New-York tribune., 1918-05-08
1917 Losses Exceed 1918
Plans, He Asserts in APP
peal to Business Men
Army Sent Abroad
Wildly, Says Filene
Speakers Demand Double
Shifts in All Yards to
Rush Construction
By Theodore M. knappen


has found beyond its strength ane
beyond all governmental power, the
United States Shipping Board yester
day afternoon, through Bainbridge
Colby, called upon the business mer
of New York to get under the ship.
building job as, with all their previous
assistance, they never have done.
The occasion was a luncheon of the
Bankers Club rendered by the Mer.
chants Association of New York to q
committee of the Chamber Of Com.
merce Of the United States that, ac-
companied by representative of the
Shipping Board, is now visiting differ.
ent shipbuilding centres with a view
to securing double shifts in all ship
yards.
The members of this committee
present were Edward A. Filene, OF
Boston, chairman Of the shipping com.
mttee of the United States Chamber
Of Commerce, and Colvin Brown, of
Washington, D. C. The committee is
pursuing Tvs NCAh III <AStO1 QduCc WIN
resolutions adopted at the recent
Chamber of Commerce convention in
Chicago. These resolutions recon-
mended that all business men in ship
building communities make their pri-
yate interests secondary to "ship pro-
duction during these critical months 81
Dispenses with Camouf1age
Mr.. Colby said that before such a
body as confronted him all camou-
Aage and padded optimism could be
dispensed with, that men of great af-
fairs we're strong enough and balanced
enough to know the truth and not
be dismayed by it. Then he told them
That even the Shipping Board did
not appreciate the gravity Of the
ocean transport situation until his
return last winter from a visit to
London, bringing with him the Brit
ish Admiralty figures of submarine
destruction.
That our Navy Department had the
authentic facts and figures all the
time. but had kept them secret and
Drooded over them as something
sacrosanct and exclusive-as seemed
to be the tendency in government at
war concerning so many things
there was no reason for withholding
from public knowledge.
That the sinkings of ships during
1917 exceeded the entire combined
British and American building pro-
gramme for 1918.
That the United States could hard
ly build more than 100000 tons of
deadweight shipping this year.
Filene Supplements Talk
Mr.. Filene supplemented Mr.. Col
by's straight talk with the assertion
that we now were sending soldiers
to France in such numbers that we
had no idea Of how we were going to
provide them with munitions and sup
plies. 1t was such a venture of chiv-
airy that in times other than these it
would have been pronounced the work
Of madmen.
The military arm of the nation was
dlspatching soldiers to France, he said,
American people would find way to
keep up the line of supply. 1t was
certain that ship production would not
overtake ship destruction until next
spring.
President W. F. Morgan, of the Mer-
cnants' Association, was chairman of
The meeting. He pledged the full CO.
operation of the association as soon as
tne shlpbuilders had outlined what un-
omcial assistance they required.
Fanciful Dream, He Says
After noting that American shin
yards had built 10000 deadweight
tons in March and 100000 in April.
Mr; Filene said. among other things:
The lines of ship destruction and
production will not meet until next
spring. 1t requires four tons of ship
ping liz service for each soldier in
france, which makes all current talk
oi an army of 100000 men in France
ianciful dream. At the call of honor
we are even now sending men wildly
snd recklessly, risking their lives in
Soh!idence that America will oomehow
aad i way to supply them.
There is no evidence that the num-
per OF sinkings by the submarines will
De less IN the next few months. All
ss;a,sements s';.s about success in dealing
with the submarine are based on
wishes. hopes and dreams.
Bad as the situation now is. it is
hot impossible that the Germans NAV
r1eak S,eak through to Calais and other
snahhei ports and thus multiply the
present difficulties of transport. We
should act on the assumption that this
may happen. 40
Our House Is Afire"
we should consider that our house
anre and that until the fire is out
No.ning matters but putting it out. BY
'osember Nv we shall undoubtedly be com
msoeesang soeag ships at the rate of 100000 to
vVooo tons per month. This will be
"a incredibly great quantity, and yet
as fact to-day that the shipyards
Tn sas only 40 or SO per cent efficient.
fa, fas deplorable condition is not the
sa saMt OF the Shipping Board or Of the
ss sompanies or of the men. It's remedy
ssn De found only in the communities
nl.sch ~ which are located the shipbuilding
snts: Every shipyard should run at
S;ss vas1 Two shifts Of men. To take up
With the shipbuilding executives the
ays and means of building up this
hess men.
AZ present the managers Of ship
osho are overwhelmed with so many
nsa NET duties Incidental to the un-
bS;ssssaented expansion of the ship
fh"oing programme that often less
sss an ~ per cent of their time and en-
hrssy;. IS given to shipbuilding. Local
~ss.ess men can, take over the 80 per
ia 1sn ana leave the managers free to give
a.. AZ per cent of their time to actual
Building Activity Held Back