Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-12-28
Gun Factories Would Sen to Uncle Sam

the men OF the army permitting the
sale OF liquor to them, stating thAA
they believe In absolute prohibition FOL
the army in wartime, and one OF then
adding that his experience has made
a permanent prohibitionist Of him.
Il wish your board every success Il
its effort to stop all waste OF food
men,, labor and brain power durina
these days when the nation need
every energy OF every man at his best.
"A Ship q Minute, More Or Less.
A plan Tor turning out ships in large
numbers by standardized method haa
been submitted to tina shipping board
by Henry Ford, and IL said to be fa-
vorcd by that body, with the likelihood
Of It's adoption. The propoSition, u
not novel ono In manufacturing, but
It ia entirely new as applied 10 thd
building OF ships. It contemplates the
construction OF long runway. at the
end of which the keel Of a ship Ii laid
and along (which It progresses toward
the point OF launching nearing cornple-
ton as Il goes. The plates are put Cd
at one place, the engine and boilers in-I
stalled at another. and so on. until the
vessel slides from the ways into the
water practically completed and ready
for service. 1t IL estimated that after
the system is IN fun swing the output
will be six ships a day. Six months,
perhaps, will be required TO construct
the plant. and after that II IL believed
by the author Of the plan that ships
will be dropping into the water OH :
s.Io - M
II Is planned to make this exclusives
ly an assembling plant. the various
parts, standardized to nicely. being
produced BY numerous concerns and
shipped direct to the point where they
are to be utilized. Whether the plan
Ia feasible In the construction OF ships
IL q question which perhaps shipbutld-
ing experts themselves cannot accnr-I
ately answer until It has been folly.
tested. Tho idea has been adopted by
Mr.. Ford in his own manufacturing
plant, with the result that ne has
achieved the lowest cost OF productions
and the greatest output OF any factory
in his line His personal success givIss
such weight to the suggestion that Il
cannot be turned down out Of hand. hut
will command careful confederation
by those charged with the heavy re-
sponsibility Of producing a merchant
fleet that will meet the allies require
ments in this war.
When 1t is remembered that with the
hundreds Of millions OF dollars at II
disposal and with contracts placed for
more than 400 ships. only one ship
actually has been completed by this
Emergency Fleet Corporation. the plan
proposed by Mr.. Ford appeals with
great force. II we could be assured
that by next summer each day would
witness the launching Of six ships the
public would feel much more sanguine
Of an early end Of the war. Ships wa
must have. The people cannot stop
now to brood over the interminable
delays which have held back the build !,
ing OF merchant fleet when the coiih
try's safety demanded speed. Time u
too precious for that. tho there will be
an accounting in full later. The need
of the moment Is the brains and en.s
ergy OF practical men-men who can
do things and do them well and quick.
ly: not apologists with alibis. II the
Standardization scheme ID practicable
the shipping board should snap Il up
and proceed at once TO put i into
effect.