The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-28
AMERICA LEADS WORLD
IN SHIP CONSTRUCTION

$50 vital is the necessity Of provid
ing ships whsTewith 80 transport men
and supplies across The Atlantic and
10 replace tonnage lost through the
activities OF German J-ooats, that the
following statement by Chairman Ed
ward n. Hurley, covering some points
not included in the Geographic reports
Of his speech in New York on Tuesday
night. is given for Information Of the
patriotic readers ~ The Virginlsn.---
Editor)
II by the exercise Of magic a
bridge could he throwa across tho
Atlantic over which oUr armies thar
artillery and supply trains could move
ra pidly and unham pered 70 the battle
lines in France, would any military
man in Berlin Vienna, Rome. Pare.
London or Washington have any DOUBT
but that the world would be made
safe for denocrac y before the yea
goes OUT We have the men, we
have the guns we have the supplies.
Eut without means OF getting them
to the front We NJ light as well re
without them. And unless we set
our men TO the battle line we viii rot
win this war.
SO it all comes back 70 ocean
tr8nsportetion--to the vital need OF
ships Fail there aud we fail utterly.
pom the shipping board has dewolved
the responsibility OF supplying this
need and supplying it under the most
eXtrs ordinary conditions that ever eN-
isted-supDlving # at the most Cru~
cial period OF the wars history. at
time when every other industry is
being taxed TO Its utmost capacity IN
Ft.. lyaA4 Anr .f AZ TOR "a la Il N Ia
10 provide war necessities. The prob
lem Of providing tonnage, such a.
is required by the eXisencies OF The
existing situation, would in itself be
An enormous task, even in normal
peace times The difficulties are quad
rupled when all branches Of the mill
tarv service are struggling FOR en-
largeme rent, struggling for the same
materials and labor, and when w
must. a. the same time. give unpf5-
ceJented aid to the allies both IN
/ furnishing labor 70 them for the
manufacture Of what they need iG
this country, and in furnishing th"m
! atcrlals.
HandiCaps Numerous.
The handicaps have been many.
! We were not maritime nation. our
! n7e alngst vanished from the sea@,
and with tho exception OF few
J widely scattered shipyards merchant
marine construction hal almost he
come a lost art with us, Then came
/ this sudden call to Guido the rest Of
! the world in the uphuadIng OF "a
! merchant marine: a call coming az
( a moment when the nay was under
/ going the greatest expa 9sicn In it9
/ historr-when most, II not Az. Of the
established wards were fcverish& en-
gagged in rush construction on drea+l-
Irauchts. destroyers. submarines tuel
/ ships, tenders and other auxiliary
I craft. and when murition maker"
we're absorbing that part Of skilled
labor which had not heen called to
I government navy Yards or private
/ bodybuilding plants. So Il was a case
Of not only working from the ground
jup. but Of Grst securing the ground
huron which 10 make 4 start EolnH
o. Il marsh land which haa 10 -"
: fllea In before launching wa could
be laid
hold no brief for our Ions years
OF neglect have no apologies TO make
for the causes that led to TINS cordi-
uon--for had no part ia their max.
ing. But ] wish to remind you, gem
tlemen. that ships arc not buiIt over
nj ght You cannot order a ship AZ
You would order a suit Of clothes and
expect IL To he ready for YOU in a
couple Of weeks. And please keep in
lain3 this haste fact:
o'd Shipynrds Busy.
When W. took hold Of this -ab Of
shipbuilding. we found there Was no
Rhipyard In existence with which we
could place an order The old Yards.
with their trained force of shtpbuild-
ers. we're filled TO canacity. Seventy
Der cent Of their enara WAS ta1tar ~
the enlarged naNal program The re
ma Iudor of the space was taken by the
orders which had been placed hy
American or ners, and by foreik n
owners. tEha pressed for more chips.
had H'leA the yards II America to
overflow tr~.
We we're f2ced with the necsssUv Of
creating an entirely new Industry W.
had 10 undertake n JOB that would
have dauuted anyone but America we
had to locate on waste ground man.
new shipyardS IL Nc were to NEE
he need for constructing new ships
This was the first, and tho birges:
part of the job that faced us. 1t ia
easy 20 build ships If YOU can go to a
trained shipbullder. who has a we'll
established yard, with an experienced
force OF riVeters, carpenters and caulk
ers. and place an order with him.
There vas no yard to which We could
go We had 10 establish the yards
nr=tt Get the shipbuilders 10 take
charge Of them. aad train the men 10
huild the ships
Therc we're thirty seven steel ship
Yards In America at the time Of our
entrance into war. We have located
eighty-one additional steel and
wood Yards, while eighteen other yards
have been expanded Does America