New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-22
Government Must Finance
Builders and Condemn
Sites for Plants
us. May Retain Yards
Conference Ends Strike of
Men at Work in West on
Wooden Ships

WASHINGTON. Aug. 21.-Four hun
dred millions of dollars i needed to bring
to reality Secretary of the Navy Dan
iels's proposal TO double the number of
destroyers now building and contracted
for by the government 1t was admit
ted at the Navy Department to-day that
if more destroyers are TO be con-
structed, the government not only must
finance the concerns agreeing to build
them, but it must also condemn the
land upon which the plants are to be
raised and grant priority to the COM
panies awarded the contracts. so that
they may secure the necessary mate
rails.
Representatives of the twenty-five
companies in conferences with Secre-
tary Daniels yesterday on the destroyer
building programme informed him that
these companies could not build the
ships nor increase their plants with
out financial aid from the government.
The Navy Department. through Ad-
mirals Taylor and Griffin. was said to-
day to be studying the situation, hav-
ing before it all the information fur
nished by the private concerns.
The Companies Demands
These concrete statements were
made by the private companies repre-
sentatives:
The government must finance the
establishment and building OF the
plants.
1t must induce the Priority Board
to give the private concerns prece-
dence in obtaining materials.
The plants must be entirely new,
as all now in existence are being
worked to their full capacity.
The concerns would be willing to
accept contracts on percentage
basis.
The government would have to
condemn the land on the sites where
the plants would be situated.
It is understood that the Navy De-
partment favors going ahead with the
project of giving America more de,
strovers than any other country, and
soon will be prepared TO present estl-
mates to Congress to provide for the
financing of the concerns that are 10
build the new ships. 1t also Will ask
authority of Congress TO condemn
sites for the plants.
A survey of the world situation has
convinced the government that II II is
to secure more destroyers they VIII
have TO be built in the United States,
as every yard in every Allied country Is
being utilized to the utmost. Newly or
gained shipbuilding concerns Will
build merchant craft exclusively, as
they have had no experience in build
ing warships.
4. s. May Retain Yards
One of the questions being thor
oughly studied by the Navy Department
is that of ultimate ownership and use
of the destroyer plants after the war.
The government would own them for
the duration of the war, and it is not
certain whether the private interests
would want to be saddled with them
afterward, with the certainty that there
would be a virtual cessation OF de-
stroyer building.
As the result of conferences con-
Guided here to-day, in which represent
ntives of shipbuilders, the Shipping
Board and the American Federation of
Labor participated, strike Of more
than one thousand shipbuilders in the
Gray's Harbor district Of Washington
was declared off and the men were or
dered back TO work. The strike is said
to have been sympathetic. The yards
at Aberdeen and Hoquiam are working
On wooden ships for the government