Evening star., 1942-01-22
Land Reports
Allied Shipping
Beating U-boats
Admiral Says U. S. Has
World Licked Now
On Cargo Vessels
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Chairman Land of the Mari
time Commission has told Con-
greSs that construction of Allied
shipping is now forging ahead
of losses by sinkirgs at sea and
that the United States has "the
world licked right now" on
standard cargo ships and tank
ers.
Reporting on the progress Of the
program for a vast merchant ma
rine before a House appropriations
subcommittee in testimony made
public today, Admiral Land as
serted:
THE last time I looked at the
curves. the sinkings and the new
production were just about balanced
for the first time during the war,
and now new construction Is get
ting ahead"
That was on December g. He re-
ported that United States merchant
marine tonnage was about 7,000,-
600 and that total OF 10000, 900
more tons was in prospect for 1912
and 1943. On the other hand. he
said that Great Britain started with
about 21.OO0,00o tons. lost about
100000 tons and at the same time
had additions of about 100000 tons.
Report Optimistic.
But Axis powers have lost about
5000. 900 tons, he estimated, and all
world shipping losses amount to
about 27 per cent Of the 100000
tons available at the outset Of the
war.
After saying that United States
and Great Britain had made re-
placements Of about 100000 tons
each annually, Admiral Land as
serted:
"On replacements, the Axis powers
are not having much luck. 80 AS to
exact figures I know nothing about
it."
The admiral gave the committee
an optimistic progress report on the
merchant marine program involving
1,422 ships, of which 999 have been
contracted for and 423 will be or
dered before July !.
Except for such bottlenecks as
strikes and machinery and generat-
ing power, Admiral Land said that
very good to excellent" progress
had been made.
Some Loss Through Strikes.
'"The only serious dificulty has
been strikes" he said. up to about
two months ago. we had some velvet
but we lost the most of that due
to strikes. We are still ahead Of
schedule, but not quite up to the
expedited schedule which we were
last August-thanks to strikes"
Admiral Land also testified that:
!. Increased labor and material
costs has caused an increase Of
/ so. 0.000. 900 in an original cost esti-
mate of s74o 900 900 for 277 ships.
2. Training in gunnery is being
given to new seamen and new Of
ficers at two training stations and
will be extended to others.
3. The new program will require
doubling of the present 10000
seamen and 10000 officers employed
| on deep-sea vessels.
Subcontracting Pressed.
During a general discussion Of the
shipbuilding program. Admiral Land
said that as soon as the commits
sion could find gears and turbines
1t would be able to give construc-
ton preferences to standard types
of cargo ships.
And we think We have the world
licked right now on the standard
type of cargo ship and tankers,"
he remarked.
Admiral Land said that every ef-
fort was being mad to expedite the
program by scattering the contracts
as much as possible and by sub
contracting-a policy in which he
said the Maritime Commission was
a pacemaker.
Long before Floyd Odlum, o. P. M.
small business director, came into
office, Admiral Land said that I'VE
got from high authority a couple
of pats on the back because we did
set this thing up"
Maybe" he added, I'VE will get
a kick in our stern sheets before we
get through"
4