The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1918-06-20
To Ask More Money
For Naval Station
Col. Jno. P. Mayo immigration Commissioner
Tries To Arouse Congressman

to Tennessee and Arkansas, as prac-
tically all the wOrkmen come from
these states. This station is controll-
ed and directed by the select men
! from the most carefully selected per-
sonnet of any navy in the world. The
naval constructors in charge are not
only expert mechanics, but profound
| ly learned students in every phase of
applied science. By nature. habit and
intensive training they are prepared
for thorough instruction of our young
men in mechanics, and as leaders of
men, upholding in their daily life and
! profession the lOftiest ideals, their in
tercourse with the youth of the South
dignifies labor and will do more to
uplift our section and return each one
who completes the course of training
required to his home with the gospel
of labor upon his hips and the rights
of man written upon his heart. The
best work is to be turned out by this
great plant, and the United States
Government has made a good invest
ment in it. This investment is only
good if used. Should the great wheels
cease revolving, the fires die out, and
bright American men be scattered, the
millions invested would become a
monument of folly and a reproach to
our people, instead of a most benefi-
cent institution, supporting the pres
ent and educating the coming gener-
alton of workers. Grave danger
threatens the carefully collected per
sonnet and sustained operation of this
station, which may be averted by CO.
operation of the beneficiaries or their
representatives. The nation at large
is benefited in general, and the Gulf
states, including Tennessee and Ar
kansas, and Oklahoma in particular.
So 1T is especially to the Senators and
Representatives of the above states
that this appeal is made This sta
ton can be operated II months in the
year. Living is cheaper and a plenti-
full supply of the material to make
mechanics exists in the vicinity. Wa
ter routes to the heart of coal, iron
and timber sections allow lowest
freight charges. Despite these ad
vantages the Navy Department has
not given a generous or even fair
share of work to the New Orleans Ma
val Station. OF 354 submarine chas-
ers built only were built here; yet
being in the heart of long leaf pine
lands, this station is ideal for such
craft. OF the SO German vessels TAX
en- over, only 6 were given to the ma
val station here, which looks rather
light with all the facilities available.
Both construction and repair work is
most advantageously handled, and ii
is for such the Southern statesmen
should contend. This plant would
steadily improve its mechanical per-
sonnet with a million dollars of work
on waiting list, and where 100000
is now paid for labor, 80 per cent of
which is spent locally double that sum
would be the portion Some disturb
ing influence DETECTING vessels from
the station has been manifested at
various times even after their reach
ing the mouth of the river. Jobs
have been sent to other points; Char
lesion, S. c., is working full time and
frequently over time; Portsmouth, "
H., is in need of one thousand more
men. Other yards on the Atlantic
seaboard are doing as well and better.
Failure to keep the work for this
plant will cause loss of the best men
from lay-offs, until the present high
efficiency, which has been attained
at cost of great effort and is 100
per cent Southern, will disintegrate.
individuals going to other yards and
their places supplied by raw men,
and the laborious task of creating a
working team would have to begin