The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-16
MIGHTY FLEETS
WITH u. S. FLAG.
HURLEY'S IDEA
Chairman of Shipping
Board Says American Mer-
chant Marine Is Assured.
SEES ALL-YANkEE CREWS
iIardships and Small Pay of
Sailors to Disappear In
der New Regime.

Edward N. Hurley. chairman of the
United States Shipping Board. gazed
iact night through the periscope Of
ur'i.crairo business man and patriot
endowed with idealism ard philosophy
:. o the future of American shipping
.r,i registered some OF his impress
a'crs n the Plaza 10 a-Sroup Of news
.Lncr mon familiar with the theme.
Njr. Hurley saw the argosies of
arle sam sailing the seven seas with
r-ws nearly 100 per cent. Yankee. and
g., wing wages and privileges that
.,.Eht cause any adventurous young
r. 20 desert his home town to help
cary 10 Me rcmotest ports of the
'Jr'd thc goods of these United
s'ntes. M-. Hurley mas been pestered
~ Tn irnulrers who want to know
-~Ien ships will be ready to send their
anu,actured goods abroad. He has
answered: Bring on your goods and
We will furnish the ships"
That is what he hopes to do after he
assists in bringing home our soldiers
IN France and sending to the needy
friendly and enemy peoples Of Europe
goadstuns to keep them from drifting
iI.to Bolshevikisn and death from star
,ation. He will even charter the steam
.hips OF Germany, mostly at the ports
II Hamburg sra-Bremen.-apd make no
objection to their coming here with our
soldiers under whatever flag the Ger
i;aps may select. and skippered and
manned exclusively by Teutonic seamen.
There are also ten or twelve Austrian
Eteamships that may be utilized TO bring
TIE Yankee fighters home.
All Home in Ten Months.
With these fleets and ships flying the
American flag he believes that we may
be able TO bring all the troops back
perhaps in ten months, or at the rate
o. about 200. 900 month.
Every ship, German, Austrian or
American, that sails this way with
Il oops will go back laden with provisions
for the folks who need food on the other
s.de. They will make better time than
IL the war days, because they will not
ave. to wait for conveys and Will sail
rgt in squadrons and fleets. but as they
lease. at the swittest speed their en-
-snes can develop.
The Shipping Board, established be-
-C.c we entered the war, Mr.. Hurley
s4d. was just as permanent an institu-
ton as the State, Agricultural or Labor
Grpartment Its object was to establish
: nj perpetuate the American merchant
:narine, and Mr.. Hurley strongly inti-
r.. ed tnat /: would be on the Job IL
.e.laitely.
Sees Vision of Great Fleet.
The railroads. whether run by the
-p~ernment or otherwise, would be
..akcd up with the various big ports OF
t'e country. which would be enormously
I.veioped, and cargoes would leave
,nrse ports in a way never dreamed OF
D., the most optimistic merchants In
- days OF the clippers and packets
u the roseate period lamented by all
american shellbacks, a period that Mr..
ll~,cy does not admire In so far as IL
-. ated the man In tire forecastle.
The great American fleets OF pas
..n.;er carriers and frelghters that will
g., he stars and Stripes In faraway
. .'rg that never have seen them IN
Il 4 century or more will be manned
y, ambitious American boys Of educa-
;,oI AMI ambition. Many perhaps will
- AIKEN from the army soon to be dis
o.. rded. These boys will not care about 1
rctl-u'ng to their old nome towns after
"a. ting the spirit OF sea adventure.
They must be paid the wages of their
aornrades ashore.
Tie Lew ships. passenger and cargo,
ad Leeu equipped with rooms In which
,H'y two seaInen sleep. mattresses as
good as American boys are accustomed
% have at home, baths and food rs good
a.. might be served at the tables or the
go.@ mothers OF these boys Nothing
va. ,oJ good in peace FOR the faithful
- e. leans who had gladly Offered their
Ives on sea and land in time Of war.
No Fear From Cheap Labor.
re critics wanted TO know how the
\ .r 'rlean merchant marine could COM
. e with other merchant marines that
Yloycd cheap LdsSar and Chinese la |
- " & tho stoke holds and OH the decks |
heir ships. The answer was In
> ~. that there could ba no American !
"f"hant marine With that sort of OTi /
tai equipment Mr. Hurley's hope IL
nat by swift turn arounds," by which |
'sSse's may remain only a few days In
port instead OF week or more; by |
-odera mechanical methods of loading |
sAd discharging cargoes az on the Great |
axes, by the use OF relay crews, which |
VIII give the American sailors a chance |
% spend several days or a week at their |
'..ncs, and by an appeal to the patriotic |