New Britain herald., 1918-01-09
SHIP PRODUCTION
At 100000 TONS
Builder Ferguson Declares Lack
Of Housing the Cause

Washington, Jan. 9.--America's
probable output of merchant ships in
1918 was put at 100000 tons yes
terday by Homer l.. Ferguson, Pres
ident and General Manager of the
i Newport News Shipbuilding Company
test1fylng at the Senate shipbuilding
inquiry. Estimates frequently made
OF from five to eight million TONS he
declared, were misleading and should
not be permitted to go unchallenged.
The greatest obsta cle\now in the
way Of rapid construction, MIR. Fergu-
son said, is poor housing facilities for
shipyard workers. His story of 'lous-
ing conditions at Newport News SO
stirred the committee that sub-com-
| naittee, comprising Chairman Fletcher
and Senator Harding, was appointed
to confer tomorrow with the proper
Government officials with a view to
obtaining iInmediat relief there and
elsewhere.
The testimony Of Mr.. Ferguson, for
seventeen years a naval constructor,
made a visible impression on the
committee, and he was kept on the
stand most Of the day. He did not
hesitate to criticise the Shipping
Board and the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration, and held them to blame in
large measure for the slow develop
ment OF the Governments program.
1.-The housing problem Mr.. Fergu-
son declared, lis one of the most vital
facing the Government in the conduct
of the war You cannot get the ships
unless houses are provided for wor<-
men. We want to add 5000 men 20
our force, and there is nowhere in
Newport News for them to live. T I'M
derstand that conditions elsewhere
are equally as bad.
"There is no limit to the amount OF
ships this country can build if it real
1y sets itself to the task. The ship
yards already built and those building
can turn out 100000 tons of ships
! annually under proper conditions, and
the country could, if put to it, add still
other yards and produce 100000
tons q year But it cannot be done
without man power, and man power
cannot be obtained unless housing is
provided
"It is just as necessary for the Gov
eminent to build houses for shipyard
workers as it is for soldiers. 1t must
do it if it gets ships. If I had the
power T would commander houses,
and I think the Government should do
this There is talk of working men
two and three shifts. In our yard we
have not enough mon to work one
shift, and in one house I know Of
eighteen persons are living in five
rooms. We have not the money to
! build houses, and it is the duty of the
Government to put them up. We are
ready to furnish the land
Declaring that 100000 tons is the
probable maximum production this
year, Mr.. Ferguson said that Lloyd's
special report estimated the steel out
put at only 100000 tons. Although
he did not condemn the wooden ship
program, he said he doubted if the
vessels after they were built would
be fit for transatlantic service. They
could be used to great advantage, he
said, on coastwise runs.
Members Of the committee were
interested to know what had caused
the delay in the government providing
housing facilities for shipyards, and
Mr.. Ferguson replied that he thought
it was due to lack of coordination
by the war and navy departments the
shipping board, and the council Of
national defense. In Newport News,
! he said, the growth of the military
establishment had absorbed all avail
able housing.
Concentration Of shipyards in the
philadelphia district was criticised by
Mr.. Ferguson as likely to increase
housing difficulties and to add to rail
road congestion. The industry, he
said, should have been scattered more
a1ong the coasts.
Shipbuildlng in established yards
was hampered instead of expedited,
Mr., Ferguson said, when the fleet cor
poration Communicated construction.
Until December, he declared, the cor
poration was unwilling to pay addi-
tional costs for speeding I'D building
operations although the private own
nxe. Of Sims undec 81,