The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1918-07-04
CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE
DAY BY LAUNCHING SHIPS


United States celebrates Independ-
ence Day tomorrow by launching, be-
tween sunrise and sunset, more ships
than Germany's submarines can de-
stroy in a month at their present rate
of underseas piracy.
One hundred ships-perhaps more
Approximately half a million tons
of dead weight tonnage are expected
to slip from their ways.
Without holding back single ship
in order to swell the number for In
dependence Day Launching, the ship
workers by Drawn and sacrifice have
made ready at least 95 ships, and it
is said to be not improbable that the
number will be one hundred. These
ships, when completed at the same
BILE their launching today will take
their places in the bridge of ships to
France" which will maintain the arm
les fighting to defeat Germany.
Today's achievement which proba-
bly, will be accounted among the SAT-
est and sanest Fourth of July cele-
brations in the country's history has
been made possible only by the 10y
atty and devotion of the shipyard
workers themselves working under
the organization of Chairman Hurley
of the Shipping Board and Charles NJ
Schwab, the new director general of
the Emergency Fleet Corporation.
The request of Chairman Hurley
and Mr. Schwab that the day be eel
ebrated by launching the greatest
in one day, specified distinctly that
the war program was so pressing
that it would not be permissible to
delay launching which could be made
earlier. Any ships put into the wa
ter must be the result of extra exer-
ton to get them ready ahead of sche-
duled time.
The response of the workmen, the
men who actually are building the
merchant marine, needs no comment
other than the lists of vessels to be
added today to the worlds marine
population. Sacrificing their regular
Saturday half holiday, accepting only
straight pay instead of time and a
half for that work, cheerfully work
ing overtime, the men specded up pro-
duction in a great drive for tonnage
which has been so successful that the
launchings today exceed by 42,050
deadweight tons the entire output in
1901, the best pre-war year an Amer
lean shipbuilding.
If an official communique were is
sued on the result of the days op-
erations, it might read thus:
"Our shipbuilders attacked the u
boat campaign today everywhere in
America, achieving their detectives
early in the assault and pushing be-
yond. The result nullifes in one day
all that the German underwater navy
takes more than one month to ac-
accomplish All our units behaved
magnifcently and it is expected that
distinguished service medals will be
awarded soon to some individuals by
the Shipping Board"
Beginning in the east, because of
differences in time, the launchings
will continue Throughout the day un-
til the last hull has been lloated on
the waters of the Pacific At least 95
ships are expected to be launched
with deadweight tonnage of 40, ,5SG.
Work was continued until the last
minute in hope Of launching other
ships also. Launchings planned for
Atlantic and Gulf yards number SO,
including 81 wooden vessels of 95,7OO
tons, and / steel ships of 76,486 tons
The Great Lakes yards will launch
ii steel ships of 47,700 tons. Main
tanning its record, the Pacific coast
will lead the rest Of the country with
&c wooden and II steel launchings,
totalling 250,7O0 tons.
The Bethlehem Union Plant in San
Francisco will have the honor of
launching three ships with a capacity
of 35 400 tons. The Moore Ship
building Company at Oakland, Cal,
also will have triple launching, the
tonnage being 28,2O0. Triplets also
will be born in the Ecorse, Mich, yard
of the great Lakes Shipbulding
Company, the tonnage being 5000.