Evening star., 1943-04-22

knots for the present design. It is
not expected to be in substantial
production until next year, but the
committee said the increased speed
would then make it more difficult
for U-boats to attack successfully
Quicker voyages would result in
greater cargo-carrying efficiency.
CO and C-3 type ships, with
speeds comparable to the Victory
ship, have been safely used on many
routes without escort, depending on
their speed for protection.
The report said there was just
cause to be proud of the Navy:
Ship for ship in all classes it has
been and is fighting force superior
to all others. 1t has been natural
that naval thinking has been con-
centrated on providing a Navy that
car stand up and slug it out with
any other navy. To assure this the
Navy has already procured and
commissioned most impressive
number of huge battleships, aircraft
carriers, cruisers and destroyers and
the numerous auxiliary ships which
are required for fleet action. Each
month new ships are added.
Not only can we be sure that we
can more than match the total
which can be assembled against us,
but we can also expect to have
sufficient fighting might to seek out
and overcome the enemy wherever
a feet can operate"
The report said the concrete barge
program is far behind schedule, that
no benefit has been obtained thus
far from the expenditures on the
$3.50, ,000, 900 barge-and- towboat pro-
gram and that "the extent of latter
benefits will not be proportionate
to the cost, either in dollars or ma
terials.'
Two Firms Criticized.
1t criticized the part played ir
the concrete barge program by the
MacEvoy Shipbuilding Corp, Sa-
vannah, Ga, an dthe San Jacinto
Shipbuilding Corp, Houston, Tex,
and said information concerning
some phases had been referred to
the Justice Department.
The committee said $6,562 900 al
ready had been expended on con-
tracts with the MacEvoy company
"and not one single barge has been
delivered"
The Savannah company, the re-
port added, has contracts for 18
barges at total estimated cost of
$36,117900
Asserting Clifford F. MacEvoy,
president, and members of his fam
lily stand to receive $1,25O,0OO profit
from "a corporation which started
out with no assets the report said:
There should have been an at
tempt made by the Maritime Com
mission to utilize the experience of
contractors who had constructed
concrete ships during the last war,
rather than select contractors such
as Clifford F. MacEvoy, who were
experienced in concrete construc-
ton, but admittedly had no expert
ence in ship construction.
The two most efficient producers
of Liberty ships, the committee de-
clared, ERE Henry j. Kaiser's Oregon
Shipbuilding Corp. and the North
Carolina Shipbuilding Corp, a sub
sidiary Of the Newport News Ship
building g. Drydock Corp. The
Oregon shipyard is lowest in point
OF man-hours per ship and second
in dollar cost; the North Carolina
firm is lowest in dollar cost and
second in man-hours.
Exclusive of the cost of materials
furnished by the Maritime Commits
sion, amounting to approximately
100000 ship. and also excluding
the contractors fee, the North Caro-
lima yard delivered nine Liberty
ships in January, 1943, at an aver
age cost of SCOT 1927 a ship.
The committee included in it's re-
port what it called a statement from
the Navy "as to some of the factors
which it thinks should be taken into
consideration in making any COM
pariSon of relative performance. but
"the committee regards the answer
of the Navy Department as an in
sufficient explanation of the enor-
nous disparity" in the two con-
struction jobs.
The House in the meantime yes
terday passed a bill authorizing an
additional 10000 tons of new YES
sells and took steps to assure Navy
control over its auxiliary ship con-
struction program. Without opposi-
ton, provision was written into the
measure to give the Navy Depart
ment, rather than the Maritime
Commission, direct authority over
the design and specifications of
ships to be built under the program.
Chairman Vinson of the House
Naval Affairs Committee had
charged Budget Director Smith was
attempting to turn over "by decree"
the naval auxiliary program to the