Hydraulic devices are now obtaining recognition in the maritime ndustry. In the last few years, we have seen vessels with hydrauically operated hatch covers and deck machinery come into the picture. We shall probably see more of them. So here again we have extremely complicated and important machinery offering a new challenge to the abilities of our deck and engine officers alike. In recent years, labor relations have taken an increasingly prominent place in marine operations. Ships' officers, deck and engine alike, in their supervisory functions, share a critical part in successfully dealing with the attendant problems, which even at shipboard level can be perplexing to persons unacquainted with the issues in volved. Legal and business matters are likewise becoming more complicated and demanding better comprehension on the part of ships officers. Adequate training in these matters is especially difficult to obtain anywhere but at an academy. Modern industrial techniques have required the transportation by water of many new categories of commodities, especially chemicals. Many of these commodities, as well as some of the more traditional ones, require expert care and attention during their handling stages and en route. Mates and masters who have good understanding of the inherent qualities of these various cargoes are best equipped to care for them sensibly and successfully. The holds of many vessels are now provided with complex mechanical installations for the better control of atmospheric conditions in these cargo spaces. Generally speaking, these installations-types of air-conditioning-are producing excellent results, but they cannot be utilized intelligently unless the operator is fully conscious of the requirements of the cargo, as well as the potentialities of his equip ment. The foregoing demonstrates, in our opinion, a growing need for well-trained, efficient officers who are able to obtain maximum operative results from the new devices which have been put at their disposal, thus promoting the overall value and usefulness of the American merchant marine. Our experience has proved that the most desirable method of imparting the requisite knowledge and cultivating the skills necessary for modern vessel operation is through the formal education of young men who are mentally, physically, and morally capable of applying such skills and knowledge. The State and Federal maritime academies have done an admirable job in preparing such young men to meet the standards which have been demanded by modern technology. But the responsibilities of an officer in the merchant service extend further than the small world encompassed by the hull of his vessel. It has been said that: Every ship's officer in foreign trade should be intellectually capable of acting as an unofficial Ambassador-at-large, and he should feel that his opportunities and foreign contacts entail diplomatic responsibilities and obligations to his country. He should strive to interpret and to personify America's finest spirit and endeavor to create a mutual friendship between the foreigners he meets and the country he represents. We concur with that statement and believe that all of the academies deserve a "well done" for turning out graduates who have met this challenge in a most satisfactory manner. We would now like to quote another challenge phrased by Chancellor Kent in his famous definition of a ship's master: The master is the commander of a merchant vessel. He has full charge of and personal responsibility for, the navigation and control of the ship, passengers crew, and cargo as the representative and confidential agent of the owner. The position is one of the most dignified and responsible known to the law. He should have the talent to command in the midst of danger, and the courage and presence of mind to meet and surmount extraordinary perils. He should be able to dissipate fear, to calm disturbed minds, and inspire confidence in the breasts of all who are under his charge in tempests as well as in battle. The commander of a ship must give desperate commands; he must require instanta neous obedience. He must watch for the health and comfort of the crew as well as for the safety of the ship and cargo. It is necessary that he should maintain perfect order and preserve the most exact discipline under the guidance of justice. moderation, and good sense. In the face of modern conditions and demands, can we continue to rely on haphazard training to produce the type of ships officers described by the chancellor? We believe not. We recommend, therefore, that the appropriations for officer training should be continued. Our records show that we have supported the cadet training program for a number of years. We believe in it because the high degree of training afforded under the program is most necessary in the preparation of young officers for service in the modern complex vessels which constitute the American merchant marine. Our support has consisted chiefly of planning itineraries and assigning top-management personnel for the instruction of the several cadets for whom we annually provide facilities for practical training in ship management. In this we have tried to show no partiality. We have taken cadets from both Kings Point and the State academies Those who advocate the abandonment of cadet training charge that it is a responsibility of the industry, and the expense of such training should be borne by the industry. We might agree with this if the merchant marine were solely a branch of industry. However, that is not the case. The merchant marine is an important branch of the national defense, and in time of war, of the armed services. As such, it is entirely consistent that merchant marine officers receive a portion of their training at the expense of the Government. Others say that training is futile because the graduates spend too little time at sea after graduation. Perhaps that situation can be remedied; at any rate, we would like to present our views on the subject. We have found that the graduates of the academies are eager to go to sea upon completion of their training. Consequently, we