OUR GOOD NAME.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18461, 15 August 1925, Page 12

OUR GOOD NAME.

THE FLEET INCIDENT. INSULTS TO VISITORS. The unfortunate incident of Thursday night, -when, because lie feared a serious disturbance, the Commander of the United States Naval Patrol cancelled all leave and ordered his men back to the ships, has roused the indignation of all the decent people oi the city. All accounts of the affair confirm the first statement that the, cause of the trouble was the insulting behaviour of a few uncouth ruffians in tho civil population. Tho insults they offered to the sailors were extremely gross—insults such as no decent men could ignore. Tho truth seems to be that the sailors showed remarkable restraint. Opinions on the affair, wholly commending tho sailors as well-behaved, courteous young men, and reprobating strongly tho conduct of those who deliberately set out to annoy them, were expressed yesterday by several citizens who have had the best opportunities for observing tho visitors. Tho City's Regret. _ Tho Mayor of Christehurch, Mr J. Iv. Archer, said: "I wish to express keen regret that there should navo been any unseomliness in our streets last night. I have not in my possession sufficient facta to enable mo to form a judgment as to how tho trouble originated, but I would like to remind our citizens as a whole, and certain groups of young men among tlieni in particular, that the representatives of the United States Navy are our guests, and should all the time bo treated! as such. "I quite realise that neither tho citizens as a whole nor the visitors as a wholo havo the slightest sympathy with any quarrelsomeness that has been manifested. I would appeal to all responsible citizens to do everything in their power to make tho remaining days of the visit as enjoyable as possible to the sailors. I sincerely hope that any little regrettable incident that may have occurred will soon be forgotten." Whon he became aware of the trouble that had occurred on Thursday night, tho Mayor called on the senior patrol officer and expressed regret that so unfortunate an affair should have happened. Tho Mayor of Sumner, Mr W. H. Nicholson, made some observations on the subject in the courso of his welcome to the party of sailors who visited the seaside borough yesterday, and the hearty reception accorded the visitors at Sumner was an indication of what the general feeling is. Police Opinion. "They are a lot of very decent fellows, both officers and men," said Police-Superintendent Mackinnon when asked' yesterday for his opinion of the American sailors. Eeferring to the episode on Thursday night which led to thp cancellation of the men's leave, Mr Mackinnon stated that so far as he could gather a rowdy element among the civilians was responsible for the whole thing. The police had treated the visitors just as they did the ordinary civilians, and no complaint had beon received whatever as to the behaviour of the men. Too much had been made out of very little, he considered. Disturbances of a similar nature were bound to occur in any case where men of a naval or military force, no matter of what nationality, were called to mix with a civilian, population. In concluding, the Superintendent reiterated his high opinion of both the officers and men of the American Fleet. Patrol Officer's View. Commander W. B. Woodson, Senior Patrol Officer, in speaking of the disturbance in Victoria square on Thurslay night, stated that ho greatly appreciated the action of the Christehurch newspapers in making it quite clear that the 'sailors had acted only under sxtreme provocation. From what he had jubsequently gathered of the affair, ho inderstood that the men haft been the mbject of gross insult. They were poung and lacking the discretion that somes with years, and were apt to act impetuously. He was pleased with the discipline ivhich had been shown by the men from the Fleet in the circumstances, when they were, ordered back to their ships. Commander Woodson also paid tribute to the hospitality and kindness >hown both him and his men by the iocal police. He would leave the country with a warm spot in his heart for them, he said. Offers of Hospitality. It will be recalled that when arrangenents for the reception and entertainnent of the officers and men of the Fleet were being discuqped, it was dejided Iby the Billeting Committee to invite private citizens to offer to billet jo me of the sailors. The response was so small that the committee abandoned the idea. According to Mr R. A. Kenaer, general secretary of the Christthurch Y.M.C.A., one result of tho resentment felt against the conduct of the hoodlum element in the City has been that quite a number of citizens have some forward spontaneously with offers to extend the hospitality of their homes to some of the sailors. "Already there are signs," Mr Rentier told a .reporter last night, "that private citizens wish to do something to counteract the unfavourable impression created by tho hoodlum clement. We received several offers torday of hospitality in private homes. We have had offers of private hospitality, to be extended during the next few days, to ibout 100 men—not officers, but sailors. Iheso offers havo been made quite spontaneously. We have made a start already; some men were sent' out to private houses this evening." AMERICAN SAILORS AND OUR YAHOOS. TO THE EDITOR. O* "THE FXESS." Sir,—The insults levelled at American sailormen by a handful of silly roung fools ought to be cancelled. 11l blood between the two sections of the English speaking peoples is the worst thiug that can be bred in a world that depends so heavily on our close alliance. Tho worst Britisher in the world is tho man who estranges Uncle Sam. Our visitors have felt a certain amount of coldness in our welcome. The atrocious weather and our English reserve accounts for it. To tlus has now been added the idiot cat calls of our yahoos. Cannot tho citizens meet the occasion by an extra display of good feeling? A little adventure in this house late last night would suggest that we may miss a great deal. Three boys in blue rather lost in the St. Albans district were called in to an impromptu supper. It is no exaggeration to say that they were the most delightful fellows that one could meet, courteous, intelligent, hearty, and human. No more welcome guests havo crossed this door step. There is nothing, it seems, that tho nen are appreciating more than entry into our homes. The Baptist churches srganised last Sundav to give all day hospitality next Sunday to men of tho Beet. I am sure that all the .churches (Continued at foot of next column.)

