The Washington herald., 1920-11-25
Shortage Of $4,000 Men
Made Up Since July in
Recruit Campaign.
NOW FULLY MANNED
Atlantic and Pacific Fleet.
To.Be Ready for Cruises
Starting IN June.
ny FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.


The United States navy has avert
ed the grave danger that has threat
ened its hghting efficiency since the
armistice-depietion of personnel
In consequence of an Intensive re-
cruiting campaign carried on dur
ing tho past few months. the feet
by March /, 1921 win be manned by
its full authorised strength Of 49,
900 men. Six months ago coalitions
were so deplorable that IL the United
states had suddenly been plunged In
/ to war hardly a dreadnought or a
destroyer in the entire navy could
have taken the sea with a battle
worthy complement. New crafts
like $500, 900 torpedo-boats were
actually becoming deteriorated with
in a month of completion owing to
the inability Of the Navy Depart.
ment to find sufficient and competent
crews.
A peril confronted the country
that can now be talked about, for II
has been banished. When the Paci.
hc fleet starts for the South Sea
Islands, Australia, New Zealand and
Tasmania in June. and the Atlantic
fleet, about the same time. gets
under way for Brazil. Argentine and
South Africa. every unit In our
mighty armadas will be at the
strength ordered by Congress.
The story of how that suddenly
became possible is a romance of up
to-date business methods.
short $4,000 in July.
In July of this year the navy was
more than $4,000 men short New
enlistments were taking place at
the snairs rate of 1000 n week,
which meant that II would take
roundly another year to bring the
feet personnel up to authorized
dimensions. Then the Bureau OF
Navigation, commanded by Rear
Admiral Thomas Washington, was
put on the job of hitting up the
pace. 1t was not easy work. Wig
orous plugging" on a nationwide
scale slowly raised the enlistment
total to something between 1.40o
and 1900 a week. Then Admiral
Washington decided to create a spe-
cial recruiting-service and put In
charge of II Comdr. L. b. Porter
field and Lieut.. Comdr. George NJ.
Lowry. Those officers decided to
employ modern American salesman
ship methods to accomplish the task
set them. They evolved plans TO
sell" the navy to the youth and
Drawn of the United States. The
country was mapped out into seven
grand divisions, subdivided into
So districts, and then segregated
once again into 366 special stations
The 'liyest wires" in the navy who
could be spared for recruiting serv-
ice, officers and men, were drafted
as navy boosters" None was as
signed for the purpose who did 'nof
have at least six years of actual
naval service behind him. Only men
with talking points" derived from
actual knowledge of and sincere de-
votion to the feet were utilized.
Quick Results shown. .'
By October IL weekly enlistment
total was raised to 1888. By No
vember IL the high-water. mark of
2.9ss was reached. BY the end OF
last week there were 1883 men
in the navy, leaving only 20.4S2 still
to be found. At the present enlist
ment rate, they will be on the roll
by the middle of January.
These satisfactory results were
achieved by assigning every indi-
vidual recruiting district in the
Union a quota Admiral Washing
ton and his staff. taking leaf out
of the notebooks of Liberty Loan
and Red Cross drives during the
war. spurred recruiting officers ev-
erywhere into active competitions
togo "over the top" The enlist
ment for the week ended November
11-around 5000 men-broke all pre-
vious records for peace-time enlist
ments in the history of the navy.
Altogether 146 officers and 1.si3
men have been engaged on the re-
cruiting campaign. In accomplish
ing what many authorities a few
months ago looked upon as impos-
sible. they have rendered a signal
service to the peace time needs of
tho navy. From the personnel
standpoint, their efforts have made
certain that whatever may betide
Uncle Sam in the months Immediate
ly ahead of him, the man-power of
his great sea-fighting machine will
be fully up to requirements.
The depression prevailing in many
American Industrial quarters has
proved blessing in disguise. Hun
'dreds of CAPABLE young men. who
had had training in the navy during
the war and abandoned the sea for
higher wages ashore. are returning
to their first love. The advantages
which life in the fleet offers-the OPP
portunity to learn a trade, the
chance to see the world. good wages
and good living. and the certainty
Of liberal pension. have combined,
together with the patriotic appeal.
to attract thousands of the right