at tempt to employ them whenever possible, and we have obtained some very promising young men thereby. However, in the past 21 years we have been unable to retain them because the various selective 'service boards have been making them available for induction into the Army, despite the fact that they have been trained for naval dury and commissioned by the Naval Reserve to which they may also te called for active duty if the Navy Department should require ther These men do not want to go into the Army as privates when they have already been commissioned as officers in the Navy, so they acr vate their commissions to avoid draft and we lose them at least temporarily, if not forever. We are sadly frustrated by these conditions, especially when we find that there are no naval billets for such men after reporting for naval duty, and they are required to wait in quarters until suitable billets can be found for them. In our mind, this is as much a waste of manpower as drafting them into the Army. In the meantime, the merchant marine, the fourth arm of defense for which these men have been trained, must wait. To suggest that this transfer of manpower from the merchant service accomplishes no good but much evil, we need not present here the historic arguments which prove the merchant marine to be as vital to the defense of the Nation as are the armed services. There is a vast difference in requirements between the two services and any transfer of a man from the merchant to naval service must certainly be considered an interruption in the development of the merchant marine officer. To say that a merchant marine officer employed in the industryeven though a member of the Naval Reserve is not fulfilling a patriotic obligation, but can only do so by activating his Reserve commission, is as groundless as to say that an officer on naval duty has not fulfilled a similar obligation until he has served a tour of duty in the Army. We feel, therefore, that active officers of the merchant service should be duly recognized by the Selective Service System as serving in the fourth arm of defense. The vital necessity for a corps of career merchant officers was recognized as early as 1896, when a statute worded as follows was enacted: No master, mate, pilot, or engineer of steam vessel licensed under title III (R. S. 4399-4500) of the Revised Statutes shall be liable to draft in time of war, except for the performance of duties such as required by his license; and while performing such duties in the service of the United States, every such master, mate, pilot, or engineer shall be entitled to the highest rate of wages paid in the merchant marine of the United States for similar services; and if killed or wounded while performing such duties under the United States, they or their heirs or their legal representatives, shall be entitled to all privileges accorded to soldiers and sailors serving in the Army or Navy under the pension laws of the United States (May 28, 1896, 2, 29 Stat. 188; October 22, 1914, 38 Stat. 765; 46 U. S. C. 225). This statute was held by the Selective Service to be suspended by the provisions of the Selective Service Act of 1940, as amended, with a similar ruling as to the effective period of the Selective Service Act of 1948, as amended (5 U. S. C. App. 451-470), but our requirement for a dependable corps of trained merchant marine officers was not diminished by the suspension. In fact, quite the opposite, new defense requirements have been created by penalizing an industry which has, in the interests of national defense, fought to obtain training for the young men coming into it. To us, the entire problem is quite clear: The interests of the country are best served by cultivating a strong, efficient merchant marine which, in turn, requires the services of well-trained officer personnel who are available for employment. We must, therefore, urge the committee not only to support the continuance of cadet training for qualified young men who show interest in a professional maritime career, but also to support legisla tion which will permit these young men to remain in their chose profession in those times of national stress when they are most needei. We thank you for this opportunity to come before you and preser our views on this subject. Senator PAYNE. Thank you very much. Any questions? That was a very fine statement. It will be very helpful. Are there others who wish to be heard? If there is no one els who wishes to be heard, I will once again announce that the record will be kept open until November 20 in order that any people who desire may have the privilege of filing statements with the staff of the committee for inclusion in the record, and there will be received certain other material that the committee has already requested. If there is no one further who wishes to be heard, I will, therefore, declare that these hearings are closed, and as stated, the record wi remain open until November 20, which gives everyone an adequate opportunity to get any statement they desire into the record. Certainly due notice has been served on all component parts of the industry, so that all have had an opportunity, if they desire, to le heard. I wish to say at this point that we have received some answer from maritime labor groups to the subcommittee's questionnaires and have been advised that other answers will be forthcoming. We shal include them all at this point, in the order in which they were received Thank you very much, indeed, for your attendance here and for the contribution that has been made here this morning. (Whereupon, at 12:05 p. m., the subcommittee adjourned, to reconvene at the call of the chairman.) (In addition to the labor letters and statements referred to above, other relevant documents are included, as follows.) Senator FREDERICK G. PAYNE, ARMY AND NAVY UNION, U. S. A., Chairman, Senate Commerce Subcommittee, DEAR SENATOR PAYNE: Washington, D. C. 1. The Army and Navy Union, U. S. A., respectfully requests to be recorded in favor of increased Federal aid to the four State maritime colleges, located California, Maine, Massachusetts, and New York, to assist in furthering their training programs. This organization is also opposed to any withdrawal oʻ Federal aid presently enjoyed by such academies. 