American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-03-15

British and Italian shipping we're sent
10 the bottom, TO say nothing Of
French ships. and other allied ships.
and the neutral ships Of Norway Hol-
land. Sweden and Spain. All told, II
is fair to estimate that during this one
week in February the submarines ac-
counted for about 100000 gross tons.
Now compare this record Of a single
weeks slnkings with another figure.
The figure Of which we are about TO
speak Is not cryptic; II is not a guess
or an estimate. Il Is a figure OF exact
and official record, although not, 30
far, given to the public. IL Is the
most ominous fact that has como TO
our attention In connection with the
whole shipping situation. IL is this:
During an entire month, the latest
month for which the returns are In
during the month OF January. this
year, the aggregate Of all the ships
turned out by all the yards In the
United States was only 1880 dead
weight tons. or about 81 1000 gross
tons. To the reader who knows moth
ing OF shipping, this figure. standing
alone. Will mean little. But he will
understand II we point out that right
now, during these early days OF 1918
the United States built In a month on
ly about one-third as many ships as
the submarines sunk In a week. And
the United States Is relied upon by the
allies to furnish the bulk Of the ship
ping for all the allies during the re.
mainder OF the war. Actually u pro-
duction for January represented, moi
an increase. but a decrease. We nave
not remedied the situation, nor i'm.
proved IL.
II is true that an estimate OF ulti.
mate production cannot be based upOr
these figures, for the ways are hardly
completed In many yards. Yet the
simplest process Of arithmetic show
that " the production OF sinkings n
the week ending February 10 is con
tinued, the total for the year viii
amount 10 approximately 1000, 90
tons. Mr.. Hurley, the very able chair
man OF the shipping board, has sat
that "our program for the year 1911
rs 5000. 900 tons But this Is a pro
gram not an estimate. a hope rathe
than an expectation. Mr.. Hurle
knows that the production will b
much under 5000, 900 tons. AZ tn
present prospective rate OF produC
tlon the amount OF new tonnage creaI
cd Will be in the neighborhood OF 3
900 600 tons.
That is the diagnosis. The case
Il desperate. Is there a remedy In a
! tempting 10 find one we must look II
r. to the causes OF the breakdown. On
OF them was unavoidable by huma
agency. II the kaiser had willed q
/. winter weather which has gripped u
northern part Of this cotinent for fol-
e months. clogging transportation. free
Z ing waterways, and slowing down
Dor. he could not have done better I
his own side than the elements ha'
done. The hun has had all the luI
OF Il. But human agencies were al
II at work. The extraordinary irruptiI
m OF Bolshevism in Washington la
I'd summer delayed the effective work
~ this and every other part of the wa
making machinery Of government
m precious months. There has be
re more than a little lax and amate
he management OF the s%hipyards. a
TO possibly some attempts at %prohteeriI
Strikes have been called by leader
who ought to be In the hands OF /
I'd department OF justice for calling the
There has been a bewildered lack
at cooperation between the heads OF
D. partments at Washington. We m
~ hope. II not expect. that these con
al tons Will be altered. They cam
nix go on in the presence OF SO great
.al danger. They must not go on.
OF There Is reason to believe that