The Ordway new era., 1919-01-31


cation through which Uncle
Sam follows the individual fortunes of
the sailors who are manning the coun-
try's new merchant marine.
Jack, the merchant mariner, Is ON
cially weighed, measured. pictured ana
thumb-marked before he goes aboard
ship, and then Is officially tagged as
well, his picture and thumb mark, ana
the facts pertaining to him and no one
else being affixed to small four-page
folder, printed on stout paper.
This paper is vital document ior
the American merchantmen. Without
1T he cannot ship for "A voyage. Should
he lose 1t he loses his right to go
ashore In foreign port. Officially he
ceases to exist when he parts with 1t.
This all-lmportant paper, in short Is
n passport. officially. it Is known ms
a "citizen seaman's Identification
card" Among sailors 1t is termed
Form X, for short. the paper being so
marked in the upper left corner.
Takes Place of Passport.
Form X, for Identifying sailors. took
the place of the old time passport in
the course of the war. The signing of
the armistice has made no difference
in its use. Even though actual peace
is here. Jack cannot roam at will In
the ports of the Seven Seas. He is of
too much value to his country to be
lost sight of in the biggest economic
Job 1t has in hand for the coming pip
ing times of peace and trade expan-
sion-that of keeping the great mer-
chant fleet properly manned.
In sailing ship days, half a century
ago. when Jack went to sea he knew
nothing of thumb prints and photo
graphs. He merely signed on for the
voyage, fitted out In n waterside slop
shop. hove his stuff into sea chest.
shouldered 1t, and got aboard ship ms
best he could. With his sailor dress
his credentials, he made himself Mt
home in every port In every land,
whether cnnnibal island of the South
Seas the spice ports of, Sumatra. or
the busy harbors of England.
But jack Is no longer an irrespOn-
sible rover. The American boys who
are now entering the merchant marine
through the open door of. the shipping
boards recruiting and training service.
are prepared to be examined, thumped.
pounded. measured, photographed and
thumb-printed. 1t makes the job more
worth while when finally they get 1t.
Form X Not Easy to Get.
To anyone who has witnessed the
examinn ton of candidates for service
in the merchant marine at one of the
shipping boards training stations
where all "green hands" admitted to
the merchant service are taken on
It is apparent that Uncle Sam Is par
ticular about the quality of his future
merchant seamen.
After going through rigid physical
examination. the young candidate for
seafaring life Is asked some leading
questions, by an astute clerk. Here
Is an example:
"What is your family namer
"Jones."
"Give your other names in fullT'
"Joseph Albert" The examiner looks
up.
"Joseph Albert? The record gives
your name as Joseph Aloyslus. Which
Is right?"
"Tve always been called Albert"
says the young man, "but I was bap-
tized Aloysius."
"Now let me see your birth certifi-
cate. How old are you?''
"I'm twenty" says the future sea-
farer, producing birth record after
rummaglng through his pockets.
If the certificate agrees with the
boys statement. all goes well. But.
very often 1t doesn't agree. either In
name or age, and the tangle has to be
Strengthened out. There can be no