The sun., 1917-09-30


ana Portland. Ore.
Plans are now being perfected for
the esta ablishment Of series Of schools
at various ports on the Great Lakes,
where the inland sailors may have an
opportunity during the winter season.
whom the lakes are closed to naNga-
tion, to take advantage Of the educa-
uonal plan.
At all Of the schools mon with .
genuine love for the sea, with pro-
found reverence for the traditions Of
the American merchant marine which
carried the old clipper ships round the
world In the sos have assumed the
onerous duty Of instructors. Many OF
them are college professors whose lives
have been lived In the humdrum at
mosphere of the classroom. Others OF
them are weatherbeaten sea captains
who have served their time in the
dwindling merchant service. All OF
them have the vision Of greater
American.sm exemplifed by fleet Of
merchant ships second to none In the
world. manned by real Americans and
York to Rangoon.
Many Of the instructors are volun-
teers. men who have given up their
business to make merchant marine
officers. They have entered into the
work for the pure love OF the work.
and for love OF the results which they
hope to attain.
All this theoretical instruction Of
ship ofYicers for a time earned a hearty
laugh from the hardy men who have
been fighting Americas fight on the
seas for the past decade. They ridi-
culed the idea Of teaching a landsman
seamanship in a few months. They
secuted the proposition that the techni-
cal side Of navigation could be learned
by a man OF average intelligence and
education within few weeks.
OF course tho men turned out Of the
Shipping Board schools will not be
ready to take command of q great At
lantic liner and navigate her through
the submarine zone at once. But as
they leave the schools they are being
given a rigorous course Of practical
training on vessels that are actually
at work In the transatlantic or the
South American trade. few months
Of this work at sea and Recruiting
Director Howard declares they will be
ready to undertake the navigation OF
any vessel. And he proposes to prove
II by putting the men In charge OF
the vessels which must be forthcoming
In enormous quantities in the next few
months to carry munitions and sup
plies to the constantly increasing army
Of American fighters who are settling
to work in the trenches in France.
Navy Supplies Executives.
To get the ships in operation and
make them available for the impera-
tive duty Of keeping the line OF COM
munication with American troops
abroad always open and available the
navy has been forced to supply execu-
tive officers. and in many cases en-
every American merchant ship afioat
is to-day under the control Of the
Navy Department and its complement
is commanded by executive officers
taken from naval vessels or from the
naval reserve.
But all this will be changed when
Director Howard gets his new genera
ton OF sailormen at work. The first
Of them will soon be reporting after
their period OF sea training and they
will then be ready to get down to
the serious business OF managing the
great units Of the great American
merchant feet. They will be forth
coming by tie hundred within a few
months and the recruiting director de-
clares he will be prepared to supply
officers for merchant ships Just as fast
as the Shipping Board can build or
buy the vessels.
Getting the Deckha nds.
All Of this scheme supplies officers.
both deck and engine room, but IL
does not supply the great backbone
Of the merchant fleet. the bold able
seaman. the deckhsnd. the stoker and
the fireman. For these the Shipping
Board went to Andrew Furuseth. the
age worn, weatherbeaten sailorman