The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-10-17
Chairman Hurley Wants
Them to Help in Educa-
tional Campaign
MEANS THEY WILL BE
CLASSED ESSENTIAL
Need Of Men for Americas Gigantic
After-the-War Merchant Fleet Means
That Youngsters of Today Must Be
Taught Love for Going to Sea.

~A6AN - ASNC AOA 1OlLB W otd.
NEW YORK, Oct. l7.--At the sugges-
ton of Edward ~ Hurley, chairman of
the United States shipping board, toys
are TO be put 20 a new use--that Of ed
ucating'the rising generation to the val
nc of an American merchant marine
while at the same time developing in
boys love for the sea as profession
With a possible tonnage of 25,000,000
shortly after the close of the war to the
credit of the country's merchant ma
rine, Chairman Hurley is concerned
with ways and means to keep this great
tonnage adequately manned when this
country, in common with the rest of the
world, settles down to the stiff inter
national competition for foreign trade
which il is predicted viii follow the
close of hostilities.
just previous to the time that Chair
man Hurley sent word to the American
Toy Manufacturers association that he
wanted it's cooperation in furthering
the idea of an American merchant ma
rine in the juvenile population of the
nation, the toy manufacturers were per
turbed at the prospect of their industry
being declared a nonessential" by the
war industries board, which would have
meant, as a matter of course, that sup
plies of materials, coal, and Transports
ton would be denied them. The manu-
facturers formed n federal war service
committee and went TO Washington pre-
pared TO convince the war industries
board and the council of national de-
tense that the continuance of toy manu-.
faeture was essential to the mainte.
nance of proper morale among juve.
nile Americans during the world war.
Mr., Hurley, however, hit upon his idea
az just the right moment before the
Washington war bodies had had an op
portunity to make ruling as to the
status Of the toy industry, and now the
industry is securely classified as ono OF
the nation : essential" industries
The toymakers worries ended wher
they received the following letter from
the shipping board s chairman:
"Mr A. g. Gilbert. Chairman, Amer
can Toy Mfrs Association Commit
tee. New Haven, Conn:
~ am informed that the American
Toy Manufacturers association APP
pointed at its war convention last weel
in Atlantic City n committee, heade,
by yourself, TO cooperate with the gov
eminent in any way helpful to the ma
tion.
"'This shows a fine spirit in your in
dustry, and you have anticipated mo b.
thus Offering your services, because TO
some weeks | have had in mind to &c
in touch with your association and as
your aid in popularizing our new mel
chant marine. As you know, we ar
building II twenty-five million ton mel
chant fleet. This will call for wide e,
pansion in foreign trade after the wa
with American steamship lines TO ever
country in the world.
We shall need thousands Of me-
chant ship officers and hundreds {
thousands of seamen. 1t is none 20
early 10 begin waking Americans TO tn
Importance of ships, putting ships an
the sea into their daily thought an
work, and making ships appeal to II
imagination Of everybody in the coui
try. We want 20 reach the children ;
well as the grownups, and in this col
nection, knowing how closely toys TO
low popular interests and what an e,
ueativc value they have, it has been
my mind 20 request YOU to ask your n
ISOLATION TO include ships and shippin
sailors and the sea in your products, al
TO have this great, new national int
est before the men who invent and d
sign your goods.
"will you kindly, ont of your expel