Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1918-07-19
Loyalty of Labor
SHIP YARD WORKERS MEET
EVERY DEMAND
Every Demand Made Upon Workers
by the Shipyard Managers Has
Been Promptly Met

Washington. - Labor in American
shipyards has responded to the un-
usual demands upon it with spirit
and enthusiasm that not only assures
rapid progress in the building pro-
gram but does much to ease the task
Of men who are charged with sup
plying vessels to keep a continuous
stream of troops going to Europe and
to provide them with food and NUM-
tions after they are there.
Chairman Hurley of the shipping
board, in speaking of the wonderful
progress made, said:
"Our shipbuilding industry is one
of the greatest in the country. We
have about 100000 workers in the
shipyards, building mercantile YES
sells, and fully 100000 men in the iron
works, steel mills, machine shops and
other factories, engaged in making
shipbuilding materials. Measured in
manpower, there are only two indus
tries in the country of such magni-
tude-lumbering with 100000 work
ers, and iron foundries, with 100000
men.
"a year ago this great industry did
not exist. 1t was necessary to create,
out of nothing, more than $50 ship
yards, and find the workers, and train
them. We have put new shipyards
down everywhere around our coasts
and on the great lakes.
"The Pacific coast answered with a
greater number Of yards than any
other district. The great lakes are
building ships and sending them down
through the rivers and canals. The
great iron and steel section of Penn
sylvania has marched in solid ranks
to the ocean, and transformed it's pro-
duction from bridges, sky scrapers
and other peace-time steel products,
to ships-great steel ocean carriers
ranging from 5000 to 10000 tons,
with 80 per cent. Of their steel cut
and fitted back in the mills, so that
it can be put together in ships with
the least labor and in the shortest
possible time.
Figures do not tell the whole story
of labor's achievement in shipbuild-
ing. We have more than half a mil
lion men in this new industry, but we
could never build the ships with ten
times that many if we lacked the
splendid American spirit which has
developed in our people the past
year.
at has been an enormous task to
bring half a million workers together
in new localities, and provide for
their well-being and support under
the trying conditions imposed by war.
"There has been scarcity in food,
with rising prices, so that the fair
wage set today may be far from fair
tomorrow. Our government has never
stinted US in money. Yet with all
the money in Uncle Sans treasury
IL would not be possible to provide
justly for every worker every day.
But, with all these difficulties, we
have had practically none of the So
called labor troubles, and there has
never been a time when the spirit of
the shipworkers could not be counted
upon to keep work going.
every demand made upon the
workers by the emergency fleet cor
poration and shipyard managers has
been met with heaping measure.
"We have today, in our new ship
building industry, spirit of co-opera-
ton from the workers which is like
an unlimited balance at a bank. 1t
has been equal to every draft made
upon it, and those of US who have the
managing and planning tasks realize
that the matter of team work rests
with US rather than the men in the
yards"