Evening star., 1952-10-06
XIV.

The Court Martial-Secon day,
morning.
"okay. 1t. Keith" said an order
". opening the door to the ante
room ct 2 minutes past 10.
Willie followed him blindly.
They passed through several doors,
and suddenly they were in the
courtroom. Willie found himself
on the witness platform, being
sworn. and could not have told
how he got there. Challee's face
was gray and forbidding. ''Mr.
Keith. were you officer Of the deck
Of the Caine during the forenoon
watch on 18 December"
81 was"
do you know why the executive
officer took the action he did?"
Eyes. The captain had lost cone
troll Of himself and the ship, and
we were in imminent danger Of
laundering"
Have you ever been In o ship
that foundered?"
mo"
DO you know how many years
Cmdr. Queeg has served at sea?"
mo"
Gas q matter Of fact, Cmdr.
Queeg has served over eight years.
Which Of you is better qualified
to Judge whether o ship Is
foundering or not?"
Myself, sir, If I'm in possession
Of my faculties and Cmdr. Queeg
isn't"
what makes you think he isn't
In possession Of his faculties?"
"He wasn't on the morning Of
December 49,"
"Have you studied medicine or
pSychiatry?"
mo"
Cites Queeg's Behavior.
"What qualities you to Judge
whether your commanding officer
was In possession Of his faculties
on December 1872"
''I observed his behavior"
every well, Lieutenant. Describe
to the court everything about your
captains behavior which indicated
loss Of his faculties"
"He froze to the engine-room
telegram. His face showed petrihed
terror. It was green. His orders
were sluggish and vague, and not
appropriate"
"Did Captain Queeg foam. or
rave, or make nonsensical state
ments, or inSance gestures?"
mo. He seemed to be paralyzed
with terror"
"Paralyzed. yet he issued or
ders?"
"As I say, the orders were not
helping matters. but making them
worse"
"Be specific. Lieutenant. In what
way were his orders making things
Worse?"
"Well, he kept insisting on going
down-wind, when the ship was
yawing so badly 1t was broaching
to-"
after being relieved. did Cap
tain Queeg 60 violently crazy?"
mo"
Describe the captains manner
after being relieved Of command" !"
''Well, actually. he seemed bet
ter afterward. I think he felt
better as soon as he no longer had
the responsibility"
mo opinions. Mr.. Keith. Tell
the court not what you think, but
what you observed, please. What
did the captain do?"
"Well. he stayed in the wheel
house. Several times he tried to
resume command"
I'm an orderly, sensible way, or
IN q wild, raving way?"
"The captain was never wild or
raving, either before or after be-
Ing relieved. There are other forms
Of mental illness"
"Are you aware that Captain
Queeg has been pronounced per-
fectly rational by professional
psychiatristS?"
EYES,"
"Do you think these psychia-
trists are also mentally Ill, Lieu
tenant Keith?"
'"They weren't on the bridge Of
the Game during the typhoon."
"Were you a loyal ofdcer?"
II think I was"
"Were you wholeheartedly be-
hind the captain, or antagonistic
to him, at all times prior to 18
December?"
Calculates Answer.
Willie knew Queeg had ap-
peared on the first day, but he
had no idea Of what the teSti-
r1ony had been. He calculated
his answer carefully. II was an