The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-14
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC }. HAsKIN. DireceOr.
Washington. d. Q.


ing the five years just passed the
United States did the biggest job of
shipbuilding in the history of the
world. The exact period of this ac-
complishment ranges from May "a,
1917. to May 9, 1922. On the former
date the wood cargo carrier called the
North Bend in honor of the Oregon
city, where she was constructed, was
turned over to the government as the
first vessel produced under the emer-
gency war program. On the latter
date. the cargo and passenger steamer
western World, which is to be OPP
Grated in the South American trade,
was delivered to the Emergency Fleet
Corporation at Sparrows Point, Mary
land.
In all asia vessels of various types.
with a gross dead weight tonnage OF
13,636,711 were constructed in estab-
fishing this record in shiDbuilding.
270 bottoms of is, 407,2 76 tons, but
the Armistice came in time to elimi-
nate 95S ships, work on which had not
been started. or had not progressed
sufficiently far to make their compile
ton advisable.
Just how much all this cost the peo-
pie of the United States has not been
computed and authoritatively an
nounced as yet. Probably it will not
be known for many years, for claims
and adjustments are pending that may
still be unsettled when the original
claimants have long since been gath
cred to their fathers 1t was one of
the big items in Uncle Sans war bill.
What it lacked in economy it made
up in size. 1t was one of the most
gigantic accomplishments in maritime
history
While there was waste and ex-
travagance, and possibly some graft,
the we'll informed say that it made
possible the winning of the war, and
hence was worth all that it cost
Stretched stem to stern in a straight
line these 2.313 vessels would extend
distance of 15S miles, and IL they
were steaming a mile and a quarter
apart they would make what might be
hkened to great pontoon bridge
reaching from New York to Southamp
ton, England. Their total capacity
equals that Of 1856 freight cars of
thirty-five tons each. They include
the various types of requisitioned and
contract steel cargo carriers. tankers,
refriSerators, transport, collier and
combined passenger and cargo car
riers; contract wood vessels of various
kinds and sailings ships; contract
composite cargo carriers. contract con-
crete cargo carriers and tankers; steel
and wood ocean-going tugs and steel
and wood harbOr tugs
Atlantic Coast Leads.
Shipyards on the Atlantic coast
earned the distinction of turning out
both the greatest number>of ships and
the largest Tonnage total of S4S
vessels of 5,625.1SS tons. The Pacific
coast was a close second with 159
ships of 5,254,15O tons. The great
lakes district came next with 479 ships
OF 1926, 900 tons, while the gulf dis
trict produced 1872 bottoms with ton
mage of $4,000. At the height of the
shipbuilding program keels were being
laid in 21S Shipyards, so of which were
building steel vessels, 131 were turn
ing out wood and composite ships, and
seven were given over to work on con-
crete steamers.
The record of the shipping board
during the five years that mark the
beginning and the completion of its
program stands out more clearly when
comparisons are made with past ac-
compllshments- Prior to the war the
maximum yearly output of ships in
the United States was attained in 1903
In that year 1.457 vessels of all kinds,
including all ships of five net tons and
over, were built, the total tonnage
being 921,324. In the first ten months
OF 1913 the maximum pre-war con-
structlon for an entire year was
greatly exceeded. In September of
that year $50 ocean going steam yes
sells were delivered to the government.
Building ships was only one of the
activities OF the shipping board in
carrying thru its great plans. The
board and its various agencies con-
II dNNCu 1OI ln6 OF SnlDS I'M
der various kinds of purchase con-
tracts In some jobs II became a CO.
worker in the construction of ships
1t undertook the duties and respon-
sibilities of a banker. and assisted in
the financing of some ShipyardS. 1t
became a general contractor and pro-
vided great shipbuilding facilities 1t
became a manufacturer and increased
the production of ship equipment. 1t
became lumber merchant. 1t be-
a I'M iran
protection against insurable losses. 1t
entered the transportation field and
built and operated street railways. 1t
constructed and conducted hotels to
with all the necessities and conven-
fences Of municipal life, such as paved
streets, sewers, water, gas, theaters,
moving pictures. hospitals and the
like.
All in all, it was big Job the ship
ping board had on its hands. 1t was
an undertaking that fairly staggers
the imagination, and that it was ac-
comphshed Is monument to Ameri-
can business enterprise and genius.
Many Ships Now Idle.
OF the great fleet that might now be
carrying the American flag into every
port of every sea more than 1000 YES
sells are today laid up-as idle as
Coleridge's painted ship upon a paint
ed ocean" This is due to some ex-
tent to the worldwide depression in
the shipping business, but more
largely to the fact that the American
operator is at a serious disadvantage
with his foreign competitors in the
matter of operating expenses. 1t costs
a great deal more to sail a vessel under
United States registry, in compliance
with our laws as to crews, etc, than it
does under that of any other countryrl
and unless something is done about
it our idle ships bid fair to remain our
of commission.
This brings up the problem of what
is to be done to preserve the American
merchant marine. Albert D. Lasker,
chairman of the shipping board, in
sists that nothing but government aid