The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-10-26
100000 NEEDED
IN THE SH|PYARDS
Means to Move Army Will
Be Lacking at Present
Rate of Construction
ALLIES ARE VERY
SHORT ON TONNAGE

twenty-five Vessels for Use of Italy
Set Aside on Urgent Plea - Situation
May Lead to Extension of Exemption |
Privileges
WASHINGTON, Oct. 26.-Ship con
struction throughout the United States |
is tagging because of scarcity of la
Dor, and the government wants i00,- |
600 more men to bring the shipyards |
to the full capacity that is required |
to meet the urgent demands of the al 1
lied nations. Many of the shipyardS
working one shift day, are able to
turn out only A. to 80 per cent of the
output that could be produced with
three shifts of eight hours each. There
are 100000 men employed for the one
shift III the yards, and the desired ad-
ditional 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 purpose, but, at the same time, it
was stated that if the pending labor
troubles could be settled and the
scarcity of labor secured a tonnage
output of between 100000 and $780,
600 could be reached by the end of
next year.
The situation has been relieved some
what by the recent announcement that
the plan of exempting shipvard EN-
iploves from military service was UNI
| der serious consideration by the war
! department. 1t is realized by the war
department officials, as Lord North
cliffe plainly stated, that there is little
use of raising an immense army if
there are to be no ships to transport
| it and keep il 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. This could be worked
out easily under the new draft system
of five classes announced last Satur-
day by Provost Marshal General
Crowder.
The 100000 eligibles will be appor-
| toned TO- the FIVE classes in the order
they are to be called. The economic
value of man will determine to a
large extent the class to which he will
be assigned.
That is, if he is engaged in a war
industry lie will be placed in the fifth
class, which viii he the last called
Many of the officials who are striving
for maximum ship tonnage output
hope the war department will decide
to place shipyard employees in the last
class.
In carrying out its policy of extend
ing to the allies the use of whatever
tonnage the United States can spare,
the shipping board today agreed TO
turn over to the Italian government
100000 tons of American shipping
about % vessels-which will be drawn
partly from the coastwise trade and
partly from the foreign trade
This will make $4,000 tons that the
shipping board has released for charter
to the allies in the last few DAYS
France being an earlier beneficiary.
The French government was given 80
GOO tons of shipping for charter out
right and an additional 200 900 tons
- ii''NiAi AuHt odIliiiS NtSStlS III tA-
change for 100000 tons of small slow
French steamships which have been
plying outside the submarine zones.
The shipping board is straining ev-
cry effort to relieve the shortage of
bottoms which admittedly is going to
handicap the United States and the
allies for the next year. 1t s going
to be tremendous task, officials of
the board concede
The policy Of the shipping board
however, is to give whatever assistance
IS possible to the allies, irrespective OF
the difficulties encountered at home in
the matter of construction. France
already has five or six of the ships
given her. Most of which are from
the great lakes One ship will be given
Italy at once and others will be turned
over as rapidly as they arrive IN por,
and discharge their cargoes. In cases
| where coastwise ships are given to
Italy it is planned to get ships from
the lakes to take their places.
Italy has complained that the lack
Of assistance from her allies in respect
to coal was responsible for her inabil
ity to continue the great Italian of
fensive toward Vienna. There is also
scarcity of food in Italy, which the