Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-29
HOG ISLAND

. HOU lSLAND
Tn THE whole history of industrial pro-
duction there has not been. we believe,
. hnything comparable in magnitude to the
shipbuilding program OF the United States.
In the volume Of money involved and in
. the quantity of production demanded to say
nothing of speed requirements. no under
!; taking like 1t is recorded. Moreover 1t was
undertaken at time when every other
important industry in the nation was WORK
ing overtime and every skilled mechanic
was. besieged with offers Of jobs.
General Goethals in the beginning very
properly turned to the most efficient organi-
xations existing. The National City Bank
controlled the New Yor; Shipbuilding Com
opany and had available executives skilled
in shipbuildins The National City Bank in
turn looked 10 q firm OF engineers which
had a reputation fer turning out work on
schedule time. irrespective of expense 1t
Z was the middle OF July when this news'
!, paper published the first news OF the pro-
posed plant and II was the expectation OF
all the principals involved to have work
begun certainly not later than August /.
the splendid weather of summer and fail
being taken advantage Of to rush compile
ton OF the plant.
But because General Goethals had sacri'
Lnced many things to speed, taking the
x,evv that the first requisite was to get
started, Mr. Denman and his associates
refused to act, demanding all sorts Oh
papers and estimates. as If it were more
important to avoid waste than 1t was TO
build ships. The golden weeks OF the year
passed. The conjectural saving OF rev
. millions was permitted to delay for weeks
and months an achievement OF such i'm
perative Importance that no man can even
guess what the ultimate loss will be. but
IL is certain to be measured not only IN
po,llious OF money but also in thousands
Of lives.
There were engineers who declared that
II vtoula be impossible to spend in so short
q time the millions involved in the Hog
Island enterprise without stupendous waste.
IL Il were possible TO do it at all. An or
xanization of that size might easily require
nve years to be shaken down" and still
fai, to function properly. The executives
IN charge. therefore. anticipated waste and
made provision for it. Up to a month ago
the situation was extremely confused. In
the last few weeks gratifying progress has
been made both in organization and eff.
cheney. The cogs have begun to At, although
the extreme harshness Of the season has
interfered greatly with operations in the
Delaware.
We know little Of the merits Of the con.
troversy between Senator Ware and Rep.
resentative Edmonds, but we do know that
tif the housing program Of the Government
Is interfered with as was the Hog Island
plant II will be nothing less than a national
calamity. Have done with politics! The
proposition is an industrial one and Of such
supreme Importance that proper emphasis
(of the fact cannot be put into words. We
can afford to quit pickering with one
another. Rear Admiral Bowies is sent here
TO hustle things up. We presume that he
intends to do so. We expect to see him
forget all about Senators and Representa-
y,tives and concern himself solely with re-
suits. He must be helped to the limit of
our resources by every commercial body
,n the city and by the municipal authorities.
What matter If II does cost the city
million or SO dollars? AZ much has been
freely given by subscription for less vital
causes. The pride Of the community is
involved In getting thUse ships into the
water in hurry and we must make good.
But we are not going to get the ships
unless we get tho houses. There is too
~uiuch talk and too little performance Let
the orators illuminate until their tongues
srs dry II they want to. but let's build the
: houses and ships in the meantime.
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