Evening journal., 1919-03-24
Wanf Ship Work Continued Here
CFrom the Camden Courler.)

The all-important subject OF great
I American merchant marine was the is
I hue before the monthly meelng Of the
Camden Board Of Trade yesterday, at
which a hundred or more representa-
tive manufacturers and merchants
We're present. Considering the fact
that in the failure Of the late Con
gress 10 pass the bills providing for
the completion Of the shipbuilding
program that must be done. and real 2
ing that unless immediate legislation is
made possible the country is to be
placed in a most embarrassing predlca-
ment through lack OF funds, the local
Board Of Trade was unanimously OF
the sentiment that tfrom many angles
viewed il was imperatlvely essential
that the ships already contracted for
must be completed, not only to real
ize what America should unquestion-
ably have in the way Of a merchant
marine befltting the greatness as de-
veloped since the war started. but 20
meet a very serious phase Of the re-
construction program that, through
failure Of the shipbuildlng program. is
go ng 20 result in a wholesale curtail-
ment Of labor and add TO the already
embarras 'sng problem incident 10 re-
placing in industry the thousands OF
returning soldiers. Before Congress
When the nlibustering end came was a
deficiency bin OF a hundred million
dollars to clean up the bills for what
hod already been completed in ship
building, and there was another biz for
sizOOO0,0O0 TO carry out the American
merchant marine program to the extent
cf finishing what the government is
obligated to complete Both bills. even
though not under question as 20 The
necessity of their passage. died with
The confusion Of the last hours Of the
late Congress, and now the country
faces the necessity OF having its ship
building industry haHed throwing
thousands Of men out Of employment
unless steps are taken Immediately 10
effect legislation that win make these
appropriations available.
President Hurley Of the shipping
Board, is therefore seeking The sentl-
ment Of the trade organizat' ons Of the !
county as 10 what should be done /
with the proposed American merchant /
marine, and Camden being one of The
greatest centers of The country, viii /
be one of the cities from which an eX-
preston will DE expected. Yesterdays /
rcceiing, after the facts were presented 4
decided by a unanimous vote th0t by
an means The present shipbuild'ng pro
gram should be completed, and the
board viii accordingly urge upon its
representatives, in Congress that every
legitimate means be employed inmcdh
alcly g. that eud.
ono startling fact presented was thai
which showed The afttrmath of cur
tadmtnt in shipbuldlng in ibis coun-
fry. Realizing that practically all Of
Europe is aflamc. with chaos and an
tendency, due to the unres;
that exists among the industrial work
ers. and since the continued employ
ment Of American labor, or such a
great port on Of it depends upon the
of slipbuilding, IL was
pointed out that the one way to keep
down discomfort and its consequent
evils here Was to keep labor employed.
and this means not only labor for the
actual building of ships. but in all 9th
er Industries where shipbuldlng sup
plies are manufactured. This idea car
ried with 10 also the employment OF
The Homecoming labor that has mad"
up the American army. It was point
ed out that American industry had
grcwn to such proportion now. thot a
world market was needed TO keep its
products in circulation and TO prop
erly set these products into She mar
kets OF the world it means ships and
lots Of ships TO move it, and these
4 all Ia ]
shlps, instead of the old method OF de
psndipg largely upon foreign ships
With which 20 market our products ,
Sill another reason for the merchant
marine and the completion Of the pres
snt shipbuildng program, wal to. re-
g5rdless Of the belief that future wars
viii be made impossible, yet this coun-
try ls too big to depend upon a friend
Iy nation TO transport its troops and