The Washington herald., 1918-03-27

sion OF the shipbuilding program
caught the turbine and engine manu-
facturers totally unprepared. In the
past the engines for ships built in this
country had been manufactured at the
shipbuilding plants. AS contracts for
new shipyards were given II became
necessary to increase the turbine and
engine building capacity at the same
time. Special tools of all kinds were
required for the engine builders
shops, and these tools had to be Sc
cured from manufacturing shops al
ready overcrowded with war orders.
In addition to this, the severe wealth.
er and the transportation tie-up &C.
riously delayed the construction of
some OF our largest turbine building
plants. We anticipated delay during
the earlier months for lack of the tur-
bines and engines, but expect to make
up for the early shortage.
The proposal to build ships OF con-
crete was first regarded as a fascinat-
ing absurdity. On March II there was
launched from the yards OF the San
Francisco Company the first concrete
steamship, a vessel which the build
ers christened Faith. We hope she
WIN SNNhlptAy ilNl 4AlS builu-
ers believe she will, for in the tele-
gram announcing the successful
launching of the vessel were added
these words appearance after
launching warrants us in saying to
you that we believe this form of con-
struction may be safely depended
upon"
Now as to labor-our strong right
nTrnf TThara has 80 ~
conscriptinG labor, of forcing it into
shipyards as our soldiers have been
brought into the camps. 1 am fully
aware that I am flying in the face OF
a growing popular sentiment that men
should be drafted into the industry
which support the battle lines, but 1
wish to put myself on record as being
opposed to the conscription of labor.
I do not believe conscription neces-
sary. for I believe labor Itself will
produce conditions which will rem
der idle all thought OF conscripting
workmen. The vast majority of our
workmen are men of intelligence, and
when they come to a full realization
of the fact that any detection on their
part now will not only imperil the ma
ton, but will injure their fellow-work-
ers in almost every field of industrial
activity. feel sure they will respond
to all demands made upon them. Cn-
less they fully do their part, their
brothers will suffer.
LabOr's Part In Production.
1t would be useless to manufac-
ture material and supplies and pile
up the products on the wharves II
there are no ships to transport
them. So. unless our ship workers
do their best, other industries must
slow down or halt completely, with
the result that thousands of work
ers throughout the country will suf-
fer for lack of employment.
I believe that labor has begun
to realize that fact. but 1 want to
drive it home to them; for there
are some. l regret to say. who dc
not yet sense their responsibility
There are many who, because OF
the high wages they are earning
are prone to take too many hoH-
days. Labor generally throughout
our shipyards Is today receiving
the highest rate of wages ever paid
for similar work in the history OF
the world. The additional cost OF
our ships, due to increased wages
in shipyards covering the program
we have mapped out, will be in
excess of 100000, 900. We expect
and we have a right to expect
the country has a right to expect
that labor will render for this in
crease of wages a corresponding
increase in production-that IL the
output of ships.
All has not gone smoothly in the
labor situation. and there have beer
times when this phase of the prob
lem was enough to cause discour-
agement. The vast majority OF
labOring men are patriotic; the
leaders whom have known through
close contact in Washington, espe-
cially Mr.. Gompers and his imme'
diate associates, have my confidence