South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-06-11

the greatest merchant fleet ever as
sembled in the history Of the world
IA feet which l. predict will serve
all humanity Loyalty and unselhsh-
~ upon the same principles OF lib
erty and justice which brought
about the Establishment OF this free
republic The expenditure Of the
enormous sum will give America q
merchant fleet aggregating 10000
I O0O tons OF shipping
Credit TO Workmen.
American workmen have made
+ the expansion Of recent months pos
sible and they viii make possible
I the successful conclusion OF the
whole program. on July J. 1917,
there were in the United States not
quite 5000 men engaged in the
shipbUilding yards. Today we have
force OF 5000 men in the yards.
and 100000 men engaged in allied
trades This force WI be continu-
ously increased. From all present
expectations il is likely that by
1920 we shall have close TO a mill
lion men working on American
merchant ships and their equip
ment
The most liberal estimate Of this
years output OF shipping from all
countries. except America does not
exceed 100000 tons. One OF the
blest shipbuuilders in the United
/ States. Homer Ferguson OF New
port News. predicted before the
! senate committee in January that
| our tonnage for this year would be
1000. 600 tons in the United States
alone. Mr.. Powell. vice president Of
| company, agreed with Nv. Fergu-
son. Mr. Schwab. the director
| general Of the emergency feet cor
poratlon. has told me that ne is
going 10 prove that both OF these
good friends of his are somewhat
| conservative. He believes that the
expert prediction Z. 5000. 600 tons
can he exceeded, ;nd agree with
him.
Breaking All Records.
In 1919 the average tonnage OF
steel wood and concrete ships con-
tinually building on each way
should he about 5000 tons. If
we are using Isl OF our SIG ways on
cargo ships, and can average three
ships year per way. we should
/ turn out in one wear 1881 900 tons.
which is more than has been turn
/ ed ouc by Great Britain in any Eve
years Of her history.
The United States shipping
/ board is not only the greatest ship
I builder in the world. but is the
I greatest ship operator. In perfect
/ ing our organiza ton we not only
perfected that part OF il which is
/ building the ships hut We have also
another part which Onarates the
ships. The operating side is call
ed the Division of Operations; -
| under the management Of Edward
I +. Garry. director OF operations. its
\ function Is TO see that all the ships
/ IN the service are we'll manned and
that rates are properly adjusted.
\ The great shortage in the world
/ tonnage and other courses brought
/ q bout extremely high ocean rates.
These high ocean rates have been
\ felt in the rising prices of all sea-
borne commodities. one Of the most
important phases of the work OF the
division OF operation has been 70
/ lower ocean rates as much as has
\ been possible. One result OF this
reduction has been TO make it pos
sible for our allies TO receive their
/ necessary. supplies and munitions at
much less cost
Impressive Gross Total.
The total gross revenue Of our
fleet L. very impressive From the
ships under the control of the ship
ping board a total gross revenue is
derived OF about S36O.OOO. 900 an
amount more than the gross rev.
enue OF the New York Central rail-
road and almost equal to that OF
the Atchison. Topeka and Sante Re
I railroad and the y. Y. q. r. X. COM
bined
The shipping control committee
/ composed OF F. A. : franklin.
chairman: r. H. Raymond and Sir
Connop Guthrie. X. r. r.. was APP
pointed in the early part Of Feb
ruary. 1918. Jointly by the score
tary Of war and the United States
shipping board. The appointment
was the outgrowth OF several
months experiment. and which had
clearly demonstrated the necessity
OF having the entire merchant fleet
operated under n single head with
the one object OF winning the war
Since its appointment the COM
mittee has directed the movement
OF all supplies destined for the
troops overseas which, considering
the vastly increased army now in
France. is a very great accomplish
ment.
Board acquisitions Vessels.
The committee has also oper-
ated vessels under requisition or the
board and has chartered neutral
shipping 20 carry essential raw ma
teriais 70 manufa cturers in the
United States and the various com
modities needed here and abroad
"Nitrates have been brought from
Chile. manganese from Brazil. chrome
from New Caledonia, hides and WOO
from the Argentine. sugar from tho
West Indies and Porto Rico. and
NariOuS Other essentials from 1l