The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-02-25
MARINE SERVICE
DRAWS ARMY MEN
Seek Places on the New Mer-
chart Ships.
OFFERS fine OPPORTUNITIES

VI knV asS6 VI Shs Sshaa aHS
Discharged Soldiers Have Had Taste
of Seeing the World and Want More
of lt-War Experiences and War
Unrest Lead Young Americans to
Seek Broader Fields Than Satisfied
Them Before.
Lure of the seven seas is drawing
many of the young men recently dis
charged from the army. as we'll as
others who had war jobs in industrial
plants and are now idle, into the mer-
chant marine.
War experiences and war unrest
seem to have led many young Ameri-,
cans to seek broader fields than salts
fed them before the war. They have
had taste Of the world, and want
more of it.
This change in the tastes of the
country's youth has been OF. timely ad-
vantage to the United States shipping
board. which is looking for thousands
of young men to serve on the new mer.
chant ships built by the government
as a result of the war.
Ships of the new cargo fleets owned
by the nation are being launched at
the rate of two a day. Each vessel
requires a crew Of not less than fifty
men. and the shipping board aims to
make these crews as nearly as possible
all-American.
To secure the men it reeds for the
merchant service. the shipping board
began establishing it's own recruiting
Offices in large cities after tie war
ended-when the average recruiting
Office went out of business.
It's office for the middle West was
opened at So South Dearborn street,
Chicago. in the heart of the downtown
section. Young men flocked to it as
soon as it was open The Office is in
charge of DR.. Oliver ]. Lee, director
of a free school in navigation that the
shipping board has maintained at Chi
cago since early in the war, for train
ing deck officers.
Chance to See World.
"we offer the young man no longer
satisfied with his former outlook in
the world q chance to see distant
countries" said Doctor Lee. 1--WE
plan to give the young sailor who en-
ters the new merchant marine plenty
of chance to improve his opportunities.
His voyages will be varied. so that he
may see the greatest number of eoun-
tries in the shortest possible time.
When he has learned the, business OF
seagoing. he will be trained as an of
ficer, if he SHOWS the right qualifica-
] tions. Young men suited for CONNER
cial life will then be encouraged to
enter exporting or importing houses.
! at home or abroad. for a commercial
/ career. for which knowledge Of sea-
going and of different countries is
firm foundation"
! The young men signed on for sea
| service at the shipping boards Chica-
/ go office are sent to Boston under es-
,cort, at government eynenSe. At the
old New England seaport they are
placed on ships of the United States
shipping boards Atlantic training
squadron for two months special in
struction as sailors firemen, cooks or
stewards. While taking this training
they are paid $50 month. and have
! free board and quarters. They rate as
/ apprentices. and wear 8 distinctive
blue uniform.
On completing the training period
the young mariners are shipped out in
] the crews of deep-sea vessels, at wages
varying from s55 month for ordinary
seamen to s75 month for flremen
They agree to remain in the merchant
service at least "a year.
May Seek Promotion.
! AT the end of the year the young
| men will be counted as experienced
American seamen. They will be ex-
pected to seek promotion. and at the
end of two years they will be qualified
to study at shipping board school for
| officers. which gives technical instruc-
tion in navigation or marine engineer
ing. The engineering courses are Civ
| en- at the best technical colleges.
In addition to maintaining recruiting
stations in the large cities, like New
York. Boston, Philadelphia. Baltimore
Washington, New Orleans. San Francis
co and Seattle. the shipping board, by
arrangement with the war department
| has placed a representative at each OF
! the army cantonments where soldiers
4 are being discharged. to give the men
!; information about the merchant ma
! rine