The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-10-26
100000 MORE
MEN REQUIRED
FOR SHIPYARDS
Means to Move Army Will
Be Lacking at Present
= ...-
Rate of Construction

Washington, Oct. 26-Ship con-
struction throughout the United States
is tagging because Of a scarcity of la
Dor, and the government wants AGO.
600 more men to bring the shipyards
to the full capacity that ia required to
meet the urgent demands of the allied
nations. Many Of the shipyards,
working ono shift a day. are able to
turn out only AZ to SO per cent. of the
output that could be produced with
three shifts Of eight hours each There
are zoo, 600 men employed for the one
shift In the yards, and the desired
additional shifts cannot be filled for
want OF men.
The Shipping Board comedies the
ground for Lord Northcliffe's Chicago
statement that the country would not
be able by the end Of 1918 to turn out
the 100000 tons required for trans
port purposes but, at the same time
1t was stated that II the pending la
Dor troubles could be settled and the
scarcity OF labor cured a tonnage out
put of between 5,0oO,0 900 and $780,
600 could be reached by the end Of
next year.
The situation has been relieved
somewhat by the recent announce
ment that the plan of exempting ship
yard employees from military service
was under serious consideration by
| the War Department. It is realized
by the War Department officials, as
Lord Northcliffe plainly stated, that
there IL little use of raising an i'm
mense army IL there are to be no ships
to transport 1t and keep 1t munitioned
| and fed once it is on the other side
This situation may lead to an ex-
| tension of the exemption privileges Of
| men who are employed In the con-
! ,struction OF ships or who are engaged
| in allied trades. They could be work
| ed out easily under the new draft
| system Of five classes announced last
| Saturday by Provost Marshal General
! Crowder.
The 100000 e1igibles will be ap-
portioned to the f1ve classes in the or
| der they are to be called. The eco
to q large extent the class to which he
will be assigned.
/ That is, IL he is engaged in a wal
industry he will be placed in the fifth
| class which will be the last called
/ Many OF the officials who are striving
/ for maximum ship tonnage outpu,
to place shipyard employees in the LAS
II class.
In carrying out It's policy OF ex
tending to the Allies the use OF what
Fever tonnage the United States car
spare. Che Shipping Board has agreed
to turn over to the Italian government
100000 tons OF American shipping
about twenty-five vessels-whfch will
be drawn partly from the coastwis'
trade and partly from the foreign
trade.
This will make $4,000 tons that tn
Shipping Board has released for char
ter to the Allies in the last few days
France being an earlier beneficiary
The French government was give
80, 600 tons Of shipping for charte
outright and an additional 10000
tons of modern. fast sailing vessels i
| exchange for 400, 900 tons of sma
French steamships which have bee
plying outside the submarine zones.
The Shipping Board is strainin
every effort to relieve the shortag
of bottoms which admittedly is goin
4 to handicap the United States and tn
s | Allies for the next yeaE 1t is g9in
4 to be a tremendous task, officials {
the board concede,
The policy of the Shipping Boar
however. Ia to give whatever assis
ance is possible to the Allies. irrespe'
n tive of the difficulties encountered
home in the matter of constructie
France already has Ave or six of tt
ships given her, most of which a.
from the great lakes. One ship w
be given Italy at once and others W
be turned over as rapidly as they a
rive in port and discharge their ca
81 goes. In cases where coastwi
ships are given to italy it is plann
n to get ships from the lakes to tai
their places.
Italy has complained that the Ia
of assistance frena her allies in I
spect to coal was Responsible for h
inability ia continue the great tall
offensive toward Vienna. There
also a scarcity of feed in Italy, whi
the Shipping Boards actien is {
pected to relieve.
HEBREW FUNDS.