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Capt. Elmer E. Crowley, President, Merchant Fleet Corp. By Lynne M. Lamm =) HE nation’s capital has been invaded by a new "| type of executive, a doer rather than a talker. He is Capt. Elmer E. Crowley, appointed presi- dent of the Merchant Fleet Corp. by its board of trustees on March 26. Newspaper men who cover the shipping board and the Merchant Fleet corporation have found the new president somewhat of an enigma inasmuch as he refuses to be interviewed or to tell what a wonderful job he is going to do. He has never made a speech in his life. That in itself is a seven days’ wonder to the newsgathering fra- ternity of Washington. ; Captain Crowley, a well-built man, showing the result of his years of seafaring life, is modest in the extreme and refused to tell the writer what he hoped to accomplish after he has made a survey of his new job. The captain comes from a New England shipping family, his. father having sailed before the mast in 1845 as a mere boy and becoming master at the age of 19 in foreign and coastwise trade. The Crowley family are pioneers in the coastal trade of this country. Captain Crowley and his two brothers having operated first sailing vessels in 1885 and later changing to steam in 1910. During the world war they also operated in offshore trade. Born in Somerset, Mass., the new president went to sea in 1887 as a boy, becoming a master in 1899, and con- tinuing afloat until 1910, since which time he has held various important executive positions in the construction, repair and operation of ships. He resigned in 1921 from the vice presidency of the Coastwise Transportation Co. Captain Crowley’s life has been spent in shipping and his knowledge and integrity combined with an unusually modest disposition, make him a fitting successor for the late John R. Gordon, whose death in August of last year left the position vacant until Captain Crowley’s appoint- E COMES from a New England seafaring family and has had service afloat in sail and steam. VER a period of 20 years he has held executive positions of re- sponsibility in shipping affairs. SSENTIALLY a man of action, he brings to his new office practical experience and tried judgment. ment on March 26, when the board of trustees of the fleet corporation elected him. In August, 1924, Captain Crowley was appointed special asistant to the president of the merchant fleet corporation, then Admiral L. C. Palmer, and in that capacity made a particular study of operating methods and costs for the corporation. From October, 1925, until July, 1926, he served in the office to which he now returns. He subsequently was appointed operating manager of the New York district, and last year director for the district. Prior to his appointment as president, Captain Crowley occupied the position of director in the New York district from January, 1930, which is the largest of all the operat- ing districts. His experience in the various positions in the corporation, and particularly in the New York district, give him an extensive background in the work which he has now assumed. While the activities of the merchant fleet corporation since president Crowley’s first tenure of office have been somewhat curtailed, due to the new form of operation under the so-called lump sum agreement, the corporation still operates through its agents thirteen lines, involving approximately two hundred active vessels; with approxi- mately two hundred and fifty ships laid up. In addition there is a heavy responsibility in connection with liquida- tion involving lines sold and those to be sold. The corpo- ration is diyided into seven major departments and has offices at the principal ports from which government vesse’s operate, as well as offices in Europe and other strategic world points. The supervision of affairs of the corporation, which in- volve large fiscal and operating problems, will be much facilitated by reason of President Crowley’s past experience with the fleet corporation and in shipping affairs gen- erally. He will receive full co-operation from the board. 58 MARINE REVIEW—May, 1931 I ee BP CM RSS Oren RRS TER SEE IP NS Yes oe te OE A NE DPE ae Pee ee Se a) i a ed