The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-12-13

The problem Of finding American Of
ficers for the vast new merchant ma
rine of the country has been solved,
the United States shipping board
states. The number of Americans
skilled in seagoing, and competent to
serve as deck officers, or having me-
chanical knowledge fitting them to be-
come marine engineers, who have come
forward in response to the boards
calls for officers has astonished the
most sanguine prophet in the shipping
boards recruiting service.
In anticipation of the demands for
officers for the new merchant fleet this
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 in 10 months.
This total was passed early In Sep
TENDER. The present attendance at
the schools is 1852 students. The en-
cheering schools lead with 1856 and
the navigation schools are coming
strong with 1917. There are 81 Of the
schools.
Applications for attendance at these
schools have come from all sections
Of the country, from Alaska, the far
East. Hawaii and the canal zone.
Those from the latter place have been
equal to the attendance at some of
the schools. A majority Of the appli-
cants and all the students accepted
are American citizens.
The fact that only skilled men, fully
qualified by experience to become off,
GERS after brief special training have
been admitted to these schools is held
by the shipping board to constitute an
answer to question often asked, If
American officers could be found for
the great number Of vessels being
commissioned for the merchant ma
rine.
The shipping board is encouraged by
the character Of the men taking its
special training course to believe that
a great majority Of them will remain
in the merchant marine and make sea-
going their career. .-.
The success of these schools is con-
sidered one Of the most encouraging
features Of the present development
Of the merchant service. Shipping
board experts believe it demonstrates
that the United States is fast becom-
Ing seagoing nation in every sense
Of the word; that not OILY the public
Is again thinking in terms of ships,
and that there is an abundance of
virile American manhood ready to
seize the opportunity offered in every
branch Of seagoing for permanent en-
ployment and lucrative returns to the
Individual.
Public Asks for Information.
One evidence Of a great revival in
public interest in seagoing which has
kept pace with this development Of
the shipping boards schools for mer-
chant officers is the number Of letters
and verbal inquiries the board has re-
ceived from persons anxious to obtain
written information on modern sea
life, especially with reference to the
conditions under which modern mer.
chant officers work and live.
The board has found that many
Americans are still thinking in the
terms Of thirty years ago in relation
to these things, while some have no
later information than they can obtain
from certain classic but long since out
dated books Of sea lore. One such
source of information is Dana's 'Two
Years Before the Mast" which pic
lures the life of the American sailor
as round Of hardship and drudgery.
Such books also show that the lot
Of the old-time merchant officer was
by no means all beer and skittles. The
captain of the sailing vessel, though a
little king on his own quarterback, was
a prisoner in very small cell while
below. The ships cabin was not much
larger than the stateroom occupied by
q mate on modern steamer of the
merchant marine, while his "state-
room. was often a mere unventilated
dog hole under the deck, in which he
could barely take off his coat without
barking his knuckles against the wall.
In the old-time ships the two mates
bunked together in stateroom scarce
ly larger. All three officers took their
meals together in the cabin, and on
long voyages their fare was Spartan in
Its simplicity, with marked absence,
after a few weeks, Of fresh vegetables.
Fresh meat was served when an occa-
sional chicken carried in a coop on
deck was killed; but on the whole the
old-time officer in the merchant ma
rine lived hard.
Today all that is changed. The
change is just as marked in the mat
ter Of quarters as in regard to fare.
Fresh food comes to the table at every
meal, thanks to modern refrigeration
methods, and the captain and other
officers of a modern vessel have room
enough to live like men.
Comfortable Quarters on New Ships.
On 5,OO0-ton freighter-this being
a moderate-sized vessel as freighters
oA-f. u 10 - hit