will see that no am **t church without an iwitUm lag for the day. The peopfe »fc» an act of the churches -it*' \it IrTljit j* an hospitality whick iMt au*.<. hat night's affair a bad dnaai to tka an whose honour was hart«— t August 14th. OUR CHILLY MANXBL TO THS XDITOa O* "Ml Sir, —I am pleased to notice ]■£ allusion to the want of eWiiriag||l the Christchurch crowds ceremonial march past of tite aafll Fle.et through tho streets on "ikJIB morning. 1 think it is a graafclHß 4 on Ciuistchurdi citizenship ihmk public are -so upathetc. I know that this mean real lack of 1 riemllmesa |agß- r < goodwill towards or visitors, MaK actly the same thing was sotiaiMK when our boys went to the QiaatlHßj and when they came back. Arf-pK the wounded seemed io recerra HNB warm welcome of a demnartnili ture. Yet we know of aeep aMglB current of ieeluig beneath tit ifjMK ingly cold exterior. 1 do lap ' : Vk • visitors in our midst, of oar U& wjK kin, will not take the quiets** «|MH crowd at a false T»ln»tin» AjgyMw tho name of goodness do fefc mmhK. be done to wake up lira ChnstdtamS; public to the need of » am cMMwmanner oi expression at pofcSc taH. t.ons. You, oir, cooJU great service by ■ stirring up gMWH sentiment to the bm! ot £|vi% 4|H : such occasions, pubfie qj«yw»i one's friendliness. If of how we should feel m tba lAer low's place in such down the inclination of itoSe give proper vent to our public. I hope before aqy." function arises we may iw«* advice from your pen.—jlilKsi CHRISTCHURCH LABKUua^flM TO THE IDITOJt O* I*l M*Sir, —On behalf of the citizens of Christchurch I *h to protest against tie treata*rt the larrikin element of the low tending to our naral visitora. It is a disgrace and * shir ajaG.,lßH|: that is just and British. TfcM*-Mraß are our visitors, most of ihoa boys, and it is highly inproptr they should be involved by ed and ill-minded people itt «g«i*gSSß| concerning age-old national un| cal differences. From what I hare seen lately, pears that certain hooligans af» ing the town with the express MMB. poso of stirring up petty I think our visitors must t*« themselves and seek in «m j"3|B| spirit of tolerance and chivalry has ever been our boast. Our visitors on the whole | porting themselves admirably g the insulting episodes forced oa = and I would like to assure tihMß "* s the town as a who!e_ minded dwellers therein) gssa itself entirelv from gnch j conduct.-Yol.rs :p e^ THßCA3lE> 1 OUR AMERICAN VISITORS- jj, TO 111* ZOITOS or "thb "***' _ f Sir, —Can nothing be done t» tfye insulting of our hoodlums of this town? "*•, thinks of the way the Amcrigaa loaded our going and returning; with kindness, it leavw a J**"* , disgrace upon us th*'* iin«eil « Christchurch should be insult men who are our not the Returned Soldiers I make itself felt on this the local Police Force is nseK*s. , CtC '' >*EW ZEALA>"® ER * ,I \ [We have received to tho same effect. Ed. , ; Press."] % J & - n