The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-02-05

And because of their miraculou
achievements under these conditions
instructed by the government to rust
construction for speed rather thai
for economy, counting that every da.
might mean more for civilization thai
many millions Of dollars. the origi
majors and the builders OF this plan
deserve the unstinted praise of every
man and woman in America who j:
now able to rejoice that Germany die
not win.
The German propaganda could cen
| ter its activities on this plant be
1 cause If it could discredit that vas
enterprise and the character Of the
men back Of it, 1t could discredi1
everything that might be done. II
could not attack every shipyard, but
it could attack vigorously and Wiley
as it did this one outstanding plant
so far surprising in ma gnitude as II
did any other shipbuilding under
taking which the world had ever
dreamed of. Every man who attacks
the Hog Island plant, however limo
Gently he may do SO. is doing work
at which Germany and its ally, hell.
rejoice.
We are glad that Mr. knight has
emphasized the psychological effect
Of this plant. We believe that point
has never before been made. The
psychological power of the Hog Island
shipyard was a tremendous influence
in offsetting the propaganda work of
Germany as 1t sought to destroy the
morale of the American people.
In second letter from Mr.. knight,
referring to the Hog Island shipyard,
he presents the matter in the follow
ing extremely intelligent way:
THE Manufacturers Record has
done more to set forth the superior
advantages OF the south and to aid
the people there along constructive
lines than any periodical in this coun-
try, and the view of the Hog Island
situation taken by the Manufacturers
Record in its issue of January 2 was
just what might have been expected
of gentlemen as broad and fair-mind-
ed as the men who map out the pol
icy of your paper.
The Hog Island situation is really
comical. A year ago in November,
when l was in Washington, it was
the consensus of opinion there that
it would take Ave years and 100000
men to win the war, and preparations
were made accordingly. 1t was the
very holiness and daring with which
the administration carried on the
war, the utter disregard of cost. the
recklessness of expenditure
of money, that brought this war to
a termination within one year from
that time, instead of its continuing
FIVE years, as 1t would have done If
a different policy had been pursued.
and at an expense of billions more
Of money and of countless lives, SO
that the manner and method in which
our war was carried on was, after
all, economical-economic in money,
economical in men.
ITO undertake to investigate the
Hog Island situation from CONNER
cial standpoint is, of course. pure
Our government appropri-
ated from April, 1917, up to the sign
ing of the armistice, for war pur-
poses, $55.000,000,0 900, and this was
he accumulation of indebtedness of I
l century for constructive purposes, /
whereas it has been estimated that !
he nations at war, for destructive
purposes, in period of little more
han a year spent anywhere from !
$50, 000, 900 900 to $4,000, 0O0, 900. |
lOS lsIduu COSt approximately 2Of,-
100000. 1t could not be duplicated I
,oday for what 1t has cost. 1t was
he greatest national achievement OF .
,ur nation in its war work, and It is
here to show for itself The ocean
criminals alone are of such value
hat if the government wants to
abandon the shipyard it may prob
IDLY in the future be able to sell the !.
ocean terminals alone for all that the
entire yard cost. So, from CONNER
.ial standpoint alone, there is moth
ng lost there. When you conceive
he immense amount of money spent
" our government for war purposes,
III of which is waste. and that the
me exception to the entire program !.
S Hog Island, and yet that this propo-
ition here should be investigated
long commercial lines to ascertain
whether there was waste Of public
unds, it is to my mind ridiculous in
he extreme, but I have confidence
nough In the sober, common sense
# the American people to believe
hat in time they will so see it them
elves"