The sun., 1917-05-09
BILLION TOFIGHT
U-BOAT MENACE
Shipping Board Wants to
Appropriate Big Sum
for Construction.
PROGRAMME Is OUTLINED
L. 5. to Build 100000 Ton
mage in Two Years:
Loss Is Greater.

WASHINGTON. May s.-A 100000
600 appropriation. with power to divert
from the steel plants Of the country all
the steel products required In the ex-
ecutioh Of the Governments steel and
wooden ship building plan, will be asked
Of Congress in the bill which has been
drafted by the Shipping Board with the
approval of the Administration.
The measure Is completed. but its in
PRODUCTION has been delayed from day
to day while minor revisions were being
/ made to meet the diverse opinions OF
the persons charged with carrying out
the programme. AS it stands to-day
from 100000 to 5000. 900 tons of ship
: ping in the next two years to combat
the German U-boat menace.
While this is an enormous amount OF
shipping in the light Of previous con-
! struction there has been some surprise
at it's smallness IN view Of the stu
pendous toll OF the German U-boats.
! Chairman Denman Of the Shipping Board
! admits that II the programme is not
! expanded and intensified IL will not any
where near keep pace with the destruc-
ton the submarines are accomplishing.
Sink 100000 Tons q Month.
This readily is apparent when II is
considered that the submarines in re-
cent weeks have reached or approximated
their boasted prediction that they would
sink 100000 tons month. This is
100000 a year or 100000 in two
years Thus while tho United States Is
constructing 5000 900 tons Of new ship
ping the Germans, II they only main
tain their present rate of destruction
will send to the bottom four times thai
amount of tonnage. 1t is easy to see
shipping men say. that the new shiT
programme will not accomplish much
unless II slaves off a German victor.
until Germany herself is starved out.
Chairman Denman would offer no eN
planation of the shipping bill to-day mo-
offer any comment ON the rate Of build
ing less than the submarine toll excep
to say that II would afford the Ameri
ran people an idea of the serious prob
lem and task ahead OF them IL the.
wished TO win the war.
In sp,iie quarters the outline OF tn
bill to-day was considered as an ad
mission that so far those- in charge o
the shipping programme did not expec
to nulllfy the effect Of the suhmarin
campaign without substantial assistanc
in the way OF the destruction of III
. t-Doats.
Contracts to Re Cancelled.
The boards programme contemplate
not only the diversion OF steel plan
products to the shpyards but the abro
CATION as we'll of present contracts hel
! bv the concerns with private Interest,"
| II such cancellation is necessary to III
rapid execution of the shipbuiiding plaI
e Payment OF damages will he made
C ca ses where injury Is done by the su'
n pension Of the contracts. The railroad
y will be compelled to get along with
o minimum amount Of steel. There will /
4 little or no railroad construction exceI
= that required by the military author
It ties.
n The only manufacturers OF steel VII
r will not come under the provisions
I. the law viii! be those engaged in n
manufacture OF ordnance and mun!tioI
1. and other articles necessary to the n,
p. t!onal defence.
=. Representative Alexander will intr
IT duce the bill in the House and Senat'
a Fletcher in the Senate. There Ii hol
n on their part that the opposition W
re be So slight that their passage Will
,s hastened and the whole programn
8 under way within few days. Maj
. large contracts are awaiting the enaC
NJ ment of the measure into law and 4
no signatures that will provide for the IL
A mediate construction of both steel al
n. wooden ships.
The method OF raising the billion dc
70 lars is left to Congress. but those
y. charge Of the programme advocate I
!, issuance of bonds.