The Elbert County tribune., 1918-12-06
Interesting Phase Of "Back-to-
the-Sea" Movement of Ma
tionaI Proportions.
TO CAN SIGHTS and SOUNDS
Photograph Records Of Sailors Songs
and Chanteys-Moving Pictures
Showing the Daily Life
Of the Sailor.

In earlier times the yarn of the
sailor home from sea was the medium
through which many shore-going folks
visualized life on the ocean blue. 1t
was far more graphic than a written
narrative. In consequence Jack was
always hero when he told the story
Of his voyages.
Today, while the sailors story still
has Its charm. it has powerful mod
ern rivals In its appeal to the minds
and hearts of the landsmen back home.
Nowadays 1t is not necessary for
sweethearts or wife to wait for Jacks
return to learn how his voyage is go
ing. The unseen waves of the radio
bring news of the distant ship from
the sea in the twinkling of an eye.
officials authorized to receive such
messages IN wartime know from day
to day just where the ships they are
interested in are steaming, and how
they fare.
Under war conditions the public,
perforce. has lacked such information,
but more general diffusion of ma
rine news has come with the lifting of
the censor's ban on publication of ship
movements.
In these times In fact landlubbers
may see counterfeit presentments" of
sea sights and hear sea sounds, very
near the real thing. without going far
from their own firesides, or II they
may not do so today, the time is not
far off when they will, for a concert
ed effort is being made to bring home
to the people all that may be "canned"
Of the movement incident to sailors
life.
In this educational effort-for 1t is
such, purely, undertaken from vari-
GUS angles by various people, but un-
der authority of the United States
shipping board. official sponsor for the
merchant marine-some novel effects
are being worked out, and no detail Is
being omitted which would add to the
value of the finished product.
For example, in due time it may be
expected that sailors songs and sail
ors' "chanteys"-as sung In forecas-
ties and at tasks on deck when Jack
the merchant mariner was person
age afioat and ashore, as he is getting
to be again-will be reproduced in
the records of the family phonograph.
"chanteys" for the Music Machine.
Chantey singing is being revived in
the merchant marine, at least on the
training ships which are preparing
Young America, Mt the rate of 1000
lads a month, for service on our vast
new commerce fleets. and under the
new order Of things it will be possi-
BILE for Bangor. Me-, and Mesa. Ariz.,
to hear in the same hour the actual
chanteys as Shenandoah" Bound for
the Rio Grande" and "Blow the Man
Down." for the record may have them
hard and fast before spring flowers
bloom again.
Even the nautically classic songs of
Charles Dibdin, the song-writer par
excellence Of the sailor, may not be
counted too old, In spite of their $50
years, to find place beside Caruso.
and CALI Curci In the family cabinet
of records.
Quite in keeping with the times, In
fact, will be the rolling chorus Of that
noble sentiment to 1.-THE Lass Who
Loved Sailorr'
But the standing toast that pleased us
most
Was ''The wind that blows and the
ship that goes,
And the lass that loves a sailor"
Furthermore. If this suggestion OF
salt is not enough. the. landsman
whose nearest approach to visualizing
the rolling of the sea has been con-
temptation of Western wheat field
or the rolling prairie billowing under
summer sun, may look upon actual
movements of Jack. the merchant ma
riner. at work and play by going no
nearer the sea than his own favorite
movie" theater.
Films are now made of these sub
jects quite as freely as of the Wild
riding broncho buster, or the high
salarisd bad man of the hills work
ing assiduously ION location" to Sc
cure his desired effects. The only diff
ference is this--these effects are not
staged, but real.
The resulting films are of various
sorts. One recently completed showed
the work of the sailor on sailing ships.
such as our grandfathers made their
coin and reputation in, while building
up national merchant marine. This
type of ship has had a recrudescence.
or. as the camera man might say, a
strong comeback. as a result of the
war.
Some of the more venerable square
riggers have proven n find for the
movie people, for they have provided
genuine atmosphere" for sure-seliing
picture stories of genuine sea life.