The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-12-10
Observations
American Labor
Make Thrilling
Picture
BY Helen Essary

day with ITS hands ana its brains,
its muscle and its spirit.
saw labor and capital working
together. Planning, hammering
straining, lifting ] saw the best
OF the American democracy that is
not lighting, striking its sure blows
for freedom. saw and once again
was proud that ] am an American.
NOT in Washington did | see
these things. You have to get away
from the capital whose only indus
try is the manufacture OF words and
contracts into the sweating work
shops Of America. in order TO begin
10 know the country OF which you
are 4 part.
| went not far from Washington,
10 Baltimore, Md, 10 the Bethlc-
hem.Fairfeld shipyards TO assist al
a launching. The Bethlehem-Fair-
field is managed by j. NJ. Willis.
Its Patapsho River neiChbor, the
Bethlehem.Sparrow's Point yard. IS
managed by Frank A, Hodge. Both
yards are OF course a section OF
the magnificent shipbullding indus
try directed by Rear Admiral En-
DRY Scott Land, chairman OF the
Maritime Commission. and his as
sistant Rear Admiral Howard 5.
Vickery.
our ship was a Liberty ship, big
and handsome in its Navy yellow
paint. Across its decks along its
sides were draped many flags 70
celebrate the launching. We saw
the sun glinting on the Stars and
Stripes long before We reached the
ship and knew that sudden lift of
spirit that the sight of the ma
tional emblem gives especially in
wartime.
When our car turned of the main
road into the shipyard We were sud
denly in the sweating, toiling
America come TO vigorous life In
the national emergency. It was
about 3 p. m. The yard-as large
as village-was teeming with
workmen and workwomen going 10
and from their jobs as the shifts
changed
About $4,000 employees are build
ing ships at Fairfield More than
10000 were then moving around
the yard Twenty thousand work
ers. The main road was almost
solid with oyeralled humanity. Our
car had to turn into a side path
way in order to approach the
launching platform. II would have
been impossible to cut a way
through that river OF people.
In the group OF cars were repre-
sentatives OF the Maritime Com.
mission and officials OF the ship
yard. these were the planners Be-
low the launching platform were
the workers. The workers were
proceeding calmly not bothering to
look up. They had stride and
a manner that said I'VE know
where we're going and what we
have to do when we get there
This was a world OF ships and
shipmakers. There were ships in
all stages OF life. One ship COM
plete and ready for launching. I'm
born ships with their parts heap
ed in piles. Ships one>third finish
ed. Ships one-half finished. Ships
that must sail next week, next
month.
All this magic OF creation would
be accomplished calmly. detemin-
eddy. Within a few days the heap
ed up piles would be hammered TO-
gether INTO a beautiful pattern
This would be done without con
fusion and with no lost motion
With work and with an organiza
tion that moved every man TO his
task and every piece OF metal into
its place like a living kaleidoscope
As soon as our ship was launched
we would be hurried of the launch
ing platform so that he keel Of the
next ship scheduled for this one Of
the is ways could be laid. Not an
instant would he wasted. Within
one hour AID half the laying ~
the new keel would be completed
The rate OF building here IS %
Liberty ships a month.
Our ship. now looking so brave
and gay and capable had been only
20 days IN the making Twenty
days. Less than three weeks ago
this great vessel that was TO carry
food, ammunition, ieeps. guns,
planes, locomotives 70 our fighting
men and friends had been lying
in embryo waiting TO come to life.
Ten days from this day il would
be on Il way across the ocean car
rying greatly needed help
A thrilling business this ship
building industry as II rises TO meet
the call Of the hogr At the Bethlc.
hem.Sparrows Point yard and az
other plants in the country more
and more steel and iron were being
hammered at that very second into
shape, responding 70 the urgency
of today's frightening hour.
What power what bvains'-
this America has ready for use.
thought. Already our shipyards
have so increased their product
that We are producing more ships
than all OF the rest ~ the world
put together. And we have Just he
gun to build. Just begun 70 whip
industry and ourselves into action.