The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1918-11-15

used for transport purposes will be turned back to
their original uses as commerce carriers and will
cH1 for merchant crews.
The work Of manning the merchant marine with
all-American crews thus becomes one OF the great
est Of the governments present activities.
II In being carried out entirely by the United
States shipping board through Its own recruiting
service This service has national headquarters at
Boston-a famous old seaport and natural CEN
ter for American sailors--and has training sta
lions also at New York, Norfolk. New Orleans, San
Francisco. Seattle and Cleveland. Ii maintains
a feet OF II training ships and is training 5000
men month.
The system Of securing recruits for this service
they are not enlisted, but sign contract to
for the duration Of the with the privilege Of
serving as much longer as they like-is exceed
ingly simple.
Observing the effectiveness OF establishing
branch post offices In drug stores. the shipping
board applied the Idea to recruiting and estab
iished its recruiting stations In each store of
weli-known chain throughout the country There
6.S54 Of these stores. and In each the proprie
tor or head clerk Is sworn In as u .dollar-a-year
man" to work for the United States shipping board
AZ special enrolling agent Of the merchant ma
rine.
These enrolling agents began their work last
spring They got to going strong In August OF this
year. as the figures already quoted indicate.
The men whom they sign are sent to seaports
for training the government reimbursing them for
their railroad fare.
The young men entering the merchant marine
through the shipping boards training service be-
come the special charges and wards OF the shipping
board for the duration of the
Their welfare Is looked after from the moment
they enter the service. They are placed ON board
big training vessels. where they put into uni
form--a special uniform differing from that used
In the nayy~and are given scientific course OF
training In the rating for which they sign on"
Some are trained as sailors. others as nremeu.
others as cooks bakers stewards. For the
cooks and bakers special schools are maintained
aboard ship. there being ut Boston and
other Mt New York
Firemen are given a special school course Also
on the character of COAL combustion care of boil,
ers and the like. The shipping board maintains
large school for hremen at Chicago aud another
at Boston.
water.tendsrs aud oilers-~the assistants to the
engineers ship-are also given special school
training before being taken TO sea. at Chicago
school OF engineering.
When the young thus tralned-and some
are quite young. the minimum age limit Is
eirhteen--have finished their special courses they
are sent to merchant ships In proportion
of four to each six able seamen carried.
Anoat or ashore they responsible always to
the shipping board and every time they return to
an American port they report their whereabouts to
the recruiting service headquarters.
In this manner Uncle Sam keeps paternai eye
On the young making their FIRST Voyages He
knows them and knows that he can trust them
They are part Of big family Of young American
sailors Of the best sort-AmericAns whose loyalty
II beyond question. and whose bravery and devo-
tion give the lie every day and every hour Of the
dag to cruel ISLANDERS that have been circulated
since the began against the character Of Amer
lean merchant crews.
Ths youns American usreAantman faces grave