Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-09-14
COUNTRY NEEDS
many MARINERS
Census of Navigators Begun by
Recruiting Service of the
Shipping Board.
need DATA FOR EMERGENCY
More Than 10000 Said to Hold Gov
eminent Licenses to Officer Ships
Of All kinds-Many Have
Left the Sea.

Boston, Mass.-The United States
shipping board recruiting service. of
which Henry Howard is director. has
started taking a countrywide census
of licensed mariners, in order to deal
intelligently with the present emer-
gency. The board is urging all IL
censed 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 Ii
| cenSed 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 10000 licensed Of
| ficers. Many are not now engaged in
the seafaring profession. These are
all men of considerable sea expert
ence. and it is to this class that the
call to the sea that the board is now
preparing will appeal.
| Draft for License Holder.
Some leading authorities believe
that all men who hold licenses should
be drafted and forced to assist the
government in the present emer-
gency. Others believe that unless the
men come forward and serve willingly
their licenses should he taken away.
A letter has been sent by Henry
Howard to every person in the coun-
try holding license as officer Of an
ocean or coastwise steam or sail YES
sci and says in part:
"The recruiting service of the United
Ststes shipping board is at present
engaged in compiling detailed statis-
tics as to the number of persons hold
ing United States licenses as officers
of ocean or cOaStwlse steam or sail
vessels. their present address and Oc-
cupatiOn.
''This information is desired in or
der that this service may have a ready
reference list of all officers available
for service in the large number of YES
sells 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.
ut 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 main
tenance Of our military forces on the
battlefield and also to supply food and
supplies to our allies.
Ships Being Built.
"Ships are now being built as rap
idly as the facilities of our shipyards
will allow. There are now under con-
struction about 100000 tons for pri-
vate order for service in the coast
wise or overseas trade: and In addi-
ton there are 100000 tons building
) for government order for overseas
service. StupendOus as these figures
may appear. as compared to previous
records of shipbuildng in this cOun
try, even this output will be materi
ally increased as additional shipyards
are completed. AS soon as these
ships are completed work will be com
menced on others. contracts for which
have already been let.
"With the ships assured. the prob
lem is presented of securing a sufH
cient number Of licensed officers Il
man the vessels as they are made
ready for service.
"These are days of self-sacrifice fol
every lberty-lOving American. TIL,
world must and shall be made free
that future generations may enjoy tn,
blessing Of liberty, and you of course
realize the important part the officer.
and seamen of our merchant marine
must take to bring success to the caus,
of democracy.
."The American seaman has never
been a Stacker. and history records
that i'm every case of danger to our ma
ton he has come valiantly to his cOun
try's aid without thought of persona
comfort or advantage; and there Il
every reason to believe that the sea
men Of the present day will be jus
! as patriotic as their predecessors. Ar
I you willing to do your part to preserv
! the glorious traditions of our mer
I chant sailor?
1.-The United States shipping board
through its recruiting service. is nov
engaged in educating both deck an
engineer officers free of charge, hay
ing established schools in cities alOn
the seabOard and Great Lakes.
"In addition. the recruiting servic
Is taking a census of the officers a
:, present holding license In order tina
l. it may intelligently deal with the stu
: alton at hand. You are therefore RI
i uuested to fill out the inclosed car
g and return it as Soon as possible T
Il insure accurate records you should
|. careful to see that all blanks are prop
G erly filed In and contain the cOrrec
l. information.
Your country desires your service.