The Washington times., 1917-04-06
1000 CARGO BOATS
URGED TO BEAT FOE
RepIenished Monthly by 2oo,-
900 Tons of Shipping and
All Armed.

NEW YORK, April IA feet of
1000 wooden vessels, replenished
monthly by the addition of 200, 900 ad-
ditional tons of shipping, all OF them
armed and their guns manned by boys
from the semi-military schools OF the
United States, IA the plan of the
United States Shipping Board in aid
ing the entente governments in the
reorganization of transportation facil-
titles between their countries and this.
William Denman, of San Francisco,
chairman of the board, guest of honor
of the chamber of commerce at its
noon luncheon yesterday. told some
of the details of arrangements now
being made by the board in cooper
alton with the National Defense Coun-
ell to aid in crushing Germany.
1--WE must remember" said Mr.. Den
man, that 90 per cent of the assist
ance we will be called upon to lend to
the allies will be semi-commercial in
nature, ] cannot imagine our major
Meet being called into operation at
least Immediately. Our transportation
system must be reorganized to the
end that our enemy be quickly
crushed.
The United States Shipping Board
is Of the belief that the vessels being
constructed OF steel need not be dis.
turoed, but We have reached the con
clusion to turn to the old-fashIoned
wooden vessels. Under normal circum-
stances they capnot compete with
steer vessels, but under this pressure
they probably will be our salvation.
Can Build 100000 Tons Monthly.
"our plans call for a turning TO
our forest resources, our smaller ma.
chine shops, and our smaller boiler
factories. Under proper organization
and with some such man as Major
General Goethals in charge. we can
produce 100000 tons of wooden YES.
sells monthly, this maximum to be
reached in seven to eight months
after the start. These vessels will
be of 5000 to 5000 tons dead weight
capacity. with a speed of ten to
twelve knots. In fourteen to sixteen
months We can have a feet Of 800
TO l'oOO OF these vessels in commits,
sion.
at is the plan to call on the young
soldiers OF the semi-military colleges
and academies OF the United States to
man the guns with which the ships
Of this fleet will be armed. It is the
plan to call. say. 1000 to $500 of
these college boys and give them six
to eight months preliminary train
ing under competent gunners.
IF this fleet of vessels, augmented
by the steel steamships now under
construction and now in commission.
can convince the central powers of
the uselessness of its submarine cam
paign against our vast resources of
timber, of machinery. and labor, then
we can write of the entire cost,
which will be more than the $50, ,O00.,
900 that has already been allotted TO
us, as having been spent at a profit.
Makes Germany Hopeless.
"Germany's hope Is based on the de.
structiye powers of the submarines.
The time has come when she must un
derstand that massed forces of the
world, under a unit impulse, cannot
be beaten down. Our ship production
must keep pace with the destructivity
OF the submarine. Germany will then
be brought to the realization that her
ruthless campaign is hopeless"
Mr.. Denman asserted that the great
est drawback to the building of an
American merchant marine had been
the indifference OF the middle States.
district generally without knowL
edge OF the industry and without in
terest in its affairs.
Recently" he said. "a great inter
est has been awakened. 1t will be the
duty of the Shipping Board to keep in
touch with industry in every part OF
the country. We must make the man
In the central States who plants a
row OF corn realize that his work IL
but one OF the steps in the marketing
Of the worlds food supply. and that
as such It is tremendously import.
ant"