Evening star., 1942-05-17

have many vital responsibilities after the
war, the picture should be carefully re-
viewed to make sure that well-meaning
reorganization will not cause more harm
than good.
In the first place it must be noted
that the present production accomplish
ment Of the Maritime Commission Is
literally a miracle Of achievement. In
two years the output Of merchant ships
In American yards has been stepped up
14-fold, from one a week to two day.
Neurological Improvements in con-
struction have cut down the time Of
unit construction to levels never before
approached in this or any other coun-
try Almost overnight, and with mini
mum of confusion. facilities have been
enormously expanded and an army Of
shipbuilders has been set to work.
Shortage OF Steel.
Because of the growth of the subma-
rine menace this unrivaled record of ac-
complishment must be still further i'm
proved But there are two major i'm
pediments over which the Maritime
Commission has no control, and which
no reorganization replacing Admiral
Land by "a master Of the art Of produc-
ton" would of itself remove. One Of
these impedimentS Is the continuing
shortage Of certain steel products es-
sential to shipbuilding. The other is the
underlying problem of the 40-hour basic
working week
1t Is common knowledge that the steel
industry is already working at practically
100 per cent Of its constantly expanding
capacity. So the problem here is not a
matter Of management in the shipbuild-
ing industry but rather Of still further
expanding certain types of steel output.
That problem is already in the hands
Of w. P. B. and criticizing the Maritime
Commission will in no way assist its
solution.
What could be very helpful. II the
curtailment of the enormous quantities
Of steel and the tremendous amount of
shipyard labor now tied up in the con-
struction of huge battleships which can
not be completed for many months and
which growing body Of expert opinion
regards as of dubious offensive value by
contrast with aircraft carriers of rela-
lively simple construction.
Another difficulty in ship construc.
ton seems to be one of industrial psy-
chology. Although the 40-hour week,
as such. has not been operative in any
shipyard for year, 1t is apparent that
something of its easy-going influence
still remains.
Easy Going Attitude Seen.
Thus we have Admiral Land report
ing in q recent radio address that Ger.
tain amount of "loafng," both in man
ual effort and in the front Office, is at
present hampering ship production. This
is observed in spite of the fact that all
yards are now working two shifts, with
an increasing number going on round
the-clock basis.
Thus we have William S. Newell Of
Bath, head Of the three largest ship
yards in Maine, reporting that an aver
age Of over 10 per cent of the employees
there have of late been daily absent from
WOlh, q pIOpOl lLOIi NIlAIAl Nd14O 4CdSOllS
for abstention fail to explain.
There is no question of the loyalty and
intense effort with which the great ma
jority of shipyard employees are meeting
their vital task. But there seems to be
real question that the urgency of this
work can be realized to the full under
q system in which the 40-hour week is
still the standard of measurement. and
in which earnings secured by 40 hours
are far higher than those to which many
recruits in this industry have been
accustomed
If this is the case, and evidence for 1t
seems substantial, the difficulty roots in
matter of governmental policy and not
in methods of organization or in the
alleged deficiencies of Admiral Land or
any other hard-pressed executive
1t is now evident to all that total war
cannot be waged on a business-as-usua
basis But it is not yet officially admitted
that standards of labor need be changed
from those which were reasonably estab-
lished during period Of widespread un-
employment
Perhaps the elimination OF pleasure
driving In the East is portent of the
coming of that more stern and more
uniformly sacriflcial attitude which the
phrase total war so definitely implies.