Evening star., 1937-08-28
NAVY W0RK-L0AD |
UPHOLDS Jobs All
WASHINGTON YARD /
Civilian Force Is Busy Build.
ing Ordnance for New
Vessels.
lAY-OFFS OVER u. S. CUT|
BY UNEXPECTED REPAIRS|
Lackey Sees Work Aiding En-
ployment Situation in En-
tire Nation.

Assurances were given today by|
naval officials that there will be al
continuation of the present work. load
at the Washington Navy Yard, and
that generally over the country the|
Navy is faring better than anticipated j
The present civilian force at the|
local yard totals 7,700 persons and|
the naval gun factory here is now
engaged in building ordnance for the|
two new battleships, eight new de-
stroyers and some submarines This
assignment is sufficient to keep the|
Work-load at about the present fgure|
for several weeks to come, in the|
opinion OF officials who are closely
in touch with developments.
Rear Admiral Henry E. Lackey. inl
charge of the shore establishments
division at the Navy Department, said
the funds made available for theI
construction of two new auXiliarvI
vessels in the third deficiency act will
aid the employment situation overI
the Nation somewhat. He made IA
clear, however, the Navy ha6 expected
funds for six new auxiliary vessels, butl
obtained only one-third that number.
Unexpected Work Develops.
Predicted lay-offs over the country
were reduced by unforeseen work.
Admiral Lackey said Included in|
this were repairs to the cruiser Omaha,
which ran aground in the West Indies.
and to the battleship Tennessee. which
went aground in San Francisco harbor.
I'VE are straining every nerve to
prevent further lay-offs," Admiral
Lackey declared.
Naval officials pointed out there
are several factors in the situation
that prevent clear picture being
drawn. One of these is whether the
navy yards will build one or both
OF the two new auxiliary vessels
This will be conditioned on the bids
submitted by private contractors.
Rear Admiral George T. Pettengill.
commandant of the Washington Navy
Yard, is keeping a close eye on the
labor situation here, as it affects the
Navy. The machinists, who number
2,7O4 at present, form the largest trade
group at the local yard. Altogether,
Admiral Pettengill has charge Of ci-
villains at the Naval Air Station at
Anacostia and at the Naval Observa-
tory, and this grand total runs in the
vicinity Of 1900 persons.
Guns in Blueprint Stage.
Much OF the ordnance work at the
naval gun factory is now In the blue
print stage. Craftsmen arc occupied
IN draWlnt out the details of the large
and small guns that will form tho
ordnance equipment for the warships.
Later the estimaters and planners will
| get to work to determine lust the
| amounts of material needed to trans.
late the blueprints into hard, cold
steel; to fabricate the torpedo tubes,
the anti-aircraft guns and all the
other fighting factors required in a
modern warship.
| Due to slackening of the work -load
at the Washington Navy Yard, some
500 men were laid of in April. Naval
authorities say that if the naval aux
iliary shipbuilding program had been
passed by Congress, when and as the
Navy Department suggested, those lay
offs would not have been necessary.
AS it is the two new ships come too
late to assist as much as naval officials
would like, they said.
New vessels are being completed at
various shipyards over the Nation and,
with the completion of these Jobs
with little new work in sight-there
will be a readjustment in the en-
ployment at navy yards, the officials
| say,