Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-11-14

used for transport purposes will be turned back 70
their ar, 81 uses as commerce carriers, and Will
call for merchant crews.
The work Of manning the merchant marine WIN
ulI-American crews thus becomes one OK the sre"'-
est Of the governments present activities
1t IS being carried out entirely by the Unlteo
States shipping board through Its recruiting
service. This service has national Headquarters ~
Roston--a famous old seaport and n natural cen
Tor for American sailors-and has training sta
lions also at New York, Norfolk, New Orleans san
Francisco. Seattle and Cleveland. 1t maintains
a feet Of y training ships and Is training o'WV
men q month.
The system Of securing recruits for this service
they are not enlisted. but sign a contract TO serve
for tho duration of the war, with the privilege OF
serving as much longer as they like--ls exceeo'
ingly simple. ~
Observing the effectiveness OF establishing
branch post offices in drug stores, dhe sh1oplns
honrd applied the idea to recruiting and estab'
lshed Its recruiting stations In each store OF Il
we,l.known chain throughout the country. There
ara 1884 of these stores. and in each the proprle-
Tor mr. head clerk Is sworn In us a "dollar-a-yeaf
man" to work for the United States shipping board
m n special enrolling agent OF the merchant ma
rine.
These enrolling agents began their work last
snring. They got to going strong In August OF TINS
wear. as the figures already quoted indicate.
The men whom they sign are sent to seaports
for training, the government reimburslng them 1or
their railroad fare.
Tho Young men entering the merchant marine
through the shipping boards training service BE-
come the special charges and wards OF the shipping
hoard for the duration Of the war.
Their welfare Is looked after from the moment
thew enter the service. They IRE placed on board
big training vessels, where they are put into uni.
form-a special uniform, differing from that used
IN the nayy-and are given a scientific course OF
training In the rating for which they sign on"
Some are trained as sailors, others as fremen'
others az cooks or bakers or stewards. For the
cooks and bakers special schools IRE maintained
aboard ship, there being one at Boston anu "n
other ut New YORK. 80,
Firemen are given a special school course also
m the character Of coal, combustion. care OF boil
ora and the like. The shipping board maintains
large school for frenen at Chicago and another
woter.tenders and oilers-the assistants to the
engineers on a ship--are also given special schoo
raining before being taken to sea. at a Chicago
school Of engineering.
When the young men thus tra'ned-ano SOM
ore quite young. as the ninimu age limit u
eighteen-have finished their speciai courses .ne'
.ro sent TO sea on merchant ships, IN proporuot
- ,our "a each SIX able seamen carried.
Aaoat or ashore they are responsible always I
the shipping board, and every time they return =
m American port they report their whereabouts =
tha recruiting service headquarters.
In this manner Uncle Sam keeps a paternal ey
an the young men making their first voyages. d
knows them, and knows that he can trust tnen
They are part Of n big family OF young America
eoilors Of the best sort-Americans whose ioyalt
4. h,vond question. and whose bravery and devt
t,on ave the lie every day and every hour Of tn
dsv TO cruel slanders that have been circulate
since the war began against the character OF Anne
tenn merchant crews.
The youns American merchantmen faces Gfa'