The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-07-06
Schwab Tells Ship Workers
That Each One Is a FIGHTER

men and the guns and the airship.
over. More and more men must &C
over, and more guns and rifles ant
motor trucks-rails, clothing, ant
horses-but the whole job depend,
upon you, | for one. have every
confidence that you will do the jol
and do it right.
Now you wonder naturally how
your work has counted. Let me
tell you. In 1915 all the ship
yards in America turned out 2l5,-
oO2 deadweight tons Of shipping
The next year our output jumped
to 520SH tons. In 1917 the hot
race continued until We very near
ly doubled the output of the pre-
vious year, completing a total OF
90l ,223. We thought we were build
ing ships, with almost a million
deadweight tons of finished vessels,
but | am confident now that if we
pull together and every man stays
on the job we will produce more
than 100000 deadweight tons in
l9lS-the greatest output of any
nation in the world in a single
year.
Il think that we can point with
some pride to May of this year,
when we not merely launched, but
completed 263,0O0 tons of shipping
more than was turned out in the
entire year of 1915. Five years ago,
ii you had been told that this coun-
try would produce 2o3,00O tons OF
shipping in single north, You
would not believed it, but that is
mere beginning of the task that
lies before you men in the ship
yards.
Need Friendly Rivalry.
There is one thing thar we need
if we hope to reach our maximum
capacity OF production and that is a
friendly rivalry between the yards.
| have tried to encourage that be-
cause | know that competition is
dear to American hearts and | know
that you will respond to a chal-
lenge. Now we are going to recog-
nize shipyard that surpasses all
others in actual production each
month. a blue flag which this
yard will be authorized TO fly on
its flagstaff will be a mark of ma
tional recognition. 1t will be in
the shipbuilding field what an
award for distinguished service is
on battlefield. Red and white
flags will be presented for second
and third place. Any yard which
holds first place for three consecu-
i've months will have signal hon
ors, for it will be authorized to fly
his championship blue pennant
permanently from its flagstaff.
Now there are many men in the
'hipyards who feel a sense of en-
)arrassment because, with their
country at war and liberty in dan
ger, they are not in the uniform
If the army or the navy. / want
o say that these men, if they are
hipbuilders, and belong in the
ards, are entitled to just as much
ecognition and just as much hon
n as the brave boys on the sea
II in the trenches. And it is 10
i've you shipyard workers such
ecognition that the government has
etermined upon the awarding of
eryice badges to the men who give
our months service to the govern
lent in the shipyards at building
hips, and bars for additional
myth OF service. With these serv-
e badges you can walk through
he crowds. meet the boys of the
avy and the army and hold your
cad high. To sacrifice ones life
1r ones country is. of course, the
lpreme sacrifice, but in this war
lie highest duty is to serve where
our government tells you to serve.
Medals for Jealous Workers.
1--WE are going to give special
old and silver medals for unusual
ervice in the shipyards We feel
lat there should be some way OF
the man who does a
reat thing for his country in war
me. Great things are being done
'day in the shipyards. Every one {
YOU has a chance to win honon |
this great fight in the American !
lipyards against the submarines |
battle of construction against de- :
ruction. /
There is nothing that l will not ?
crifice to help in winning this war r
i'd | know that there is nothing B
u will not sacrifice. Put punch Il
your work and well put over the Z
ogram. If you stand up to your 7
b, well make the kaiser take his il
edicine lying down"
/