The Cordova daily times., 1918-03-21
TO FACILITATE RECRUITING FOR
 NEW SHIPPING

hdo Ciedleu mefChant Sh1pplng Wlthln the past three years to the extent which ordinarily would not be de- { veloped throughout quarter of a cen tury had not Germany's submarine warfare destroyed tonnage in quanti- ties so vast as to create a crisis in the worlds maritime situation. This i building of cargo ships which will re- store the American flag to the seven seas is today only in it's infancy. aud the preparing of young men to take their places as sailors and officers on these vessels, and on those which are to come, is the problem which the United States shipping board has agreed to solve, through a sea train ing bureau established by it's recruit ing service.
 The work of this sea training bureau was actually put under way on Jan uary 1. Beginning April 1t will grad uate into the nations merchant marine about fifty boys daily. Seventy-fiye boys were transformed from farm hands, store clerks and others of civil ian character into sailors during a period of training which terminated February 26-the frs: group of 50,0OO which the shipping board plans to place in active service. This national system of turning landlubbers into seamen is in operation for the first time in America's history
 The United States shipping board is not basing it's system of training on war conditions. Millions of tons of new shipping will go into commission under the American flag during the next two years and the cry Man the new ships!" must be answered by thousands of American boys who live far from the seacoast, according to Eugene E. ODonnell, the shipping boards supervisor of sea training.
 New England boys, including many runaways, first responded to this call because the national headquarters of the sea training bureau was estab. lished at Boston. The age limits were then IT and 27 years. Later they were changed to 21 and 30 years.
 The United States shipping board chartered from the Eastern Steamship Company last December the steamer Calvin Austin, formerly in passenger service between Boston and Atlantic ports farther north. Subsequently a sister ship, the Governor Dingley, was taken into this service. The Meade, once an army transport, may become the next unit of this fleet; and announcement is made that. with the establishment of a training sta tion at San Francisco, the Princeton, United States gunboat, will be taken over, AS the system expands, other ships will be chartered for service along the Pacific coast, and there will be vessels for the Gulf coast.
 Life on board one of these training ships combines instruction and play. At 6 a. m. the 600 boys at present on the Calvin Austin arise and tidy their rooms. Breakfast and general work takes up their time until 9:30, when discipline and instruction begin. Then comes inspection, boat drill, cleanup" and dinner at noon. Fire drill, seaman ship, boat drill, knotmaking and gen eral work occupy the afternoon hours until supper. In the evening the boys have recreation-cards, dominoes, moving pictures, shower baths, sing ing, sometimes shore leave. At nine o'clock the recruits turn in.
 The boys receive better food, it may be stated than they may expect to receive on the merchantmen on which they will serve in later years. It is ample and nutritious. The Hoover program is observed by the chefs
 As Boston, Stanton H. King has the only war job of it's kind. King is official chantie man of the new merchant marine. At the weekly en- tertainment which the recruits enjoy ashore at Boston, they are instructed by King in the ballads of the sea- Although a majority of the recruits will serve on steamers, some will ship on sailing vessels; chantie singing is considered to be valuable TOT potn classes of men, as it msures teamwork when crew is pulling on ropes "Blow the Man Down." which came from the Atlantic sailing packet shins of old