The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-06-20
SHIP-BU|LDlhG PLANS.
GOVERNMENT COMMANDERS
SHIPPING NOW UNDER CON-
STRUCTION OR CONTRACT.
GOcthals Thinks He Can Guarantee
Three Million Tons of Steel Vessels
i'm Eighteen Months. Supplies OF
Material Assurcd-LabOr i'm Doubt.

Washington, June 15.-The vast
amount of steel merchant shipping
under construction in American
100000 tons-wiu
be taken over Immediately by the gov
ernment under power granted in a
provision of the war budget bill sign
ed today by President Wilson.
The announcement was made to-
day at a conference of the country's
steel shipbuilders with the shipping
board and its emergency fleet cor
poration. Shipping now in the yards
will be hurried to completion by the
institution of a system Of double and
triple working shifts and when the
ways are cleared Of present contracts
the fleet corporation will begin con-
struction of it's great fleet of stand
ardized steel vessels.
Only by taking over contracts for
itself can the government speed con-
struction since congress did not give
x power to rush building for private
owners. Contracts calling for future
construction and on which actual
work has not been started probably
would be abrogated unless the fleet
corporation decides the ships are
especially fitted for the governments
needs.
Maj. Gen. Goethals, general man.
ager of the fleet corporation, told the
shipbuilders today that he expected
to turn out within the next IS months
fully 100000 tons Of steel shipping
and perhaps more. Steel companies
he said, have agreed to furnish
enough steel to build 100000 tons
a month. The only question, he said,
is the capacity Of the yards. working
at topmost speed.
About 100000 tons Of the ship
ping building in American yards or
contracted for is for British account.
This the British government has
agreed to turn over to the United
States voluntarily The vessels as fast
as built will be chartered by the
Shipping board to private operators
and perhaps in some instances to the
allied governments.
The shipbuilders were told the gov
ernment at this time has no inten-
ton Of taking over the shipyards if
the shiphuilders exert their utmost
efforts to speed construction.
The bill as passed vests in the pres
ident the power of communicating
and he is expected within the next
few days to issue a proclamation
designating either the shipping board
or the fleet corporation as the agency
to carry out provisions of the act.
No statement was made concerning
wooden shipyards, but it is under
stood the intention is to commander
such wooden vessels building as the
government needs. Gen. Goethals
plans to supplement the programme
for a great steel fleet with some
wooden vessels.
The price of steel for the ships to
be built has not been fixed definitely
but it is understood Gen. Goethals
is willing to pay $50 ton. Some men,
bers of the shipping board who are
directors of the fleet corporation, favor
it is said, price around $50. Since
Chairman Denman of the board, as
president of the feet corporation, has
to sign all contracts it is considered
likely that price lower than 500 will
be agreed on. The navy is paying
between $50 and $40.
Control Of the labor situation is an
important problem in connection with
the speeding up of the programme and
Chairman Denman said today the feet
corporation, through it's power to con-
troll steel, would prevent shipbuild-
ers from taking each others work.
men. 1t was suggested that if the
government found any builder Offend
ing, it could shut OFF his supply of
steel under the power to commander
and release his workmen to another
plant
Ship workers in the East have de-
cined to work under an open shop
arrangement and this problem, too,
corfronts the government, as it is
held that it will become necessary tn
employ open shop methods in some
Instances to increase the ouput Of
plants.
1t was made clear today that the
shipping board will not operate ships
itSolf merelN cha arterinC them for