The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1918-07-04

have every confidence that you will
do the job and do it right.
Nov you wonder naturally how
your work has counted. Let me tell
you. In 1915 all the shipyards in
America turned out 215,6O2 dead
weight tons of shipping. The next
year our output jumped to 52O,S47
tons. In 1917 the hot pace continued
until we very nearly doubled the
output of the previous year, complet-
ing total of 9O1 ,223. We thought
we were building ships, with almost
a million deadweight tons of finished
vessels, but / am confident now that
if we pull together and every man
stays on the job, we will produce more
than 100000 deadweight tons in
l9l8-the greatest output OF any ma
ton in the world in a single year.
Il think that we can point with
some pride to May of this year, when
we not merely launched but COM
pleted 100000 tons of shipping
omer than was turned out in the en-
tire year of 1915. Five years ago. if
You had been told that this country
would produce 5000 tons of shin
ping in single month. you would not
have believed it, but that is n mere
beginning of the task that lies be-
fore you men in the shipyards.
There is one thing that we need if
we hope to reach our maximum ca
pacity of production and that is "A
friendly rivalry between the wards.
| have tried to encourage that because
l know that competition is dear to
American hearts and I know that YOU
Will respond to challenge. Now we
are going to recognize shipvard
that surpasses all others in actual
each month. A blue flag
which this yard will be authorized to
fly on its flagstaff will be a mark of
national recognition. It will be in the
field what an award for
service is on a battle
field. Red and white flags will be
presented for second and third place
Any yard which holds first place for
three consecutive months will have
signal honors. for it will be author
lied to fly this championship blue
permanently from it's flag
staff.
Now there are many men in the
shipyards who feel a sense of en-
barrassment because, with their coun-
try at war and Liberty in danger,
they are not in the uniform of the
Army or the Navy I want to say
that these men, if they are ship
and belong in the yards, are
to just as much recognition
and just as much honor as the brave
boys on the sea or in the trenches.
And it is to give you shipyard work
srs such recognition that the Govern
ment has determined upon the award
ing of service badges to the men who
give four months service to the
Government in the shipyards at build
ing ships, and bars for additional
length of service. With these serv-
ice badges you can walk through the
crowds, meet the boys of the Navy
and the Army and hold your head
high. To sacrifice ones life for ones
country is, of course, the supreme
sacrifice, but in this war the highest
duty is to serve where your govern
ment tells you to serve.
1--WE are going to give special gold
and silver medals for unusual service
in the shipyards. We feel that there
should be some way of recognizing
the man who does Il great thing for
his country in war time. Great
things are being done today in the
shipyards. Everyone of you has a
chance to win honors in this great
fight in the American shipyards
against the submarines-a battle of
against destruction.
"There is nothing that I will not
sacrifice to help in winning this war,
and know that there is nothing you
will not sacrifice. Put punch in your
work and We'll put over the program.
If you stand up to your job, We'll
make the kaiser take his medicine
lying down."