New-York tribune., 1918-11-16
Shipyards Need
Recruits in Ranks
OF Skilled Workers
Shipping Men Foresee
Great Expansion of
the Industry

American shipyards will not only
enter the reconstruction period with
out laying of great numbers Of work.
ers. but they will actually augment
their crews of skilled laborers prob
ably by at least one-third, according
to the belief OF representative ship
ping men who were asked yesterday
to comment on the signihcancc Of the
statement Of Edward n. Hurley, chair
man of thc Shipping Board, that a
serious shortage Of bottoms confronted
the world. The shipyards arc look ed
upon as outlets for legions Of efficient
workers Who may be discharged from
the inunition ana other strictly war
plants
At the plant Of Che Staten Island
Steamship Company an executive said
that that company could well use one
talrd more skilled workers. particularly
ION filters. than it now employs. Rep
resentatiVes Of other plants thought an
increase Of one-third would be AN eX-
tremelN conservative attempt TO meet
ters 1t was said that the skilled per
sonncl could we'll be doubled, if the
promises Of the Shipping Board arc to
be carried into execution.
Henry X. Carse, president of the
Submarine Boat Corporation. told The
Tribune that he believed there would
be an enormous demand for American
shipping facilities for at least fvc
years after the war. He also expressed
the opinion that the Shipping Board
should continue its control OF the build
ing and allocating Of tonnage fully to
ADJUST itself to a peace basis.
In indorsing Mr.. Hurley's statement
that there is not enough tonnage in
RI J., 81
turning American soldiers to this
country and to make the heavy ship
ment of building materials that will
be needed abroad for physical recon
struction and at the same time to meet
fully and Immediately the shipping
needs Of ordinary commerce, Mr.. Carse
said that he thought the changing
labor situation which peace would
bring would release many trained
workers to overcome the labor short
age in the shipyards. He said that
most Of the yards had to contend dur
ing the emergency with many workers
who were only GO DER cent efficient.
ut is our intentte,s." said Mr.. Carse.
"to add to our working forces rather
than deplete them. We expect to be
busy for at least five years after the
war in building cargo vessels to meet
the expected increased demand for
world shipping, which has been greatly
reduced by the submarine sinkngs, and
We expect. besides, that many ships
still operating will have to be replaced
because Of the wear and tear Oil them
caused by usage for war purposes"
The Submarine Boat Corporation, ac-
cording TO its president. has on its
books approximately $200,000.00O Of
government orders, Of which $l45, 5,000.-
900 are for cargo ships, and less than
$60,000,000 for undersca craft None
of these contracts has yet been can
celled. 1t is expected that even greater
orders for commercial vessels will be
augmented rather than reduced.
P. A. S. Franklin. member Of the
Shipping Board and president Of the
International Mercantile Marine Com
pany. said that the post bellum labor
situation ought to be substantially
eased by the transfer Of workers from
, war plants to shipyards