The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-03
QUICK TRAINING
 OF SHIPBUILDERS
By HOLLAND

By HOLLAND
 New York. August 2.-(SpeciaL)- )--Of the 100000 men who are now employed in the shiDyards of the United States, ap- proximateyl 50 per cent a year ago knew nothing about shipbuilding. This state- ment was made this morning by the Rev pr. Charles A. Eaton, who re- turned a few days ago from tour which included all the shipbuilding plants on the Pacific coast Dr. Eaton. who is serving the government in the emer- gency fleet corporation, has had oppor- tunity since early spring to visit all the shpyards and shipways of the United States, He made inquiries for the pur- pose Of getting information respecting the number of men employed in the ship yards and the statement that 100000 are now at work in the various shipbuilding plants of the United States is based upon the information Dr. Eaton received at all of the plants. So also he was able to estimate that of this entire number not more than 20 per cent were familiar with shipbuilding year ago.
 In view of the unexampled achieve ments of the American shipbuilders since April of last year pr. Eaton regards the highly skilled labor which is now employed in the shipyards and which is produced by 100000 men, almost all of whom little over I year ago knew noth- ing of shipbuilding, as one of the finest demonstrations of American efficiency and the adaptability of labor to adjust itself to any emergency, no matter how great
 In addition to the shipyards there are now approximately 20o0 industrial plants in the United States employing about a million men who are occupied with man. ufacturing boilers, machinery and other apparatus with which to install the ships after they are launched. Many of these men, who are now skilled artisans, were a year or more ago occupied With other vacations Of course, bollermakers and the manufacturers of engines were skilled experts when they were called into the employ of the industrial plants, and yet probably more than half these indus trial employees were, when the United States entered into the war, unfamiliar which they are now employed in building machinery and other apparatus which are to be installed in vessels.
 A GREAT AUDIENCE When Dr. Eaton completed his tour upon the Pacific coast he estimated that he had acdre ssed 1851 shipworkers AL most all of these addresses were made at the noon hour. The artisans gath | cred in some convenient place nearby or | in the yards and listened with enthusi~ asm to the appeals of Dr. Eaton made l to them WiJh intent to spur them to even greater energy and activity, If that were possible, than now characterizes I their work He made 1t clear to them | that ships are as necessary to winning l the war as are soldiers, and brouGh. home to them the fact that every man in the shiI yards, whether riveter or what not is doing in his way quite as
 much to bring victory as are the soldiers at the front.
 pr. Eaton speaks with qualification of the enthusiasm shown by the shipWork- CTS. There are now, Dr. Eaton says, in the service of the emergency fleet cor poration some 300 men who are occupied in visiting the various shipbuilding and industrial plants and addressing the ar tisans at tho noon hour. +~All of these speakers report that the enthusiasm and zeal of the men are all that could be desired.