The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1920-01-24
AMERICAN YOUTH
IS GOING To SEA
FEDERAL SHIPPING BOARD is
NOT FINDING 1T DIFFICULT
TO OBTAIN GOOD MEN.
THOUSANDS OF THEM TRAINED
One Important Division of This Serv-
ice Provides Chief Engineers for
Turbine Shps-MedicaI Department
Extensive and Efficient.
BY JAMES p. HoRNADAY.

BY JAMES p. HoRNADAY.
ingtOn.-Americans are taking
to the sea these days very much as
did the Americans of one hundred
years ago. The United States ship
ping board has not found it difficult
to get men to operate the new fleet of
merchant vessels. The signing of the
armistice which terminated the fight
ing in the world war on November IL,
1913, introduced abruptly a period OF
reimbursement of the service from a
war TO peace basis which presented
new and difficult problems and lasted
into the summer of 1919.
The first step in the reimbursement
program was to turn back to their
owners, as rapidly as practicable. the
passenger steamers that had been
chartered as a war measure for use
as training ships for the merchant ma
rine, and on which apprentice sea-
men, stewards and flremen were given
intensive instruction for two months
before being shipped in merchant
crews. To replace the training yes
sells thus turned back to normal peace
time uses, the shipping board author
lied the ALLEGATION TO the recruiting
service of not less than six of the
wooden cargo ships constructed by
the emergency fleet corporation.
The total of men trained for service
in the merchant marine crews by the
recruiting sery9ce from the starting of
the training system for apprentice
seamen. firemen and stewards Is as
follows: Deck department (sailors),
9,523; engine department (firemen),
9,O53; stewards department (mess-
men, etc.), 1898; total, $500.
Training Turbine Engineers.
| Another division of the recruiting
service training system for officers,
which has met with gratifying sue
cess, is that for training chief engi-
neers for turbine ships, by means of
special courses at the works of COM
panies making this type of engine.
Early in the building program of the
emergency fleet corporation trouble
had been experienced on new vessels
fitted with turbine engines. In many
cases this was attributable to the as
Segment of chief engineers expe-
rienced in handling reciprocating en-
gines, but unfamiliar with the basic
principles of geared turbines.
Notwithstanding the urgent need Of
crews for American merchant vessels
during the war, the demand for such
crews became greater with the return
of peace conditions. Formed i'm July,
1917, as an agency Tor placing in en-
ployment on shipboard the graduates
of the recruiting service schools for
dock and engineer officers, the sea
service bureau had nrst expanded its
organization with the creation of the
training service for apprentices in
January, 1918. BY the autumn of 1913
it was apparent that the sea service
bureau should be developed as a rep
resentative national shipping agency,
and with a view to such development,
the shipping board In November, 1913,
| authorized the bureau TO take over the
shipping offices of the division of op-
erations which during the war had
charge of shipping crews for all ves-
sells under control OF the shipping
board, with principal offices at New
York.
An important division of the train
ing system for recruits is the medical
department of the recruiting service.
Each ship in the training fleet is
equipped with a complete up-tO-date
hospital, with every appliance and in
strument that would be required in
any ordinary surgical emergency.
Any major surgical operation can be
scientifically and properly performed
in any of these hospitals in the train
ing ships. Each hospital has a sur
geOn attached, male nurse and hos
pital attendants. In the routine of
the recruiting work, more than $4,000
recruits were examined physically by
representatives of the medical depart
ment between January, 1918, and
June, 1919.
prospects TOR Air MALL.
The future of the air mail service
is uncertain. This is due to the
failure of congress to come to
decision, up to this time, as to the
provision ii VIII make for the various
branches of the federal air service. At
present there are three branches of
this activity, one operated by the
army, one by the navy and one by the
postOffice department. Considerable
sentiment in, favor of consolidating
these services exists In the legislative
body and bill pending in each branch
providing for a separate department
of aerOnautics with a cabinet officer
at Its head is meeting with much ia
vor. Meantime development in each
branch of the service is arrested. Very
naturally neither the navy, war nor
postoffice department desires to sur
render its independent activity in the
air.
The situation with respect to carry
ing of mail through the air is receiv-
ing special consideration. The air mail
service between Washington and New
York city and between New York and
Chicago long ago passed beyond the ex-
detrimental stage. 1t has been SO sue