NAVAL MUFTI.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 23, 22 October 1907, Page 3

NAVAL MUFTI.

■ It does not seem fair that the sailor should he denied privileges which are given to soldiers, and the friends of the sailor, realising this, are malting n great noise about it. Bncily, tlin situation is that: British.soldiers are provided with their uniforms free, and are permitted to wear plain clothes; sailors, on the other hand, are compelled to pay for their uniforms, and are not permitted to'wear plain clothes. Nobody, surely, believes that tlio public would object to the provision of a free kit for the sailor, and the refusal of the Admiralty to give the required permission'to wear plain clothes is inexcusable. • The public may wonder why men who have the privilege of wearing the King's uniform should be so anxious to disguiso themselves when they walk abroad. Tho unvarnished reason is that tho men want to "disappear in the crowd." They do not want to be patronised by snobs or subjected to'the unwelcome attentions of larrikins. There, aro other disadvantages attached to tho uniform which aro discreditable to the country. In spite, of the rather feeble efforts of the authorities to exact redress, there are.'public caterers who defy them and decline to permit men in uniform to enter certain parts of their promises. ' Nothing can bo more painful and humiliating to a self-respecting'man than to be.met with such a refusal. These public caterers, perhaps, areinot entirely responsible; tho charge must be made against those civilians who feel outraged, instead of gratified, at the '.presences of a man "in l uniform.-It-is no wonder, therefore, that the men and tho naval Press are asking for the privilego of wearing mufti. In America a similar agitation is in progress, but it is contended therc-that if tho permission be given it should be'coii'plcd with the provision that if any man .elects to wear bis uniform when-, on leave it shall be considered a serious offence on his part if ho wears that uniform in anv drinking place, or in any resort which, would bring- tho service into! disrepute. Ho should be required himinto disrepute; He should , be required his country that sailors now complain civilians do riot always show to that uniform.