Evening star., 1920-02-01
ANNAP0LIS0F MERCHANT MARINE

world trade makes intensive. scien-
tif1c training imperative. The oppor-
tunity and duty have come suddenly
to Uncle Sam out of the blaze of war.
Before the war the United States
ranked second to the United Kingdom
as an exporting nation. Now we have
the largest foreign commerce of any
nation in the world. For the fiscal
year 1919 the exports Of the United
States more than doubled those of
the United Kingdom. Uncle Sam
South American trade has more than
doubled since 1914, while his exports
to the orient and Australia show an
even greater gain in that period.
The resources of the United States
are such as will enable us to hold
commanding place
American in the future develop
ment of international
A'eoooA0S' trade, with one-half
Of all the known coal of the world
and two-thirds of the worlds cotton.
land and s per cent of the worlds
population, the United States pro-
duces more than so per cent of the
worlds supply of basic raw materials
and grains, for example: 25 per cent
of the worlds wheat, 40 per cent
iron and steel; 40 per cent lead; so
per cent zinc: SO per cent coal: 60
per cent aluminium; 60 per cent of
the copper; 65 per cent of the cotton;
IS per cent of the oil. and IS per cent
of the corn.
Unable to consume within our own
borders the total of these enormous
productions. it is a simple conclusion
that We must export the surplus. The
calculation is easy that soon the
United States will be doing the man.
ufacturing and carrying of foreign
commerce for fully one half of the
world.
And now we come to the real need
for an Annapolis of the merchant
marine: Without a merchant marine
before the war these days of recon
struction find the United States in
possession of an enormous tonnage of
merchant ships, and the greatest
yards in the history of shipping.
which must be kept constantly busy
building more ships. Men must De
trained to manage and operate these
ships. They must be filled with car
does or be a great national loss. The
demands OF Europe for reconstruction
supplies will mean large volume or
freight for two or three years. ThuS,
is seen by the officials in closest touch
with comm cree to be at once danger
and a great promise. 1t is a danger II
ships and yards fall gradually into
disuse and add their burden to the
drag Of reaction.
Trained men are needed now, at
home and abroad The men to hold
this high position for
Tro;ned Men the United States and
to carry out this logi-
Neeoeu. cal development must
be trained now, and for the most part
thew must be trained while actually
on the job.
To carry on successfully a great and
profitable foreign commerce demands
an effective training for those who
are engaged in such work. A country
may have goods that are needed
abroad. and ships in which to carry
them, and adequate banking facili-
ties-but unless it has a trained per-
sonnel In foreign trade operations
will be unduly costly and irritating.
Nothing Is more conducive TO good
will, and thus to international rela-
tions, than an adequate knowledge OF
other peoples and conditions and a
sympathetic appreciation of what is
involved in such relations.
The great trading countries of Eu-
rope have paid much attention to
the proper training OF those who
carry on their foreign trade. Through
many years they have gradually de-
veloped and trained their stans Tor
such tasks. Uncle Sam has found his
foreign trade growing so rapidly that
he has not had time to train the rank
and file of workers engaged in car
tically no merchant marine: his banks
were for the most part national and
not international: knowledge Of for
eign countries. Of their industries. re-
sources and business methods has
been entirely inadequate. and knowl-
woefully lacking.
There is a very genuine appreciation
at the present time as never before of
the necessity for ef-
Demand for fective training of
y those who go into
AP01Ae any branch Of foreign
work. Leaders In the business world.
as we'll as educators Of broad vision,
realize that broad. sound and prac-
tical training is something which can
not be developed overnight, but is
absolutely necessary II we are to take
our part in developing the widest
commercial relations around the
world.
The need for adequately trained men
and women who have good character,
personality and practical experience
is almost unlimited. Some Of the larg-
est banks have stated openly that
they have not extended their foreign
service more rapidly simply because
they could not and men capable of
handling the work successfully. And
yet many Of Uncle Sans keenest
nephews and nieces are already en-
gagged in some kind Of foreign work
What they need principally Is a.
broader outlook. together with a bet
ter command of the actual routine and
technique of carrying on the work
in the most approved manner. There
are likewise many college and high
school students who want to get into
foreign trade work and realize that
they must be adequately trained in
order to bo successful.