Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-06
SERIOUS DECLINE IN
SHIP PRODUCTION
Some Time Before Desired
Output Is Obtained, Says
Sir Eric Geddes.
U-BOATS BEING CONQUERED

By the Associated Press
LONDON, March 6-"Our allies are
making every effort to increase then
production OF Ships Sir Eric Gedoes-
first lord of the admiralty, said yes
terday. but despite glowing reports
in the American press and great as the
effort of that country doubtless ls'
there is no doubt a considerable time
must elapse before the desired output
is obtained"
For some months said Sir Eric, we
he1ievs that we and the Americans
have been sinking submarines as last
as they are built
Sir Eric, whose address was delivered
in the hous of commons said the naval
forces of the allies in European waters
would be augmented shortly by force
of Brazilian warships-
Sir Eric said the rate OF exaggeratton
in the German reports of tonnage al
legged to have been sunk was increas-
ing steadily. The exaggeratlon IN the
second quarter of the period OF unre-
stricted submarine warfare was twice
that of the first quarter The rates IN
three or four times that of the hrst
quarter, and in January four and one
half times the first quarter
SdunOI A1O1u
81 believe the individual piece worker
on ships works as hard now as ne dio
last year when he is actually at work.
Sir Eric continued, but he seems reader
TO take holidays and We cannot aford
HOLIDAYS If Improvement is not speedily
made the point where production balances
losses will be postponed to dangerous
extent"
the first lord said he was seriously con-
cerned at the increasing number OF YES
I~ araf1r
was assisted in this matter by negligence
on the part of ship owLers who displayed
lights instead of darkening their vessels
The loss for the five months enGng
with February was 10 per cent less than
the loss during the corresponding months
of the year previous, he added. although
during four months of the latter period
unrestricted submarine war had not peen
proclaimed by the enemy
Losses Continue Downward.
ct have stated the first lord con-
tinued, that the curve of losses OF mer-
chant shipping continues downward That
statement is as true today as when pre-
yiousIy made II is true there have been
bad weeks and bad months February
was, in comparison with recent stand
ards, bad month But, on the other
hand, January was a good one
GAS to the curve of the loss in the
worlds tonnage. only two months OF
the current quarter have elapsed. out
assuming the March losses 10 De as
high as that of February, I find that
the falling curve continues"
Drop in Production.
Regarding the rate of ship produce
ton, Sir Eric said that instead of
rise there had been a serious drop
Why the first lord asked The
main fact is that owing to labor unrest
and strike difficulties the men in the
yards are not working as if the life of
the country depended on their exertions
The employers are perhaps not doing
all they could The long strain of the
war must have an effect upon their
nerves as upon every one else The
serious unrest which existed in Janu-
airy will have an effect on competitions
in later months. l am driven to the
conclusion that even at this late date
the situation is not fully realized"
It became increasingly evident, the
first lord went on, that as the re-
sources for combating the submarines
improved it would be possible to turn
attention more to the Mediterranean.
He continued:
Il recently went to Rome for a meet
ing of the allies naval committee, and
also inspected naval establishments in
the Mediterranean. including those of
the Greek navy. British naval officers
are assisting the Greeks in reorganiza-
ton of their navy, which already is CO.
operating in the Mediterranean and
rendering valuable service