The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-27
.SH|PBU|LDERS BUSY
 DAY AND NIGHT ID
 DEFEAT DESPOT|SM
For Year Ending July 1 Workers of Oregon Com pleted 134 Vessels for
 Uncle Sam

Portland. Ore, october 26--Far re- moved from the fighting fronts, bat eager to play their part in defeating despotism, thousands of oregon ship builders, broadshouldered giants. are working day and night turning out wooden and steel ships to carry men and supplies to ports of debarkation,
 In the year ending July l, these brawny-armed workers had put the last nail and the last rivet in 13i ships. 105 of wood, 29 of steel. The combined tonnage of these ships eX- ceeded soc 900 and their value, S60.- 000, GOO.
 But the task of these masters of wood and metal has hardly begun. They have now under construction 127 craft, 45 are of steel, with an aggre- gate tonnage of S13.5O0 and a value of $49,969, 900.
 And still these builders of ships are not satisfied Two years ago their number was but 4200. they have multi piled the number of workers by l0 Two years ago they had but seven yards; they have increased the number of yards to 16 Now they have brought the number of ways to 10S.
 NOT YET CONTENT
 But these men are not content with seeing what other men have done and ther doubling. trebling it. They are planning to give the commerce of tue world something new-a creation of their own. made possible by the tow ering timber of their state
 When Charles M. Schwab, director general of the emergency fleet cor poratfon, visited this city few months ago, he looked upon the S500-t ton AA -s.-1. Ing, and said that he desired more 50o0-ton wooden steamers. The at tempt to create such craft has been made in other parts of the country, but had failed
 MT. Schwab saw Oregon timber, be- held the giant Douglas frs of the Pa cific northwest. and thought perhaps his dream of 5000-ton wooden steamers might come true.
 So did the shipbuilders of the north west Consultations were held which resulted in plans for the "C0lum Ia River type of ship. The designers claim that such vessels will have a third more cargo space than the larg- est wooden steamers being built for the government. That they can be operated at a cost which will make them stern rivals of their steel sis ters: and that their success will in- sure the permanency of wooden ship building plants in this state.
 SPECIAL PLANS AUTHORIZED
 Despite the policy of standardiza- tion in ship construction, MT. Schwab authorized special plans for the "Co- lumbia River type. Little change will be required in yards before construc- tion of the big cargo carriers can be
 Meanwhile in the shipyards of the state. the laundering roar of hammers and riyeters never cease. shady giants move to and fro at night in the glare of great arc lights and the race against time continues.
 While great gangs of worlmen are begun and the builders are confident that soon they will have riding the waves swift, stanch ships which can defy any gale,
 launching hulls of sSOO-ton fabricated Columbia shipbuilding plants on the stoei 4.lips at the Northwest Steel and banks of the Willamette river, often clipping 16 days from the contract time of 75 days other gangs are fash ioning monarchs of western forests into S500-ton and soon 500O-ton cargo carriers in yards dotting the William cite and Columbia rivers for more than 100 miles. The war may be more than 5000 miles away, but if Oregon shipbuilders have their way, It will soon seem but a step.