The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-13
WONDERFUL WORK
 IN SHIPBUILDING
By HOLLAND

ASoW 1ork, August 12-(Special. )--No doubt prevails in the financial district respecting the ability of the United State | speedily to enroll an army of five million
 men and to transport as many of them as are needed in France by the early spring or next year. The attitude of the government toward the creation of large army and the almost inconceivably great achievement of the American ship builders. an achievement which will Ge continued until the war ends, are re-
 garded as indicating not only to our allies but to Germany that the United States is in this war until through vic-
 tory the kind of peace which will be per manent can be secured. There are no pacifists so far as any. body can learn in the financial district. and nowhere is there more eagerness or
 Willingness displayed to aid the govern ment in every possible way to the end
 that peace may be brought about through victory, than is the case now in the finan cial district
 Leaders there are speaking with enthu slasm and with some amazement of rhe Iact that within a single year the United states has become the greatest shipbuild- ing nation in the world. The men of finance have achieved greatly but thav have done so because of the fine organi. zatlon of the federal reserve board. ana the cooperation of the excellently trained bankers throughout the United States. But these things which the shipbuilders have accomplished represent chiefly tn. work of new men. In April of last year
 there were in the United tSates only 37 steel shipyards The. number is now do,:- ble that figure and even the old wards nave been so enlarged that the former capacity of 162 ways has been increased to nearly 2o0 ways.
 when we went into the war there were
 in the United States only 24 shipyards in which wooden vessels were con. structed. Today there are 80 yards ct this kind and the number is to be in. creased
 pr. Charles A. Eaton. who few days ago returned from an official visit to all of the shpyards on the Pacific coast, said this morning just before departing Tor a visit to shipyards upon the Atlanri.. coast that never was there more accu rate statement made than that one which Was made recently by Chairman Hurley or the shipping board, under whom I0r
 Eaton is serving in the emergency flee. corporation department. MT. Hurley said that at least 40 years passed before Ger
 many built up her military machine, whereas in less than eight months the
 United States has built up shipbuflding machine which when it gets into ful. swing will contribute greatly toward the defeat of Germany.
 EIGHTY PER CENT NEW MEN E A year ago when the government began to call for aid in shipbuilding construc- llOn much the lar mn ,cr rf Who responded to that appeal were un. iamlllar with this work. Dr. Eaton says II IS one of the maryels of this day of great achievements by the United States that within q few weeks or few months at the utmost these ship workers have become skilled artisans If it were not so we could not have made record in a single year which establishes the united States as the greatest shfpbuild- lns nation in the world Furthermore, pr. Eaton says that 1t must be borne Tn mlnd that we have recruited an army or skilled artisans now working in the shipyards and in those industrial plants winch are building boilers, machinery ana equipment for the ships which today IS fully equal to the entire number ot american troops now Tn France. It is months there will be employed in this American shipbuilding industry consid. eraply more than 100000 men.
 Ioday Dr. Eaton says there are nearly lo shipbuilGlng plants in the United states not all completed but 11S are com i, plete These are wonders which the ship builders under the leadership of Charles NJ. SchNab and Chairman Hurley are ac- complish'ns. For instance. at the fabri- catlng yards at Hog Island. Bristol, Will ! mington, N. C., and Newark Bay, N. J., there will bt within short time fully completed 95 yards, and then before the rrost comes probably these four yards VIII build in a single year more ships than England has ever been able to build in single year.
 The goverrmentsis co operating in every possible way. It has authorized the con struction of new ship ways at the Ala meda plant upon the Pacific coast, winch IS subsidiary of Charles M. Schwabs Bethlehem Steel corporation, which wilt cost S2O oo5 It has authorized the cx I penditure of $3,0O0.000 at Sparrow Point, Marylani. And at Camden. N. J., five l additional ways ave being constructed at cost of not less than $7.oo0.0oo
 There is nc longer any doubt about the l apliity of the United States to supple ment the work of cerating an army ot o'coo,ooo men by providing ships with which to transport these men across the | ocean, to carry the abundant supplies | We can furnish and have enough ships | leit to make it possible to bring to France, England and Italy great stores | or wheat which in Argentina and m Australia are awaiting only adequate I shipping in order to supply wheat to OUT | allies across the seas