Evening star., 1939-05-22
U.S.. Seeks Supremacy
In Merchant Fleets,
Senator BaiIeyS Says
Speoks at Navy Yord
As Maritime Day
Is Observed
BY WILLIAM ]. WHEATLEY.

ships, with a supporting corps of
efficient officers and men to operate
them, is the objective of the pres
ent maritime program of the
United States, Senator Bailey
chairman of the Senate Committee
on Commerce, told a DISTINGUISHED
gathering of members of Congress
and Government officials at the
Washington Navy Yard this after
noon.
Senator Bailey spoke aboard the
American Seaman, one of two train
Ing ships of the United States Mar
itime Service, and another from the
State of Pennsylvania, moored at
the Washington Navy Yard, which
were the center of the Nations
celebration of National Maritime
Day.
The day marks the anniversary of
the first crossing of the North At
lantlc by a steamer, 120 years ago,
and significant in that it finds the
United States in the midst of con-
struction and training program
destined to give this country su-
premacy In maritime power.
Rear Admiral H. A. Wiley, U. S. N.
retired, member of the Maritime
Commission, and charged particu-
larly with the duty of carrying out
the training program, presided at
the ceremonies, following a lunch
con. This program was broadcast
over Nationwide network of the
National Broadcasting Co.
Bland Also Speaks.
Representative Bland, chairman
OF the House Committee on Merch-
ant Marine and Fisheries, also ad-
dressed the assemblage of members
OF Congress, made up principally
OF members of the four committees
TWO from each House, which have
under their jurisdiction the con-
struction program and the educa-
tlonal features.
1T is manifest" said Senator
Bailey, that our country has at last
entered upon intelligent plans to
provide an adequate and worthy
merchant marine-indeed we have
passed the stage of planning and
nave entered into the stage of ac-
tive achievement. We are building
merchant ships at the rate of 40
per year-modern, powerful and
adapted to the necessities of our
commerce, and designed no less to
render to our Army and Navy that
assistance without which those
major departments of national de-
fense could not render that indis-
pensible service in time of need
which otherwise they are so well
prepared to render.
1T is interesting to observe that
only one other nation is building
merchantmen as rapidly as we are
and that in few years we will
have a fleet equal to every demand
OF peace or war"
Senator Bailey also told those
aboard the American Seaman that
in addition to the training facilities
for those contemplating entering
a life at sea it is hoped to add
correspondence courses for the sea-
men at work, which would increase
their efficiency and their chances
of advancement.
He took the occasion to pay high
tribute to the late Senate Copeland
of New York, who gave himself
without restraint to the enactment
of the legislation, dying as it was
perfected"
In addition to the American Sea-
man, clothed in dazzling white
paint from water line to topmast,
and appearing much like an over
sized yacht, there are on display
the Joseph Conrad square rigger,
81 years old, whose only touch Of
modernity is her Diesel kicker" to
drive her along in becalmed waters,
and the schoolship Annapolis, oper-
ated by the State of Pennsylvania.
The days program ended with a
whaleboat race between crews from
the three ships in the harbor. Then,
from 3 until 7 pm, the public will
be permitted to inspect the vessels.
They also will hold open house from
9 am. to Z pm. tomorrow.
Although the stream lining idea,
carried out on construction on land
today, came from the sea, it has
been carried back into the innards
OF the ship, through the planning
of the American seaman for it's duty
as a school ship. From the navi-
eating bridge to the depths of the
engine room, she is stream lined
with instruments designed to take
some of the hazards of the sea
known to the old salts out of the
realm of uncertainty.
No more will her navigator have
to scratch his hair to know whether
it was strange set of the current
or just poor steering of a novice
helmsman that placed him where he
shouldn't be when he set his course.
He has but to walk into the chart
room and there recorded for each
minute Of the day is a graph which
shows how many times and when
the helmsman turned the rudder
Beside OF it is a course indicator
which records for each second of
the twenty-four hours what course
the ship was heading. There's no
guess about it any more.
But, If the helmsman lust isn't
any good, there's old iron mike
you set him on the course YOU want
steered-that is, if the "old man" is
not around--and she'll put YOU at
your destination better than anv
helmsman, no matter what school
he came from. Of course, there is
one little matter of having two ewes
to watch out for ships and other
obstacles which might appear on
the surface-"iron mike" the auto
matte steerer, doesn't have ewes to
cover such contingencies as this
But for the subsurface obstacles
no more does the navigator and his
assistant have to get out on the
stern to drop the deep sea lead to
check his course into port, or for a
leadsman to man the chain" while