The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1919-05-24


cramped forecastle from their new boats and are
putting in quarters featuring comforts that were
unknown in the old sailing days.
Hereafter the business of being sailor will not
be the disagreeabe job it was before and during
the war. The pay is going to be better-frst in
the American boats and later in the foreign trade.
1t will be the same proposition as a business house
(America} introducing industrial reforms and Civ
ing higher pay and enlarged opportunity, thereby
virtually oblgng rival concerns (Great Britain
and the other shipping powers) to maintain the
same wage schedules and reforms in order to keep
their employees satisfied.
That the "stOker class" of Sailors the who
tended the coal-burning boilers in a superheated
fireroom, will disappear almost entirely now seems
to be foregone conclusion In their places will
be men tending fuel-o furnaces by watching set
of valves and gauges and doing none of the ter
rible physical exertiOn that necessary for the
Old-fashiOned coal-burning ships. Fuel oil has
come to stay, as have oil engines for merchant
ships. Use of either of these modern power gen.
orators eliminates the od-time stoker aboard ship
the worst class of labor needed.
In place of the old-fashioned sailor will come in
due time-probably much sooner than we expect
the trained ship worker whose position in the
world will be infinitely higher than his predeces-
sor.
Lots of criticism is heard regarding the ships
American yards turned out during the rush of
war work. Many of them leaked; the rivets were
not put in carefully-there not enough time.
Europe had to be fed-armes in the field needed
munitions-time at premium.
American shipping men do not consider our war
built ships fair examples of what our yards
can turn out and predicting, with much as
surance, that Americanbuilt boats will be as
stanch Americas steel buildings.
America Now Leads World.
Toda Amo 1oodS fba in chi hI1;ld T.
ing. The neutral nations out of steel and are
not competitors. The French and Italians are
building only relatively small number Of boats.
The British, counting nearly 200 boats being built
N Canada and other British domnons have about
boats under way, a total of little more than
: 700 tons. America has almost twice many
being built, totaling about three and half million
tons. andswe are "just getting started"
Government ownership of shipping is a policy
private ship owners are fighting in America and
England as well. Lord Inchcape, president of the
British chamber Of shipping and chairman Of the
great British ship concern, the PeninSular and
Oriental company has emphatically stated he will
sell out his large interests in British shipping &C.
yities If government ownership and control are tC
be continued indefinitely.
1t is understood, on American authority here In
Paris that government control Of American ship.
bing is to last only relatively short time-until
gone into operation, when the world trade routes
have been reconstructed from the havoc wrought
by
1t is expected, however, that the American
government will always stand committed to a poll.
CIV Of ship control certain definite phases Of the
business. For instance, the government should
not be expected to permit rival ship lines flying
the American flag to embark cut-throat compel
tive programs for business. 1t would be against
the governments poicy-after the days of rigid
control have passed-to permit rival ship lines
to operate more ships given trade line than
the tonnage Of that route demanded.
More American ships mean more naval vessels
Our navy must be maintained to compare
favorably in size with the merchant feet. Not that
we are making ready for era Of excessive arma.
ments
This much is settled however: America is be.
ginning her career a great maritime power and
the American government Is going to try to make
the life Of our sailors comfortable as we'll paid
and as respectable as the life of any well-paid
employee In q modern American business concern
Our young men Of this generation and the com.
ing decades then will gradually become create,
world travellers than they have been since the earl.
days Of our republic. and America probably will
never regain the feeling of isolation from worl.
affairs she had before her entry into the great wal