Norwich bulletin., 1917-11-23
WHY BAR MOTOR BoArMEN? Charles P. Chapman Calls Attitude o1 >@, Inspectors Selfish and Childish.


 the subject of an intensely interesting ctory by Charles F. Chapman, former " of this city in the November issue of Motor Boating. a sea going vessel for a certain length of time lumber carrier or a monde script, you are eligible for an officers berth on one of the many vessels which are now building to help win the war.
 But. if you have been . yachtsman or motor boatnan all your life and have followed the sea because you love it and are more intensely interested in it than anything else which you could have chosen for your hobby, have had no end Of experience on pleasure motor craft, have studied all phases of seamanship from a scien- tific standpoint and become an expert in the higher branches of the astro- nOrnical science as well, yet you, you who perhaps may be a4fhousand times more qualified to take a ship to sea tioned, are barred in cold blood from even a chance to get aboard or at least to prepare yourself in order to prove yourselves worthy to serve on one of S5nele Sam's Merchant Marine second to none on the waters of this great globe of ours.
 Tn other words, if you are licensed IndI1 or even an unifCGnSGG man W1GE a a-goipg experience t?), your path to the bridge win be. one of roses. But if you are a yachtsrnan, no matter what your qualifications and knowl- edge may be. you are doomed. And all of this in spite of an already 100 per cent. shortage of sea-faring officers and none of the new ships yet in com mission.
 Many ask. who is responsible for this state of affairs? Fundamentally the law is. but the Board of Supervis- ing Inspectors as we'll as the local in spectors are given such broad powers that it is within their Jurisdiction to .dp as they see fit. It is an open se ssret that the interests Of steam have. prndominated On the board for years and years. Naturally at this critical time they still have the upper hand and appear to be using it to the de- trin1ent of other weH-deserving in- terests.
 With the laying of the keels for the first of the new merchant fleet many began casting about to determine where the officers and men were to come from to man the ships. Surely crews were as important as vessels. Men must be trained for the important positions which would be created with the completion of the boats. But then came the important question. where shall we get the men to train? Natur- ally many said go to the technical schools and colleges and get class Of young men who will eventually make first class officers, others said that among the yachtsrnen and motor boat men of the country there are thous- ands qualified ts almost immediately take up the work.
 But what did our friends, the steam boat inspectors, think of such a plan. It is doubtless whether they even thought. But they did say, Nothing doing ''The officers will be of our choosing and will come from our own ranks" "An others barred And being the court of the first and last appeal they are having their way.
 The United States Shipping Board announces that it needs 5000 new watch officers and 5000 new engineers for the National fleet of merchantmen which it is creating and which will be controlled by the United States gov ernment.
 Te get these officers it has started free training schools in many of tine large cities and seaport towns. But who. can attend these school? Why only those whose applications are Q K'd by the local inspectors. Motor | Boatmen? Nevert
 A further point to prove the selfish and childish attitude of the Board of Inspectors is the fact that large number of the instructors in these schools are yachtEInen and amateurs, men who cannot take out licenses themselves as they have not served on l commercial craft.