2. This request is in accordance with a resolution (copy enclosed) passed br the delegates assembled at the 67th National Encampment of the Army and Natt Union, U. S. A., at Cleveland, Ohio, August 20, 1955. 3. It is futile to offer huge subsidies for ship construction while at the .. time creating a shortage of qualified officers by simultaneously withdrawing i to four maritime academies that train officers to man ships. The best interac of the national defense demands that neither should, nor can be, neglected. P should be the Federal policy to reinforce, not to cripple, these training colleges 4. The training programs of the State academies in California. Maine, Mass chusetts, and New York will be disabled if any such aid is withdrawn S action will prevent many deserving young men from obtaining qualified training to become ships officers, in either the naval or merchant service, and thus is lowing the sea as a profession which is their rightful heritage. These colaz all have long and proud records, with graduates of each attaining enviable L heroic records in both the naval and merchant service. If it was not for the State academies many of these officers could not have had the necessary train to perform the great service to our country which it became their privilege to a 5. While some of the graduates of these academies go directly into the merchant service as ships officers, many accept commissions in either the fleet or aviation branches of the United States Navy, with all forming a ready reserve of qualified, trained naval and merchant officers in case of a national emergency. 6. It may be said that there is no need of the State academies because we have the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N. Y., with its high scholastic standards. The quality of this school is applauded, not questioned; but to say that because we have one school of high standards, that any others are not needed because this one can absorb them all, is ridiculous. That is like saying that because New England has Harvard, Dartmouth, and Yale, that any smaller colleges, such as Bates, Colby, Tufts, Williams, and the State colleges are not needed because the first three can absorb them all. Or again that no other engineering schools are needed because we have the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with its high standards, and it can absorb them all. 7. The national educational program requires an expansion of educational opportunity such as offered by these degree-granting colleges, and it should be followed, in part, by continued Federal aid to them. There is no doubt that many of our top educators, engineers, scientists were unable to attend one of the larger colleges with the highest standards and reputation, but were forced through circumstances to attend one of the smaller and little known schools. This is in the same manner as many who must attend one of the State academies instead of the nationally known Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point. 8. The Army and Navy Union, U. S. A., views with alarm the number of ships under American flag being transferred to foreign flags and manned by foreign crews. It is felt that new laws for control are not needed, but that careful administration of the present martime laws, kept under constant surveillance by the Congress, would greatly aid the United States merchant marine, national lefense, and economy. ROWLAND N. CHAMBERLAIN, Major, MOM (Retired), National Junior Vice Commander, First Region, A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE WITHDRAWAL OF FEDERAL AID TO THE STATE MARITIME COLLEGES LOCATED IN CALIFORNIA, MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, AND NEW YORK Whereas the four State maritime colleges located in California, Maine, Massachusetts, and New York have been, and are of inestimable value to our national defense and to the national educational system; and Whereas these colleges train officers to man ships, and trained ships officers are at a premium as Naval Reserve reinforcement; and Whereas it is futile to appropriate huge subsidies for ship construction while creating a shortage of qualified officers; and Whereas the best interest of national defense demands the continued operation of these colleges with the type of training offered by them; and Whereas the national educational program requires an expansion of educational opportunity as offered by these degree-granting colleges; and Whereas these colleges have a long and proud record, with graduates of each attaining enviable records in both the naval and merchant services; and Whereas the numerous illustrious alumni of these colleges prove beyond a doubt of their value in the educational program; and Whereas these colleges are invaluable to the national defense, with many of their graduates accepting active commissions in the United States Navy and Air Force, while the remainder form a ready reserve of qualified, trained naval and merchant marine officers; and Whereas the training programs of these State colleges would be disabled if Federal financial aid and other assistance were denied them; and Whereas curtailment of the present training programs of these colleges would prevent many young men in obtaining the necessary training for them to become ships officers in either the naval or merchant services and to follow the sea as a profession which is their rightful heritage; Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Army and Navy Union, U. S. A., shall petition the Congress of the United States of America vigorously opposing any withdrawal of Federal aid to the State maritime academies; and be it further Resolved, That the Army and Navy Union of the United States of America shall petition the Congress of the United States of America to aid the State maritime colleges in California, Maine, Massachusetts, and New York to further their training programs through increased Federal financial and other aid to such colleges and/or academies. |