The sun., 1917-08-01
HURLEY TOJACK
LUMBER MEN
IN IN SHIP PLANS
Will Serve Ultimatum To
day on $50 Southern
Mill Owners.
MAY TAKE OVER PLANTS
Delays In Delivery Hold Back
Fleet Building-Labor
Declared Scarce.
MAY TAKE OVER PLANTS

wAsHINoroN. July 31.-1n an effort
to learn the utmost quantity of lumber
the Southern pine mills can furnish for
the merchant feet OF wooden ships that
the United States is to. build and at the
same time to ascertain why orders
already given have not been filled with
In the period set, Edward N. Hurley
new chairman Of the Shipping Board.
has asked about 100 mill owners OF
Louisiana. Mississippi, Texas and Geor-
gia to meet him Tomorrow for con-
ference. They are said to represent n
production OF 600.000.o0o feet month,
only part of which, however, Is avail
able for shipbuilding.
The shipping officials are reported to
be greatly exercised over delays in de-
livery Of lumber and 1t is said the mill
men will be given to understand to-mor-
row that II they do not fill their con-
tracts on time the power to commander
granted in the shipping section OF the
| urgent deficiency bill may be employed
to take control Of their plants.
Coincident with the meeting OF the
| lumber men there will be a meeting Of
| labor leaders with Secretary Redfeld,
Secretary Wilson and Admiral Capps.
head of the Emergency Fleet Corpora
tion, for the purpose of working out an
arrangement by which sufficient labor to
operate all the shipyards OF the country
at top speed will be available through
out the war. inability to get ample lum-
Der and a prospective scarcity of labor
are two OF the chief problems confront
ing Mr.. Hurley and Admiral Capps.
| Scarcity of Lumber.
| The word has gone out that under the
new administration Of Americas ship,
building programme the shipyards oi
| the United States are TO be asked to
extend themselves to their capacity In
| the construction of both wooden and
| steel ships Mr.. Hurley Is understood
| to be Of opinion that 1t will be OF the
| greatest service to the nation TO bullo
wooden ships along with the steel and tc
! acquire the greatest possible tonnage
regardless Of the material used.
The scarcity OF lumber is said to re-
| suit from two causes. At the price OF
SIS a thousand feet. the price fixed by
| the lumber committee Of the advisory
commission Of the Council OF Nationa
Defence. the mill owners are said tc
have found II much more profitable tc
sell to outside purchasers than to the
Government.
The lumber men have another expla
nation. They say the specifications fol
a standard wood ship approved by Gen
Goethals In many instances call for &
size of lumber that a large proportion
Of the mills cannot furnish with presen
facilities For example, II is said tina
the IS by IS timber required for th'
rudder blades of the wooden ships II
SO large that only limited number o
the mills can prepare It,
Few ship Carpenters.
IT Is understood Gen. Goethals let con
tractx. for about 100 wooden ship
through the Southern Pine Emergenc,
bureau. which has offices in Washington
and acts as a central agency for all th'
Southern pine mill owners. The lumbe
men. although they exhibited grea
eakerness TO land the contracts at tina
time. are said IN many cases not to hsv
fulfilled the terms, alleging various diff
tculties. Their defence will be taken III
at the conference tomorrow.
Mr.. Hurley Is determined that nothini
shall interfere with the shipbuilding pro
gramme, which he regards as Of impor
tance second only to that OF America
octual military undertakings. Firms de
fauiting on their contracts will be deal
with severely.
The labor situation also has two as
poets. First, there is a general shortag
OF skilled ship carpenters, the construc
ton of wooden ships having become al
most a lost art in recent years. In addi
tion the difficulties are being multiplie
by rivalry among shipyards. each bid
ding for the labor of the others
! Ex-Chairman Denman threatened a
one time to withhold from shipyard
stealing" labor from the others the lum
Der for which the Shipping Board ha
made commitments at a price muc
lower. than the market figure. The con
: ference with the labor chiefs to-morro'
will seek 10 eliminate this abuse, first b
, the cooperation Of labor organization
and then by an agreement among tn
shipyards.
Drastic Measures Possible.