The Wilmington morning star., 1945-02-04
Stewards Anniversary

ment yesterday in a most appropriate way
it launched its 200th ship.
There was little fanfare and to all appear
ances it was Just another day in the busy lie
of the yard However. it is well to pause and
consider the achievements of this great COM
pany and the resultant benefits to the nation,
North Carolina and Wilmington.
The cold, rainy Feb 8, 1884, when ground
was broken for the plant seems far off now
America was not at war but all knew it was
coming. In the beginning there were only
tract along the Cape Fear river, cadre OF ex-
perienced shipbuilders from Newport News
and orders from the President to help provide
the bridge of ships so essential to global
warfare. The first keel was laid in the spring
and on December 6, just few hours before
the japanese attack on Pearl Harbor plunged
us into war, the first vessel, the Liberty S. s.
Zebulon B. Vance, was launched under the
sponsorship of Mrs j. Melville Broughton,
then North Cardinals First Lady.
Never before was an enemy threat to this
hatlon as great; never before were ships need
ed as they were at that time.
Expansion of facilities was pushed What
was originally intended to be a six-shipway
establishment was increased to nine ways with
enlargement of other parts of the plant. Ad-
dltonal contracts were forthcoming with the
result that the yard delivered 1875 Libertvs be-
fore converting to construction of the better
CO type ship. AS it built these Lbertys, so
vital in the early days of the war, it won for
itself the name, bestowed by the Truman
Senate Investigating committee, of one of the
two most efficient builders of Liberty ships
in the country.
There was no resting on laurels. Execution
of the CO program, with many craft going to
the Navy, is just as successful as production
of Libertys. During 1914, the yard delivered
go CTS to lead all others engaged on this
type shipbuilding. In commenting on this
achievement Vice Admiral Emory S. Land,
chairman of the U. S. Maritime commission,
declared: Their record speaks for itself.
They are tops
The most important factor in establishing
this record and fine reputation was the COOP
GRAFTON that has existed from the very start
between good management and labor. Led by
experienced men from of the worlds
greatest shipyards, North Carolina men and
women turned from hundreds of peace-tme
pursuits and became shipbuilders a vital role
in winning the war.
This spirit of cooperation continues today,
despite outside unwanted interference. We say
unwanted in the factual sense of the word
not editorially, because such was the case
when the issue was put to vote sometime
ago.
Although more of the war is behind us than
apparently lies ahead, the yards job is as i'm
portant as ever. With the conflict in the Pacific
running ahead of schedule, shipping remains
a critical problem. Supply lines become long
err daily and major battles with the japanese
are still ahead Therefore, the North Carolina
production decks should be kept
just as clear as when it was at the height
of the Liberty program.
Looking deeper into the future, all interested
in the community's welfare realize the ship
yard, not only its biggest industrial enterprise
but perhaps the largest in the state, has a
high place in any postwar plans. During the
past four years, it has welcomed broad par
ticipation in the economic life of Southeast
ern North Carolina It's large payroll--lt
amounted to sac, Ais 900 in 1944-has been felt
in every town, village and hamlet. It is the
greatest single contributor to the wonderful
enjoyed throughout this section
since America started preparing to defend it.
self.
Because of the Maritime commissions pol
icy of assigning contracts to the most efficient
yards, the company has been assured enough
work for another years operation. The repu-
tation made on the ships to come-50 remain
to be delivered will determine to a large
degree whether the yard will continue This
name, in turns, depends greatly on the excel
lent spirit and its fulfillment of cooperation
between management and labor that has
marked the past If it is endangered, then the
future of the yard will obviously be affected
and, because of it's place in the community
life, Wilmington will suffer Therefore, the
less interference, the brighter the future Tor
all of u.s.
The shpyard is Wil1ningtons greatest in
dustrial opportunity of recent years. To have
it endangered by outside interests more con-
cerned with their own welfare than the war
effort and future of Southeastern North Caro-
but for years to come
-V-
oo4 Nlao