Evening star., 1942-10-25
Licensed Operators
Of Ships Sought by
Naval Reserve
Immediate Service
Assured for Those
Able to Qualify

There is an urgent demand In the
Naval Reserve for men with mer-
chant marine licenses for commits
sioning for sea duty it was said at
the Naval Procurement Office, 1920
G street, last week. Men are being
sought at water fronts here and in
Baltimore.
Those who are able to qualify are
assured of immediate service. Men
with licenses up to the age of 81
years, even without college degrees,
will be taken.
In its move to3;nsure steady flow
of college-bred personnel for the
duration Of the war, the Navy De-
partment is making drive to enlist
college students. A rowing enroll
ment iorce started last week to visit
colleges in Maryland, Virginia and
the District of Columbia to acquaint
students with the advantages of
entering the Naval Reserve. @
Draft Exemption Studied.
b Those who enlist in this branch of
the Reserve, known as class vi,
will not be eligible to tie draft when
and if Congress approges the taking
OF young men In the 18s19-year -old
groups. Under the system for young
selectees as now being discussed,
young men whose numbers are
called up for this purpose will not
be exempt for their high school and
college courses beyond the end of
the term. On the other hand, those
in the Naval Reserve will be allowed
to continue until they receive their
degrees, if for general service, but if
for the air forces they will be kept
in school at least two years of COL
lege. The latter, If they pass the
physical examinations for air serv-
ice, will be called for duty at one cf
the aviation schools, where they will
be trained as naval pilots and COM
miSsioned in the air forces of the
Reserve.
The enrolment officers will take
young men in any year of college, so
that the inflow of young officers is
expected to begin next June. They
will be commissioned ensigns after
graduation, and then be sent to
naval indoctrination schools before
being sent to fleets or shore estab-
liShmentS.
The campaign to obtain women
for enlistment in the WAVES and
enrolment for commissions in the
same service is showing considerable
10 r. coSl }I,n ro,1yo,Ints Nf
plicants is much lower here, because
many of those who are seeking to
enlist have Government jobs from
which they cannot obtain the neces-
sary releases. In order to get in.o
this branch the women applicants
employed in Government agencies or
In any war industry must first OBJ
tain the approval of their employers
and get a release before they can
even be considered either for the
ranks or as officers.
Hearing Held on Bill.
The Senate Naval Affairs Commit
tee last week held hearing on bill
authorizing the Navy to enlist in the
Naval and Marine Corps Reserve
persons with physical defects which
will not interfere with the perform
ance of general or special duties.
1t was said the Navy now takes
persons with physical defects under
certain conditions, and the defects
are waived to the extent that they
cannot claim retirement benefits on
account of them. Under the law
any Reserve officer who serves on
active duty for 80 days or more is
entitled to all the retirement benefits
of those of the Regular establish
ment.
The proposed new legislation
would prohibit any claim on ac-
count of such defects. However, it
does permit of retirement on ac-
count Of injuries or illnesses Incl
dent to the service.
The legislation would permit per-
sons willing to waive all claims to
the benefits Of retirement as a re-
suit of their known physical de-
fects, to enroll as officers. The Navy
Department has recommended
adoption Of the legislation.