The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1918-03-22
SHIP SITUATION IS
NOT DwISCOURAGING
But II win Be Fifteen Months
Before Production VIII
Equal Loss.
GREATER WAR ON U-BOATS
Well Into 1919 Before the Creation Of
Merchant Shipping Equals
Destruction.

Washington, March 20.-"Here is
the situation. Germany knows it and
we may as we'll understand it. II we
produce as we have planned. il the
submarine destruction continues It's
present rate, IL there is neither In
creased nor decreased submarine ef.
f~ectiyeness, then it win be fifteen
months-well into 1919-before the
creation Of merchant shipping equals
destruction
The above represent the conelu
sions Senator Harding has drawn
from the weeks and weeks OF lnvesti
cation the commerce committee OF
the Senate has made into the ship
ping problem. As author Of the reso.
luton calling for the shipping probe
to get more energy into the program
and find out the exact status Of the
world shipping situation, the senator
has sal through the days of testimony
when everyone connected directly or
indirectly with the shipping problem.
from Chairman Hurley down, have
been quizzed. He has also visited
some OF the larger eastern s~hipyards
to get a personal view of the stu
alton.
Situation Not D%iseouraalns.
In spite of the astounding conclu
sion drawn from the situation, we
must not be discouraged over the
situation. In spite of the blunders
and delays, the American shipbuild.
ing program is developing as encour.
agingly as could be expected. consid
erlng 1t had practically to be started
from the ground up as the navy was
using most OF the established ship.
yards. Ii is estimated from all the
testimony that has been produced be.
fore the committee, this years pro.
duction will be approximately 3 mil.
lion tons. possibly a little more. IN.
stead of the.6 million tons that was
so glibly talked about last summer
and even last winter. At that, he
thinks the United States will have
wrought wonders in spite Of disap
~pointments.' With n ship q day
being launched now and two a day
to take the water from June on, It Is
believed the situation will get con.
tinuously better as far as new con.
struotion is concerned. Only the stu.
alton demands the United State
should always put first stress on
ships, even above building the army
that the figures on new construction
may be increased above the 4 million
mark for the year.
Hope In War Against U.soats.
In estimating IL will be fifteen
months before new construction will
equal the present rate OF sinkings,
Senator Harding frankly states be
does not take into account the posi-
bility OF the navy, by its increased
number Of destroyers and new meth.
DDS Of fighting the submarine, de
creasing the effectiveness OF the L..
boats. That is the n big hope Of
the situation, II the sinkings were
cut down materially the new line Of
construction would rise much more
rapidly and could pass the sinking.
months and months sooner. But while
that is the hope. it is something thai
can't be promised and more shiI
building is the only answer. The es
innate is based on the situation as i
Is to date.
The committee. as q result OF It.
hearings. has approved a plan for tive
more fabricated ship yards. zach Il
have ten ways so ten large steel ship.
can be built at one time. To settle
the mooted question OF whether gov
eminent construction under direc.
government supervision, or letting o
contracts to private concerns on /,
cost rms basis is the cheapest ant
quickest in getting results, one Of n,
new fabricating ship yards will b'
operated by the navy direct; the 9th
err by private contract. The two new
ship yards will be begun shortly.