Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-06
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING

Is DOING.
est. first Of iii concerned with spe;,
cialiSed trade training for enlisted
men. later reaching out to 2 cam
paign for keeping men in college TO
be the technical military men OF the
next two or three years OF the war
seated conviction that what is
needed is not simply stimulation. OF
college enlistment and graduation OF
boys from high school to go to col,
lege. but stimulation Of education AL
along, the line from elementary
1t would be almost impossible to
catalogue all the federal and otner
agencies working to keep children
in school. An essential part OF the
educational campaign this faN 10
the provision for physical education.
failure of schools IN this particular
as nothing else could have done. of
the two and a half million men exam
ined for the. National Army IN 1917
- per cent were found physically un-
At for military service and were re-
jected. A careful estimate places the
number Of men suffering from reme-
dial defects at over one-third of this
number. 1t is felt that the schools
have an opportunity and duty here
that must not be neglected.
Every school teacher knows that
the biggest pull upon the boy to take
him away from school is the lure e Q.
know that the highest administration
officials are strongly opposed to re.
cruiting from among children of
school age. Especially important for
this fall is the case of the boy who
went to work when school closed IN
at work during the. vacation. But IN
the meantime he has been used to re-
ceiving high wages, the family ex-
penditures have been adjusted to an
income increased by the boys con-
tribution. and the boy Will not go
back to school. the chances are, un-
less the school or somebody makes It
it's business to see that he comes
back.
Every state now has a compulsory
educational law Of some kind. 1t Is
true, however. that the compulsory
education laws are not statewide in
every state. and that even in states
where they are statewide school at
tendance Is not enforced and the
school term Is so short that even at
tendance as long as schools are In
session would hardly furnish a mini
mum education.
4 II
Oficials Of the United States Ship
ping Board say that they have solved
the problem Of find
Tra;nino Gao ing American officers
for the new merchant
Officers. marin. NJ the coun-
try. 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 for
ward in response to the boards call
for officers, has astonished the most
sanguine prophet in the recruiting
service of the board.
In anticipation of the demands for
officers for the new merchant marine
fleet. this service began training
ofYicers 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 in eighteen
months. This total was passed early
in September. and the total has now
reached 1000: The p Pre- s., attendance
Applications for attendance at these
schools have come from all sections
of the country. the majority OF ap-
plicants and all the students accepted
being American citizens.
The fact that only skilled men
fully qualified by experience to be-
come oficers after brief special train
ing, have been admitted to these
schools, is held by officials OF the
shipping board to constitute an answer
to a question often asked, whether
the great number OF vessels being
commissioned for the merchant
marine.
Tho success Of these schools Is con-
sidered one of the most encouraging
features of the present development
of the merchant marine. Shipping
that the United States is fast becom-
ing a seagoing nation in every sense
of the word; that not only the pubic
is again thinking in terms of ships
but that there Is an abundance OF
virile American manhood today ready
to seize the opportunity offered IN
every branch of seagofng for per-
manent employment and lucrative
returns to the individual.
In all the vessels being built for
the great emergency fleet. simple
ity of living quarters is imposed by
war conditions, yet these quarters
American sailing ship sailor.
On a 5,OO0.ton freighter, this being
a moderate sized vessel as freighters
90. the captain has a suite OF his
own on the lower bridge. reached
from below by gangway from the
bridge deck. His bedroom has lib
eral, built-in bunk with chest of
drawers beneath it, or in some ships a
brass bed. on this is bathroom with
porcelain tub.
The captain also has an Office, with
table, armchairs and roll-top desk.
where he conducts the ships bust
ness and receives visitors. These
quarters are steam-heated against
winters cold and have screens and
ern waters. They are finished in hard
wood.
The first mate shares the main
deckhouse with the captain, having
a room directly under the bridge.
This is often twelve feet square. with
white iron or brass bed, built-fn couch
with drawers under it and ample
clothes lockers and shelf space. The
mate usually also has q private bath.
The second and third mates and
each of the engineers have good
sized stateroom, with a common bath
for each rating.
In the main deckhouse is the dining
saloon or messroom. Here the Off
GERS. from eight to ten in number.
have their meals. On the new ships
this is bright and cheerful room.
wood vanished. having q sideboard
and leather upholstered chairs and