Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-06-08
Statement by Clark
Mr.. Clark's statement said:


Mr.. Clarks statement said:
LAS far as we can learn the present
program contemplates about 100000
tons of shipping in IS months. This
amount was sunk in the first four
months Of this year and the shortage
is already appalling. The wooden ship
program has been cut to about one
fifth of its original size apparently to
make room for steel ships 1t is pOss-
BILE to build of wood two million tons
more than are at present contemplate
ed without in the slightest degree in
terfering with the steel construction.
"A crisis i'll shipping will arise about
Dec ], and our allies and our success
depends on our ability to begin to pro-
duce ships by that time. Very few steel
ships can be produced in time The
plan Of fabricating ships of structural
steel is splendid one and it will sue
coed. but it is new and unexpected de-
| lays will be encountered in carrying it
out on the other hand the wooden
ship Is as old as civilization and there
are no uncertainties regarding it's con-
structon.
81 have previously indicated my
opinion as to places where discussions
! of such serious character should be
initiated. Apparently these gentlemen
do not agree with me-"
Mr.. Eustis and Mr.. Clark are serv-
ing the fleet corporation without pay.
Both indicated tonight they expected
their designations would be asked, but
declared they felt it to be their duty
to put the situation before the Ameri-
Zoo,
can be built to overcome the German
submarine campaign.
Mr.. Clark explained tonight the tan
gle over commitments for wooden ships
When first employed he and Mr.. Eus-
tis he said directed several shpbuild-
ing companies to go ahead with wood
en- shipbuilding, leaving the form of
contract to be determined on later.
The builders. he said, were given to
understand they would get at least 10
per cent on their work. General
Goethals. he said, on taking charge
stopped all work and the prospective
builders had been unable to obtain any
satisfa ction as to whether they would
be given contracts.
Even if we build all the wooden
ships we can In addition to the steel
we can only hope for a total of 5000
900 tons in IS months. This is not near
ly enough In deliberately neglecting g.
0000 tons of wooden ships we are
taking terrible chances. The construc-
ton Of wooden ships has been limited
in many ways. The standard design is
fficult to build. required high per-
centage of skilled ship carpenters. large
timbers and much hand labor. This
ship is too large for the Welland canal
locks, eliminating large number Of
ships which could be built on the Great
Lakes. Many Of the old Maine build
ers are willing TO build slightly diff
ferent ship than the standard design,
but will not build the standard as it
represents a radical departure from
their established practice.
1--WE have another design which
could be built much more easily and
much more apidly-which has been
accepted by the American bureau of
shipping and by Mr.. Ferris, the boards
consulting architect. and which many
builders much prefer. The original
form Of contract called for payment on
the basis of cost plus fiat fee. This
is the form used by the Canadian gov
eminent and by our own navy. The
present policy is to insist on contracts
on fiat price, putting all the risk on
the contractors In view of the I'M
certainty as to how the war will af-
feet business conditions most of the
contractors are unwilling to take this