Evening star., 1940-05-23
Merchant Marines S
Fate Linked 10 War
By Senator Pepper
Maritime Day Exercises
! Guests Hear Senator
And Commissioner Truitt

A warning that the future of
Americas merchant marine depends
on the outcome of crucial battle now
being waged in Europe was voiced by
Senator Pepper, Democrat. Of Florida
yesterday afternoon at ceremonies
marking National Maritime Day.
More than 300 Government on
cials and guests, assembled on the
flag-adorned deck of the training
ship American Seaman at the Navy
Yard, heard the Senator declare that
If the forces of brutality, barbar-
ism and criminality" triumph in
Europe. this country's merchant
ships will rot upon the seas"
Such an outcome of the war would
mean the complete sitting Of free
trade, he said, and I'VE would not
need this splendid maritime program
which we hope will return to the
United States the merchant marine
supremacy of the world"
Pictured as Fleet Adjunct.
A merchant marine fleet as an
auxiliary to Americas national de-
fense was pointed to by Commiss
sioner Max O'Rell Truitt Of the
Maritime Commission, who said that
the training Of the men to man the
units of such a feet 'is vital
factor"
Commissioner Truitt recalled the
voyage of the Savannah to Liver
pool in 1919, marking the first At
lantic crossing for steam propelled
ship. THAT event" he said, marked
the beginning of the end of an out
standing era which had been notable
for American supremacy on the high
seas in merchant shipping. The his
tory of the intervening years is well
known to students of maritime his
tory and laymen alike.
THE decline of our merchant ma
rine and the rapid advances of our
competitors who were keenly alert
to the possibilities of steam were to
have a profound effect on the eco
nomic and social and cultural rela-
tions Of our citizens"
Nearly One Ship Week.
He continued: To-day, happily,
we are again forging ahead with the
rebuilding of our merchant marine,
for which we are now turning out
raodern vessels at an average Of
nearly one week"
Another speaker Representative
Peterson, Democrat, of Florida. said
labor. operators and the Maritime
Commission are working in bar
mony toward a merchant marine
unexcelled in efficiency.
Comdr w. N. Derby Of the Coast
Guard, chief Of the Maritime Serv-
ice. told the assemblage: "We are
training seamen who will be loyal
to the best traditions of the Amer
lean merchant marine"
Docked alongside the American
Seaman for the ceremonies was the
colorful three-masted training ship
for the Massachusetts, State Mari
time Training School, the Nam
tucket. The guests made a tour Of
inspection of both vessels following
the speaking program.
Grew Serves Luncheon.
The crew of the American Sea-
man, all former members of c. c. C..
camps. served lunch for the visitors,
and later staged 7s-mile lifeboat
race as part of the program.
Coxswain of the first boat to cross
the finish line was Philip L. Fritts,
Quartermaster Corps, first class,
member, of the permanent crew Of
the ship, who has led the winning
crew of every race engaging the
lifeboats of the American Seaman
since she was put into her present
service last October. Six boats par
ticipated in the race, with 10 oars
men to boat.
Music for the program was fur
nished by the United States Navy
Band.