Evening star., 1925-05-25
Boys Go To Sea
BY FREDERIC j. HASKIN.


Frequently we have been told that
we cannot build up an all-American
personnel on our ships for the reason
that the American boy will not go to
sea. 1t has been pointed out to US
that the reason we lost our suprem-
acy on the sea nearly a century ago
was that the development of the in
terror of the United States offered
greater opportunities for our virile
youth than did the sea. This was
true then. and it has been true for
half century.
But now we have, as nation,
reached the point where we are turn
ing in earnest to foreign markets for
the disposition of our surplus products.
Necessity drives US to the sea. and
when necessity drives we always
move"
Accordingly Mr.. O'Connor is proud
of the fact that he initiated a policy
under which the American boy may
ship on Government-owned ocean-go-
ing vessels. He was also one OF a
board OF seven officials who put this
policy into effect.
He feels there is at the present
time an excellent opportunity for ad-
Vancement for any boy who enters
upon career Of this sort. It Is in
his opinion that not all of the boys
who ship on Government vessels will
stick, but that a fair percentage will.
These VIII probably fall into two
classes. those with a natural love of
ships and the sea, and those who will
become fascinated by the intricate and
interesting question of foreign trade
and ean.borne commerce.
The first class will be composed of
boys who will want to become mas
ters and will undertake to work their
way up through the various grades
They must have a natural ability to
handle men. By actual experience
they will learn what 1t means to keen
ship moving and how to load and
unload cargoes. -
The second class will be boys who
wish to enter the commercial side of
shipping on shore. A couple of years
experience at sea, visiting various
ports in all parts of the world, will
be a tremendous advantage to them
when connecting with some shipping
firm, and will greatly aid in their
advancement. They will have a basic
knowledge which could be obtained in
no other way.
For the boys who do not wish to
remain In this line. the experience
and training they receive during a
cruise is splendid thing for them
1t will give them better under.
standing of how other nations trans
act their business and clearer in
sight into international problems OF
course anything one sees with one S
own eyes makes a greater impression
than something read in book or
newspaper, no matter how vividly il
may be described or how clearly il may
be set forth.
American boys have taken very
kindly to the plan of shipping or
Government vessels, and certainly il
is much more agreeable than taking
trip abroad on a cattle ship, which
formerly was quite the thing for high
school and college boys to do.
The application blank which must
be filled out in the applicants owr
handwriting and sent to the recruiting
service of the United States Shippins
Board is very simple, including Il
questions to be answered as to the
applicants full name. address, tele
phone number. place and date oi
birth. color. height and weight. wher
illS IL llOI DOTT III lnIS country
became citizen of the United States
the marital status of the applicant
his sea experience, If any, schools he
has attended, his references. and a
statement as to when he will be ready
TO report for duty.
A boy who is under 21 years of a &c
must file with the sea service at port
of placement the written consent ot
his parents or guardian. All appli
cants must also furnish birth certifi
cate or. other evidence of citizenship
This ia in order that they may obtair
the proper passport.
Last Summer two Washington hOy!
, shipped on one of these Government
vessels, and from their experiences az
idea may be had of what boy ma,
expect when he signs up for such &
trip.
They reported at the Shipping Boart
Sea Service Bureau in Baltimore ant
were taken aboard their vessel. The
watchman directed them to the thirt
mate, who took their valuables, which
consisted of SO each, assigned then
places to put their bags and then or
dered them into working clothes.
HE put us to work sweeping ou
land we were glad when dinner tim,
came That was IL o'clock. We hat
soup. steak with onion gravy, pota
toes. peas, beans. carrots, hot biscuits
coffee and tapioca and rice pudding
for dessert. Pretty good"
All afternoon they worked at clean
ing the mud out of the hold. Water
ballast had been used on the west
bound trip. When it was run of
the mud stayed. Shovels, brooms
and scrapers We're used to get rid OF
It, The boys were not sorry wheT
supper time came at o'clock.
After supper" to quote from the
diary of one of them, I'VE drew two
cakes OF soap, blankets, mattresses
covers and pillow slips. Everybody
helped us out in every way. We
were in bed at $50, and glad to get
there"
The next day the crew signed or
and drew a days pay. These two
boys drew SO cents each. and the
crew with rare originality asked
all that money!
During the first two days aboard the
boys were initiated into the art o
loading stores and other cargo. Carry
| ing hundred-pound bag of -four from
amidships down a ladder to the store
room proved particularly tricky. A.
one explains. There's knack to it
You get the bag balanced on the bacl
of your neck. I was having trouble
getting down the ladder. when Que o
the boys yelled, dump her down, sh,
won't break I dumped her and sh,
didn't break so I dumped all the rest
That helped a lot"
1t was not until the ship wen
through the Capes and the real voyage
began that the boys had an oppor
tunity really to get acquainted with
the rest of the crew. One says: THE!
were good crowd but they co,lldn'
make us out at first. Later we go