Show DIRT MAKES SAILORS DESERT fighting bob D the horrors of the dry dock with the ships crowded into the navy yards for repairs the officers and men found their surroundings most uncomfortable As many as possible were sent on leave but the remaining ones had a hard time of it says bear admiral evans in hampton s broad way magazine above all things an american bluejacket likes a clean place to eat a clean place to sleep and a chance to keep himself clean and smart in other words he loves a clean ship and he is unhappy if he cannot have it that these conditions should always prevail on a vessel of war goes without say ing but it is a fact which none can deny that they do not exist on a ves sel under repairs at a navy yard the conditions are such as to render clean lines and comfort impossible A ship goes to the navy yard spiels end span everything clean and neat and the men happy and contented then a gang of workmen in dirty over alls Is rushed on board and trouble be gins at once things are pulled to pieces here and there dirt covers the decks men are hustled about and in many cases driven from charge the families and friends of the crew come on board in great numbers only to find themselves out ot place and this soon brings complaint and discon tent it it be winter and this was the case with the atlantic fleet the suffer ing ot the crew is great not only from cold but because the decks cannot in many cases be scrubbed and the dirt accumulates until both the officers and men are ashamed ot their ships and well they may be people sometimes wonder at the number ot desertions in the navy II 11 they knew the conditions as I 1 know them I 1 think the wonder would be that there are not more the old hands who haie seen service and know what discipline means have the happy faculty of making the best of what they know will be a short period of much discomfort and dirt but the new ones who come to the ship tor the first time naturally assume that this Js the normal condition of ship life and many of them jump at the first opportunity the wonder to me Is that more of them do not desert |