Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-07

~v"sf"~~0 ftv"s sHar Vur
OF II has been untrue and that all OF II
has certainly been unjust.
We must remember that they did
not enter into this work voluntarily but
at the request OF Uncle Sam and that.
great as II is, II is not impossible Of
achievement at their hands"
When the applause which greeted this
praise had died down he added that.
while old-fashioned shipbuiiders had
hitherto regarded the completion Of one
ship In two weeks, under forced condi-
tions, an achievement. the program at
Hog Island called for the completion OF
four ships in the same time.
He repeated his outline Of the four
factors which must mutually contribute
to the success OF the mammoth under
taking--the building OF an assembling
plant, the organisation OF an executive
force, the assembling Of thousands Of
workmen and the establishment of
transportation service which will insure
a steady inflow OF the needed materials.
on the last-named point he said:
"I have had news only today from the
director general Of railways that no em-
barge goes against any shipments for
the use OF the AmerEency Fleet Corpor-
alton"
Admiral Bowles announced that 50.-
900 men were already engaged IN the
governmental shipbuilding work east OF
the Mississippi and that 100000 were
employed on II throughout the country.
'Actuating these men and the general
public must be the single spirit that
Uncle Sam needs and must have these
ships" he cried. Criticism or no crit
icism. we have got to get behind these
shipbulding companies and make them
as believe we wlll n success :"
Before Admiral Bowles spoke. Mr.
Baldwin had said that the American In
ternational Shipbuilding Coropration had
been ''clamoring" for months for some
Government departmental head to come
to Philadelphia, supervise the work and
aid in co-ordinating the corporations ef-
forts with the plans of the Govern
ment In Admiral Bowles such co-opera.
ton was assured. he said.
I'VE knew perfectly well that we
would have TO spend twice as much
money az anybody ever thought we
ought to-" said Mr. Baldwin frankly
I'VE knew also that We were riskine
the reputation of three great corpora
tions. built lp by years of effort. FOR
| reward that was little at best. But
we went into this thing for one reason
| only--to serve the Government to the
bes of our ability. Nothing else mat
tered !"
1--WE were ready to lay n half-dozer
keels days ago, IL we had wanted tc
sdvirtise ourselves or to camoufage.'
said he. but 1t was not our intention
to lay a single keel until we could e.
straight ahead with all OF them. w,
have been criticized. too. for orderin,
more Of all sorts of materials than VI
| Al. -,
we can stand that. We are determine,
to have everything on hand so that tn
work can proceed without interrup
ton
Philadelphia's great duty in connec
ton with the shipbuildng program. h
said, was to see TO II that buildings t
house the workmen well were speedil
completed.
Setting the probable net fees to tn
corporation at u per cent on the none
spent, he said smilingly:
That doesn't seem to me what Nigh
be called money-grubbing or workin
In a mercenary spirit"
His audience cheered the statemen
heartily
Mr.. Baldwin asserted that ."all wage
and salaries are fixed by the Govern
ment." All materials purchased by tn
| COTDOTdIlOu VII OTutI
approved in advance as to price an
other detail by representatives of th
Emergency Fleet Corporation, a govern
mental institution.
He threw the blame for many of I'll
difficulties and all of the large cost G
the work at Hog Island directly upo
the delay lowing to conditions familia
, to all'' which occurred between Jul
when the corporation was ready to b'
gin work, and September 13. the date O
, which the Emergency Fleet Corporate
, finally instructed the corporation to pre-
ceed.
Emphazing in his Introductory r,
/ marks the point that he spoke "as a
agent and representative of the Unite
States Government engaged in suppl,
ing the national need and not as or