Evening star., 1940-06-30
Admiral Land to Aid Knudsen
Find ShipbuiIding Facilities
Maritime Commission
Head to Coordinate
All Construction
BY ROBERT BRUSKIN.

The growing problems Of finding
shipbuilding facilities for the ex-
panding Navy without impeding
construction OF commercial vessels
was given yesterday to Rear Ad-
miral Emory S. Land. chairman of
the United States Maritime Com
mission, for solution.
The National Defense Advisory
Commission announced his appoint
ment to the staff of William S.
Knudsen, chief of defense produc-
ton, as CO. ordinator of all shipbuild-
ing. Admiral Land will retain his
position with the Maritime Commits
sion, which is far ahead in its sched-
ule to complete 500 merchant ships
capable of being used as naval aux
iliaries.
Appointment of Admiral Land,
who was chief constructor of the
Navy before his retirement, was one
of several announced. Earlier,
President Roosevelt appointed Owen
D. Young, chairman of the Ameri-
can Youth Commission and retired
board chairman of the General Elec-
trio Co., to advise Sidney Hillman
in drafting and supervising the
commissions youth training pro-
gram.
Ways Problem Serious.
Admiral Lands experience in
naval and merchant ship construc-
tion is expected to help solve the
complexities of making more COM
mercial shipyards available for the
naval expansion program, especially
in construction of smaller types of
warships.
Members of Congress have been
told by the Navy high command
that the problem is serious and
shipyard expansion is needed i'm
mediately. At present, the Navy
has available only 62 ways where
combat vessels were previously built
in which to lay down 1873 ships for
which funds have already been ap-
propriated. Contracts have been
awarded for 80. The remainder are
being withheld until President
Roosevelt signs a bill authorizing
the Navy to negotiate contracts for
warships rather than obtain them
through competitive bidding. This
is expected to permit cheaper con-
struction and to expand the num-
ber OF yards seeking naval con-
tracts.
This construction program is ex-
elusive of the $4,000 100000 expen-
diture authorized by the House two
weeks ago for 10 per cent increase,
providing two-ocean navy.
Ten Battleships Planned.
Ten battleships and five aircraft
carriers are on the program for i'm.
mediate construction, yet Rear
Admiral Samuel M. Robinson. chief
OF the Bureau of Engineering, told
House committee only II ways are
available. Launching of the 10000
ton liner America at Newport News
freed another way for a large war
ship.
Funds have been voted for 81
cruisers, heavy and light, but space
is available for constructing only
II at one time. Only IS ways are
ready for 81 destroyers. Many of
these smaller craft could be built
at commercial yards which hitherto
have specialized in merchant ship
ping. Some funds have been pro-
vided to expand the number of
ways in navy yards for the smaller
vessels.
Highly specialized facilities for
submarines now permit construction
of only 8 at one time. Funds have
been appropriated for Al.
Admiral Robinson was careful to
point out that his estimate of 81
ways available for warship construc-
ton extended only to those COM
panies which have built COM
batant vessels in the past" This
meant inclusion of eight navy yards,
of which only two are on the West
Coast, and seven commercial build
ers, all on the East Coast.
Private Yards Could Be Used.
Several private yards, now turning
out IL l,000-ton tankers for the Mari
time Commission, probably could