Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-06-15
WHAT SHIPS MEAN

JuSIdSuS hyCiSy S.AS hiSbSAt AAA@sS'
ian and research writer, says that
with the farmers continued and Wig
orous support of our snip program the
great new merchant fleets we are now
building will insure a permanent ac-
cess to all markets abroad and good
prices for their products.
With probable bumper crop of at
least 9OO,00000O bushels of bread
grains expected from our farms this
year, the American farmer is showing
what his contribution is TO the war for
human freedom. Upon his productive
efforts largely depends the supplying
of the allied armed forces and popu-
lations with food.
To the appeal, Food will win the
war,s The American farmer has re-
sponded with splendid results. Great
fleets Ct ships have been or arc being
created by the United States Ship
ping Board. They are being Tfoducei
at g record pace.
Far away from the seaaoaId, as
many Of orr farms are, Fey are join
/ cd with III o-nans to 9 Gcgi'a they
never wee before The shr sUnp.e-
ment the plow and the harvester. Day
and night the farmer has been think
J ING of how he could make his land
! more productive. 1t is a subject that
never leaves him. The indications
are that so well has he thought 1t out
that this years crop of winter wheat
alone will be $4,000, 900 bushels more
than last years, large as that was.
And this is only one part Of the I'M
mense crops from American farms.
We are rapidly getting together the
ships that will transport it over the
ocean to feed our troops and those
of the allies and the peoples Of the
countries banded to defeat Hun ag-
;:ression. What will further make
The Huns quake is the fact that our
millions Of farmers are as determined
10 support the program for vast fleets
Of ships as they are set upon raising
vast crops.
The United States is now the great
reservoir from which supplies must
be drawn. The enormous gain in our
exports show now other nations are
increasingly looking TO rs to sustain
them. In 1914 we exported about 81
500,000,000 worth Of products. Last
year our exports amounted 70 ST.
231, 100000, or nearly three times as
much as in 1914.
In less than years time the &C
compiishments OF the United States
Shipping Board have been on an I'M
precedented scale. Where in 1917
there were only sixty-one shipyard
plants in the United States. there are
now 15S, and more are being con-
stantly established. The United
States Shipping Board has given out
contracts for S,1S3,000 lightweight
tons of ships, and mas already put
in service 31,111 lightweight tons of
new shipping This in addition to p
O73,S26 lightweight tons Of neutral
and allied ships under charter. Ger
man and Austrian ships seized, and
Dutch ships reouisitioned Il is
launching new ships rapidly, and is
beginning to make provision for tugs
and barges for inland and coastwise
water traffic. From the small number
of 1925 men employed in American
shipyards on April l, 1917. the force
o. shipbuildorS in our yards has now
increased TO 100000
With this progress American farm.
ers can look forward to the certainty
of great merchant marine, ba!lt in
American shipvardS and carrying
their products the world over now and
after the war.
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