The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-30
THOUSANDS TRAIN
FOR NEW US. FLEET
32 Schools Prepare Students
to Become Officers in Huge
Merchant Marine.
GOOD PAY: EXCITING LIFE
Secretary Daniels Opposes Plan
to Exempt Navy From
Income Tax.
Spscidi Despotch 10 THr srv


WASHINGTON, Sept. 2s.--suf,cicnt Of.
ficers and sufficient man power for the
enormous merchant marine building in
America are assured. according TO the
emphatic statement OF officials OF the
Shipping Board to-day.
Thousands of young Americans have
been trained and are in ocean service.
and thousands more are in training in
schools and on training ships. The prob.
lem of supplying merchant marine ON
GERS at a time Of huge expansion In tire
navy and in nation that has been
without merchant marine for more
than half century has been solved by
the same intensive methods as were sp-
piled to shipbuilding.
For more than year young men have
been recruited in every corner of the
nation Good pay and an exciting life
has attracted them.
Six months ago the problem Of finding
men to man the ships was regarded BY
many officials in Washington az ever
n greater problem than building ships
faster than the submarines could srk
them, but the men. like the ships, have
been Forthcoming. Under the guarantee
Of good earnings and ample insurance
protection by the Government, partcu-
larry for the men sailing in the war
zones, the youth of the nation and many
older men of sea experience have been
lured by recruiting agents and posers
Enough for All Ships.
Officers and men will he ready and
available for every ship as fast as Il
can be completed. 1t has been suggested
that because the navy is manning ali
Of the ships in the transport service
that the American Merchant Marine will
be shart QfSm after the war. Ship
ping Board officials are confident this
will not be the case. They point out
that with the coming OF peace and the
mastering out of men from the naval
service they will he keen for the life
and the pay and go into the merchan'
marine. In addition, men of draft age
can be drawn into the merchant marine.
1t is a significant feature of merchant
marine recruiting that large percent
age OF the men is coming from the middle
West. from class and section that
never saw the sea. These men are en-
pected to stick md to bring their brothers
and sons into the service.
The number of Americans skilled in
seagoing and competent to serve as deck
officers. or having mechanical knowledge
fitting them to become marine engineers,
who have come forward in response 20
the boards call for officers has aston
ished the most sanguine prophet in the
Shipping Boards recruiting service.
Training for More Than Year.
In anticipation OF the demands for
officers for the new merchant feet tbs
service began training officers in June.
1917. At navigation and engineering
schools established for the purpose. The
goal OF the service was then to secure
10000 students for these schools m
eighteen months.
This total was passed early in sep
TENDER, and this week the total reached
] 900. The present attendance at the
schools is 1859 students. The enginoey-
ing schools lead with S65. and the nav
CATION schools are coming strong wi'u
797. There are thirty-two schools
The success OF these schools - cow
sidered one of the most enCourd glr.
features of the present development. -
the merchant service. Shipping Board
experts believe it demonstrates that the
United States is fast becoming a sea-
going nation in every sense of the word;
that not only the public is again thius.
ing in terms of ships, but that there $
an abundance of Ni-ile American man
hood ready TO seize the opportunity Of
fefed in every branch OF seagoiug %.
permanent employment and lucrative re-
turns to the individual.
The Navy Department and of ers
of the navy do not want the propoS'"
| exemption Of their salaries frosr.t',e '.-
come tax enacted into law.
Secretary DanieIs's Protest.
Secretary of the Navy Daniels ID rte
t1Ni. ~. trrl,t t,, IL I,
Senator Simmons. chairman Of -"
Finance Committee. Mr.. Daniels =
particularly opposed TO the suggestion
| that the $500 exemption from rar1.
officers salaries apply only TO Officers
| serving abroad.
After pointing out that having tie
| proposed exemption apply only 10 off,
GERS serving abroad would result in
great deal OF complication through off,
| GERS serving part of a year an fore -
| service or ut sea, and the others "n
shore duty, Mr.. Daniels wrote:
IF 1t shall be the policy OF Congress
to exempt naval officers from tie ju'on"
| tax shall urge that the exemption s-a'.
! include all without Discrimination, t"-
those officers remaining in America a""
not doing so by choice. but are anxious
| TO he sent for service abroad
The Secretary also pointed on, '.N
Congress has granted naval oH r"s
abroad allowances for Comnuta'ou -
| quarters and an increase OF 10 rrr corr
| in pay. II venture to suggest h, vr""
that in the framing of the new r,y'i""
measure In so far as II affects e." raN.
| no exemptions whatever be given Mos
| naval officers regard ii a privilege So '"'
| emergency TO pay their income tax. N'
l would not like to see prectu''' -
| tablIShed OF eXempting from this ,HN '.'
men who are rendering this high ~'~' =
Congress has enacted l"cI-a'
/ which has resulted in the rroU.ui H ''
most officers of the navy, and of ,o3'e'
| this promotion has carried an a0d.'N
| in salary and an addition II ro"'.N'
| taton OF quarters. Further p""7.''''
| will come with the increase % IL" n'.N
| and there Is no sound reason ''' <
emption from the income t7N NM.
| officers have not asked II, the 'fn'''-
| ment does not ask il, and ] f"'' T. ''.
! duty to communicate this niurWa '9'
| to your committee"
Mr. Daniels concluded his ,o't" w
| this way:
| IF l may be permitted 10 o\,i''f q.
! opinion upon the matter, l' rs
| judgment that the income tax '''.
be paid alike by every ono '.'"'
the naval service and other military
vice as we'll as those in civilian "''.'
life"