The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-10-31
STANDARDIZATION
CUTS FLEET COST
Ships Built Cheaper Than Was
Believed Possible Before
the War.
ADDS WEALTH TO NATION
Great Saving in Cost and Maintenance ,
OF Ships by Adopting Standard
Sizes and Patterns-Long
Hauis Cut.

WashingtOn.-An item which event
ually will appear in tremendous hg
ureS on the credit side of the great
wal ledger to help offset some of the
staggering figures of the debit side will
be the added wealth to the nation OF
the huge American merchant fleet
which the demands Of the war have
brought into existence and which, pes
simiStS to the contrary notwlthstand
ing, will not pass with the passing OF
hostilities.
The United States is turning out at
this time not only many more ships
than ever before in the history of the
nation, but many more than any other
nation ever turned out in the same
space of time. And, too, they are be
ing built cheaper than before the war
it was believed within the range OF
possibilities. And the great secret of
this rapidity Of construction and econ
omy of cost is summed up in one word
Standardization.
In times of peace the building of
merchant ships in the United States
was not quite a lost art, but it certain
ly was far from being one of the great
and important industries here. The
United States government was keep
ing hands off and there was little en-
couragement for private capital to go
into the enterprise. But when the war
came all was changed. A great fleet
of merchant ships became necessary
for the successful prosecution of the
war, for the conveyance of troops and
supplies to the countries overseas. The
United States government undertook
the task. Time became an important
factor and then it was discovered that
lack of Standardization was a serious
handicap and must be overcome if rap
id progress and economy in cost were
to be considered. Standardization was
necessary and standardization vas put
into practice.
Benefits of Standardization.
The manufacture of clothing, hats
and shoes is largely standardized as
to sizes and patterns. For this rea-
son a standardized suit of clothes or a
pair of shoes costs much less than So
called made to order apparel. 1t is be-
cause standardization permits of the
use of l~abor-saving machinery, plus
quantity of production. Other familiar
examples of successful standardization
are found in the dollar watch and the
corresponding thing in automobiles.
Americas problem, then, is to make
a dollar ship, so to speak, or, if you
prefer it, a seagoing %"fivver," M
part, but at the same time a thorough
ly sound proposition from the stand
point of utility and economy. This
means standardization all along the
line. The more nearly the fabricated
shapes for hulls and all ship machinery
and. ship equipment conform to
standard sizes or patterns, the greater
will be the saving in initial cost and
of ships.
1t is the purpose of the United
States Shipping Board Emergency
Fleet corporation to effect this, some
thing it has already accomplished with
respect to many things. The fact
III SuCu tllnS CAlSICu WICh
emergency shipbuilding began made
progress slow. There were not
only the problems of organization, but
the further complications always at !
large construction enterprises
before materials and methods have
fully standardized.
Long HauIs Eliminated.
-. - - =. I'll -
let contracts onta geographical as
veil as cost basis, thus eliminating
ong distance hauls. Under the old plan
t was sometimes necessary to ship
,oats and RATS from Vancouver,
to Bristol, Pa. This meant
nigh transportation cost.
In the early days blocks came in
90 different sizes. Blocks and fittings
AVE been so cut in size as to increase
liant facilities about 35 per cent.
manufacturers are now concentrating
production where formerly a large
,art of the business included the max
ng of new dies with attending in
rease in cost.
In the case Of costly machinery,
UGH as boilers and engines, Standard
alton has eliminated many intermedi-
tie sizes. Nautical instruments,
lumbing fixtures, winches, windlasses
in fact, all of the thousand and one
hings hat go to make a fully equip
ed ship-will be entirely standard
zed whenever it is possible to accom-
lish it. Standardization has invaded
ven the galley and is being applied to
towards outfits. There will be no
onger miscellaneous sets of equip !
lent that may meet the requirements ]
f one ship but not those of another. !
linen, bedding and furniture are be-
ng standardized. l