The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-09-29
BRITISH WARN
U. S. TO SPEED
SHIPBUILDING
C-BOat Toll Since February
Equals Previous Total
of War.
100000 TONS NEEDED
Foe May Destroy 200 More
Vessels Than Can Be Con-
structed by Spring.
6, 100000 TONS NEEDED

l.oHDoN. Sept. 2s.--British shipping
losses since the beginning OF tine un
restricted submarine campaign last
February now approximate the total
losses before that period, according to
a statement authorised by the controller
OF shipping to-day. Tho statement in
dicated 1t was reasonable TO expect Ger
many to destroy by next spring 200 ves-
sells more than could be built in the
meantime.
The controller OF shipping authorized
the Associated Press 10 make the fol-
lowing statement Of the shipping situa-
ton and the urgent need for the United
States TO undertake a merchant ship
building programme on a broad scale:
1T is Of the utmost Importance that
the United States should realize that the
shortage of shipping Is the most vital
fact In the present situation and the
building Of merchant ships is Of the ut
most Importance.
Problem COnfr0nts L. =.
The question the United states must
face Is whether. on the basis Of the
shipbuilding preparations she is now
making, it will be possible for her to
send any substantial force to France
next spring without such a drain on the
worlds shipping as will subtract Just as
much from the lighting strength Of the
other allies as her own forces will add
However large and powerful the
army which the United states trains
during the winter 1t may be rendered
absolutely useless as an addition to the
fighting forces against Germany II there
are no ships to transport 1t. except at
the cost Of stopping the how OF vital
necessities to the present armies.
THE loss Of shipping since the be-
ginning Of >the ruthless U-boat war is
now roughly equal 10 the total losses
prior to that time. BY next spring Ger
many may be expected to destroy zoo
vessels In excess Of what are built in
the meantime.
Next spring this years harvest will
be largely exhausted and the need of
supplying Italy. France and Great
Britain will be largely increased. At
the same moment the United States will
need large increase in vessels to trans
port its army and TO maintain 1t.
What must be the programme OF the
United States? 1t must he large enough
to outbuild submarine destruction. Even
II this means the building Of 5000. 900
tons year, which is three times the best
the British have done and Ave or sik
times what the United States has previ-
ously done, this is not impossible II the
United States puts into II an effort COM
parable with the efforts the Allies put
into creating their armies. navies and
munitions. To build 100000 tons OF
shipping would require about $500. 900
tons Of steel or less than 10 per cent.
of her output. 1t would take not more
than a half million men, the majority
unskilled.
1.-The task thus outlined is small COM
pared with the effort put forth by the
principal beiligerents In other directions.
Great Britain, for example. increased
her army from quarter Of a million
to over five million. and she added a
quarter Of a million men to her navy
and trebled II In size, while in NUM-
tions the British effort, whether mea-
sured in money, men or material. has
been greater than what is needed for an
adequate American shipbuildng pro-
gramme.
More speed Needed.
Before the war all the shipping in
the world was only worth about the
same capital as the two big English
railway companies. 1t would be the most
incongruous thing in the history of war
fare II the war. in which such i'm
mensely greater strength has been
| exerted In other directions, should have
| the issue decided by failure to solve the
problem of building six million tons OF
| shipping a year In a country with such
vast resources as the United States.
What IL the present situation regard
| ing U-boat losses? II is clear that the
submarine war will fail In It's main in
tsntion. 1t will not starve Great Britain
and II will not interfere with the ade.
quate supply Of munitions But British
| shipping strength still is being con-
| stantly reduced. and We have not yet
reached the point where building equals
| the losses.
"Under the circumstances Great Brit.
| aims position as the supplier of the
allied needs Ia Handicapped. But OF
| main importance Is what It meant
toward the efforts of the United States
In the war, and unless the situation 1,
faced the great military effort OF the
United States will be crippled from thu
start