Evening star., 1941-09-14
u. S. Merchant Ship Building
Is One Plan Not Drawn Hastily
Inaugurated in 1887, 1t Required Only Acceleration
When Crisis Hit; Yet Further
Speed Is Needed
By Felir Morley.

ping up a carefully planned program
which was originated as a long-range
national undertaking well in advance of
the war.
The result is not merely rapid over
night intensifcation of ship construc-
ton. The solid basis underlying present
expansion further means that the new
vessels are all well designed; that the
flow of new construction has been con-
tinuous; that the effective training OF
personnel is proceeding simultaneously,
and that costs to the taxpayer are being
kept at minimum.
There is no improvisation and conse-
quently no confusion in the present
high-gear operation of the Maritime
Commission. From the naval architects
who design the ships to the trained off,
GERS who navigate them, the whole pro-
gram is being carried through with cer-
tainty, efficiency and dispatch. 1t is
an encouraging contrast to the confusion
only too obvious in other defense agen-
| cies.
IL New Ships Due in One Day.
The pre-war program of the Maritime
Commission, at first regarded as excess
sive for American shipbuilding capacity.
called for the completion of one mer.
chant ship week. That rate of delivery
was first attained year ago. just as
the urgency of British shipping needs
was becoming all too obvious.
In the past IL months, without any
fanfare, boasting or unredeemed prom
ises. the Maritime Commission has dou-
bled this already high rate Of production.
During the summer months of this year
| new merchant vessels-not counting war
ships-have been getting into operation
at the rate of two a week. On Septem-
Der 27, admittedly red-letter day in
American shipbuilding annals, no fewer
than II new merchant ships will be
launched
This advance has, of course, involved
tremendous effort in expanding ship
building facilities, obtaining materials
and training personnel both for con-
struction and operation. An indication
of the scope of development can be
gathered from the increase, in shipyard
|
100000 men we're regularly employed in
this industry. BY July 1, 1910, according
to Navy Department statistics, the num-
Der increased to 167 ,000 On July l of
this year it was 375,000 On July l, 1912,
if the war continues, it is expected to be
/ approximately $4,000 men, or about six
times the pre-war average.
Present Output Short.
In spite of the doubled production, it
is freely admitted that present output
of ships falls short of meeting the need.
This is apparent from the figures al-
ready cited. Even at the greatly dinin-
ished rate of sinkings the British are
losing four or five ships a week. Their
own greatly overburdened yards are fall
ing far short of the same rate of re-
placement. When the enlarged American
and Canadian construction is added, the
total of new bottoms still fails to offset
current loss, relatively low as that has
fallen.
Consideration of the available figures
explains not merely why Winston
Churchills present optimism is severely
qualified, but also why President Roose-
welt is steering so close to actual naval
war in his effort further to diminish the
rate of destruction achieved by German
submarines and planes.
Whatever the result of administration
policy in this direction, it is evident that.
to be sure of winning the battle of the
Atlantic. American ship construction
must be speeded up to point far beyond
that already achieved, remarkable
though present accomplishment is.
That such speedup is possible is as
sured by Rear Admiral Emory S. Land,
on whose shoulders, as present chairman
of the Maritime Commission, falls the
primary responsibility of seeing that new
ships are forthcoming at a rate exceed
ing the toll the Germans take. IF stop
pages, due to priorities or other factors,
40 not hold us back" said Admiral Land
last week, the Maritime Commission
will be able during the first quarter of
1912 to deliver ships at the rate of one
day.