American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-01-08

ers.
Philip S. Bates, a representative of
the Portland Chamber of Commerce.
and indirectly of the Pacific coast
shipbuilders was in American Falls
Monday seeking to create sentiment in
favor of building a greater number
of wooden ships than has been plan
ned. All the people of the north
west. and especially the producers of
foOdstuffs should get behind the wood
en- ship campaign, in the opinion OF
Mr.. Bates, because it will give them
permanently lower freight rates The
rate by rail to Portland from here
plus the water rate to Atlantic coast
points, he says is less than the all
rail rate. Another advantage, he as
serts. is a relieving of the freight con-
gestiOn that now exists and will con-
tinue to exist, and at the same time
provide ships TO help win the war.
Regarding the ship building program
he said:
Oregon could build twice as many
wood ships as she now has under con-
tract from the federal government and
other interests. The federal govern
ment has placed about $4,000 600
worth of contracts for wood ships in
the state. and the French government
about S13,000.000 worth The ship
ping board is now letting contracts for
more wooden ships but not nearly as
fast as the raw material and labor con-
ditions would warrant there being
built in our state
we have criticized the shipping
board repeatedly for not permitting a
more rapid and determined develop
ment of the wood shipbuilding indus
try. When the shipbuilding program
was first undertaken by the govern
ment there was a prospect of building
at least a thousand wooden ships on
the theory that there was not enough
steel to build all vessels required and
that every other resource available
should be utilized.
In the controversy that developed
between General Goethals and then
- Chairman Denman of the shipping
P board. the wood ship cause suffered
e 1t appeared for while that practical
ly none would be built. At last Cen
2 eral Goethals reached the conclusion
p that there should be many contracts
r. placed. He placed the orders in the
r state which I have mentioned.
e Following General Goethal's ad-
J. ministratiOn, Admiral Capps became
e manager of the emergency fleet cor
poration. He ruled against the wood
i ship entirely. No further contracts
e were placed and the threat was made
!: that all operations in this line would
is be cut off Protests of a most vigor-
IS Gus nature we're made from our terri
y tory and our delegation was called
"a upon TO insist upon the right of build
n ing ships when every wood ship that
m could be constructed was in such ter
rifle demand. Gradually this argu-
h ment is winning. but it has been a
h slow development
At We have now under contract in the
)t state about $4,000 tons d. W. of wood
y en- ships. We asked for more ships.
ID which were denied us. We had COM
panies ready to do the work The old
Te shipping board allotted a larger num-
n Der than was given TO the Pacific
le northwest to the southern and Allan
e. tic states to be built of yellow pine.
te The yellow pine manufacturers could
OF not furnish the material. Now the
IN government is calling upon the Pacific
northwest to ship 4O000,000 feet OF its
long material across the continent at
a time when the railways are fearful
VI ly congested TO finish contracts let on
the other side of the continent which
n should have been placed here. This
ed of course is a mistake. but the lumber
N will be furnished TO finish the ships
n authorized there
O. ITO prevent a duplication of such
of mistakes and losses to the country as
d. this. our state is going to insist witt
ch all the power it possesses upon the
.F F1an dor
he ships that may be constructed within
is its limits In this we believe that the
" entire Pacific coast should join as q
n unit There is no reason why the
es work should not be done on the Paci
nix nc coast increasing our payroll wesi
er of the Rockies. giving us more funds
de whereby We can meet the nationa
re contribution calls. and more econo-
he mically doing the work which the gov
lg. ernment wants done.
as The price paid by the government
of for the standard wood ship it is hav
SIS ing built is about 100000. Some o
"a the labor leaders of our community
ID are circulating the report that there i:
IN. an enormous profteering in thes,
he prices. One labor leader. addressing
I'm a farmers union meeting at Pendleton
zee Oregon. recently stated that the cos
he Of these ships was but $780, zoe, th'
en- remainder profit for the builders. Thii
is a serious error and should be cor
rected. Several of the companies en-
ed gagged in the work are fighting des
perately to make any profit whateve
ad in their contracts. In view of th'
no wages demanded now by labor in tn
re hour Of the governments crisis. TIL
n conditions imposed by the govern
ment in building. it is a difficult thin
for the ablest of the construction com
eu panies to make an appreciable prof
d on a government wood shipbuildini
contract"
III Mr.. Bates left for POcatello Monda
,, morning. but may return later to dis
IL cuss the ship building matter furthe