Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 190, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 August 1917 — COUNTRY NEEDS MANY MARINERS [ARTICLE]

COUNTRY NEEDS MANY MARINERS

Census of Navigators Begun by Recruiting Service of the Shipping Board. NEED DATA FOR EMERGENCY _ ___ — 7 More Than 40,000 Said to Hold Government Licensee to Officer Ships of Ail Kinds—Many Have Left the Sea. Boston, Mass. —The United States shipplpg board recruiting service, of which Henry Howard is director, has started taking a country-wide census of licensed mariners, in order to deal intelligently with the present emergency. The board Is urging all licensed mariners who are engaged in shore occupations to come back to the sea, for the new merchant marine will need great numbers .of competent men. Data covering the numbers of licensed officers, together with the grades of ocean and coastwise licenses which they hold, have been prepared here for the recruiting service by the United States steamboat Inspection service. There are about 40.000 licensed officers. Many are not now engaged In the seafaring profession. These are all men of considerable sea experience, and it is to this class that the call to the sea that the board is now preparing will appeal. Draft for License Holder. gome leading authorities believe that all men who hold licenses should be drafted and forced to assist the government in the present ethergency. Others believe that unless the men come forward and serve willingly their licenses should be taken away. A letter has been sent by Henry Howard to every person in the country holding a license as officer of an ocean or coastwise steam or sail vessel and says In part: “The recruiting service of the United States shipping board is at present engaged in compiling detailed - statistics as to the number of persons holding United States licenses as officers of ocean or coastwise steam or sail vessels, their present address and occupation. _ —i—“This information is desired In order that this service may have a ready reference list of all officers available for service In the large number of vessels that will be placed In coastwise and overseas service. • “Opportunities for the advancement of licensed officers were never so promising as at the present time; and salaries are on a higher plane than ever before. “It has been said that to win this war the United States must provide ships in large numbers to offset the activities of the enemy submarines. These ships are required for the maintenance of our military forces on the battlefield and also to supply food and supplies to our allies.

Ship* Being Built. ‘‘Ships are now being built as rapidly as the facilities of our shipyards will allow. There are now under construction about 1,500,000 tons for private order for service in the coastwise or overseas trade; and in addition there are 1,900,000 tons building for government order for overseas service. Stupendous as these figures may appear, as compared to previous records of shipbuilding tn this country, even this output will be materially Increased as additional shipyards are completed. As soon as these ships are completed work will be commenced on others, contracts for . which have already been let.

“With the ships assured, the problem is presented of securing a sufficient number of licensed officers to man the vessels as they are made ready for service. “These pre days of self-sacrificft for every liberty-loving American. The I world must and shall be made free • that future generations may enjoy the i blessing of liberty, and you of course I realize the important part the officers and seamen of our merchant marine must take to bring success to the cans* of democracy. “The American seaman has never been a slacker, and history records that in every case of danger to our nation he has come valiantly to his country’M* aid without thought of personal comfort or advantage; and there Is every reason .to believe that the seamen of the present day Will be just as patriotic as their predecessors. Are I you willing to do your part to preserve the glorious traditions of our merchant sailor? “The United States shipping board, through its recruiting service, is now engaged in educating both deck and engineer officers free of charge, having established school? in cities along the seaboard and Great Lakes. “In addition, the recruiting service Is taking a census of the officers at present holding license in order that It may ipteUigentiy deal with the situation at hand. You are therefore requested to fill out the inclosed card and return it as soon as possib]#. To insure accurate records you should W careful to see that all blanks are properly filled in and contain the correct information. “Your country desires your service.’*