The Washington herald., 1918-05-13
SHIPBUILDING
PROGRESS now
New Tonnage Increasing
Rapidly with Labor En-
ergy, Says Holland.

Edward A Fflene, who Is chair
man Of the War Shipping Commit
tee OF the United States Chamber OF
Commerce. and who has devoted
substantially all Of his time to the
shipping service. spoke encourag-
ingly to the members of the Mer-
chants Association Of New York OF
the progress of American ship
building. The Merchants Associa-
tion or many Of Its members have
been cooperating with the govern
ment in the shipbuiIding program
Mr.. Filene was asked to address the
members at q meeting held q day
or two ago.
1t appears. according to the fig-
ures he possesses. that our ship
production in March and April was
much less in tonnage than the
amount destroyed by the sub
marines. This was due to various
causes which could not be over
come. Now. however. our progress
In shipbuliding. upon which the
fate of the army greatly depends, Ia
SO large as to justify Mr.. Filene in
the belief that within six months
the American shipyards will be
completing each month vessels
fully equipped. ready to sail, of an
aggregate capacity OF seven hun
dred thousand tons.
Shipbuilding must proceed very
rapidly IL we are to transport 10
France the army which within a
years time may be as great as two
million men. and certainly not less
than e million and a half. There
e. - rat
satisfactorily adjusted which may
cause some falling on in our ship
ping output, and that is the factor
of labor. In fact Mr.. Filene told
the Merchants Association that the
speed of ship construction from
this time on will depend upon labor
more than any other factor. Never
theless 1t Is known that labor is as
far as possible doing its full share.
not only in ship construction but
in all the war industries. 1t will
DO better at the shipyards when
convenient housing facilities are
furnished to the laborers. There
come reports from many of the
shipyards that the skilled artisans
are inspired not only by loyalty.
but also by a remarkable sense of
pride in their achievements, so
that from these skilled artisans Is
now coming a wonderful degree of
efficiency.
Wage Workers Energetic.
All over the United States the
men who are working for wages
are for the most part giving, to the
extent of their ability. energy and
faithful service, and are respond
ing to extraordinary appeals made
to them One or two concrete ex-
amples will illustrate this.
The ma anagers of a large industry
at Niagara Falls, many Of whose
artisans are not citizens of the
United States, called their employees
together recently so that 1t might
be learned whether these men were
willing to give faithful. earnest and
efficient service in the manufacture
Of commodities which are needed by
Ghe government. How many of you
are willing to do this?" was a ques-
tion put to- these employees. With
out hesitation every hand went up
and the pledge thus given has been
faithfully kept
Within a few weeks one OF the
larger industries of the United
States received an order from the
government for a large quantity
of its product, because that product
has been found especially valuable
for q certain form of war service.
In order to manufacture the prod
uct within the very short time
which the government requested be
done, it would be necessary to oper-
ate the factories night and day. The
employees were called into the large
hall and were told that they would
be detained only ten minutes, which
would not be deducted from their
time. Then the explanation was
made that the government stood
in pressing need of the commodities
they manufactured and needed it in
ed IL they would aid the govern
ment by working night as we'll as
day. being assured, of course, that
they would be paid for the extra
work. There was no delay in the
response. Every hand went up and
every man, a large number of men
in all. in the employ of that cor
poration is now working many ex-
enough out Of the twenty-four
The government will get the prod
uct within the time in which it
asked the manufacturers to deliver
these commodities
Labor EnthusIastle.
In other ways labor in the United
States IL showing zeal. patriotism and
enthusiasm. not hampered to any
great extent by a disposition to in
sist upon the stricter rules OF the
labor organizations. Some Of those
who were leaders in the campaign for
selling liberty bonds reported this
morning that when full details Of
the sale Of these bonds are received
Il will be found that so far as the
number Of individual subscriptions Is
concerned. much the larger part will
be found to represent subscriptions
made by those who work for wages.
There Is not likely to be much diff
Guilty hereafter so far as securing
the highest efficiency Of labor in the
building af ships is concerned. The
shipbuilders Of the United States
have now in supreme authority ever
them, so far as the government is
concerned, one of the great masters
Of the science whereby there are es-
tablished cordial, man-to-man, rela-
tions between those who employ and
those who receive wages for their
employment-Charles NJ. Schwab.
Reports come TO New York from