and winning thei
support for the aims of the paper"
Further on. in the same letter, h
makes it plain what the aims of tn.
paper are:
Our paper is opposed to the us,
of armed force against working mer
on strike for better living conditions
Most Of us. being sons of working mer
and poor farmers, we should give ou
active support to our parents, rela'
tives and working class brother:
when they engage in struggles to es
tablish their labor organizations anC
protect their interests.
"They need our help-Soon We vii
need their support. If it is com
munism' to favor the above measure
we see no reason to become frightenet
at such labels; we are more incline,
now to display some interest in wha
communism really offers the enliste'
men in the Navy. and perhaps wei
make study of its program"
Militiamen Declared Won Over.
On the next page is review of "th
greatest labor struggle in many years.
the strike Of longshoremen and sea
men on the West Coast, under tn