South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-05-19
MERCHANT FLEET
IS AMERICANIZED
Ships to be Manned Hereaft-
er by Citizens of the
United States.
Special to The News Times

Special 10 The News ines.
WASHINGTON. Nay Hun
dreds Of DISCHARGED naval reserve
officers and men are entering the
merchant marine service. the
United states Shipping board re-
ports. Having learned 10 love life
or the high seas while iu the nava.
service during the war, the fact
that the merchant marine service
affords opportunity for permanent
employment for travc; 90 every
quarter Of the globe. and for lib
cral pay. IS inducing ;hem 20 en-
ron in the merchant marine service
b. the hundreds
FROM January. 1918, 20 April T..
this year. oO.6Oi Americans entered
The merchant marine service. OF
these. 22.52g were accepted for
training on ships as apprentice
sailors. foremen and stewards. a
nIaiOrity Of these men were under
q years.
Conduct FrCe schools.
in its free schools for merchant
marine officers. up 20 April I the
shipping board had graduated s.IO3
1nen. all Americans. in which num-
Der deck officers and engineers were
about equally represented. Mer-
chant captains are paid up TO
800 a wear while chief engineers
receive mp 20 $3.50.
Men in the service are I'm three
,lassificaions. Deck department,
engine room and stewards depar,-
ment I'm the deck department pay
D.
H0ys and $50 for ordinary sCameU
mp 20 $50 per month for carp, nters.
Iu the engine room, Coai passers
and wipers con oil burners) are
lowest paid. $50 per month, while
oilers, water tenders and engine
room storekeepers receive $50 per
month I'm the stewards depart
ment. pay ranges from 500 per
month for messboys up TO s1t5 for
cat"f stewards.
american Fleet i'm Foreign Trade.
Indicating the AmcriCauIzatiou %
the merchant marine. the shipping
boards records show that out OF a
total of 6.gS5 men placed on mer-
chant ships during March 90 per
cent were young Americans who
had been fitted for their new vOca-
tiou on training ships maintained
los the shipping board. Prior TO
the war American ships were man
ned chiefly BY foreigners. Ninety
Eercent OF the officers now serving
con- ships flving the American flag
are Americans. while of S.1O7 who
qualified al training schools for
merchant marine officers up to
april I. this year, every one was
an American.
The shipping boards plans call
for the operation iu foreign trade of
leet of merchant vessels flying
the American Flac asgregating not
less than 100000 tons. II is the
aim of the board 10 carry not less
chan so per cent OF Americas for
.i-n trade in American bottoms. or
ass much as is carried in vessels of
au foreign countries. This goal is
now i'm si-ht. and the story Of it's
attainment is going TO be one OF the
most interesting OF Americas part
In the war.
admit I-x-Navy Men.
As a first step toward qualifying
as "a merchant marine officer. ex-
navy men without merchant service
papers enroll i'm the free navigation
school maintained by the shipping
BOARD, where they are prepared for
the examinations given by the
United states inspection service. The
board now has 90 of these schools.
is IN navigation and eight in ma
zine engineering An aggregate at
tendance Of S9S was reported in one
week in April, with new classes con
stantly being opened. One engineer
.nC class, in Philadelphia, mas p
waiting list OF 60 for its presen,
term. including many former navy
men.