Evening star., 1948-11-14
M Day Plan
BeingDrawn
ForShipping
Strategists Hope to
Keep Merchant
Fleet Strong
By Bill Ross and Fred J. Zusy

faSt-on a scale unprecedented
even in World War II. Key mari
time men are frankly worried about
the esponsibility.
Any pan to get the merchant
fleet up to combat efficiency faces
more than a few problems. Solving
them is a joint undertaking of the
Army, Navy and Maritime Com
mission
Details of the M day project are
strictly hush-hush, but this can
be said:
l. Americas fleet of 1,750 private
ly operated merchant craft is above
the prewar mark. The ships are
modern and fast enough for at
least some defense against subma-
rines.
Good and Bad Aspects
2. Congress has appropriated
S174,000,000 to help commercial
operators finance construction of
new superliners. convertible to
troop-cargo transports. Part of this
money is available to help build
speedy tankers, capable of hauling
high-octane aviation fuel.
8. The American shipping indus
try, a prewar weakling, now is
healthy and prosperous.
4. The United States Merchant
Marine has vast backlog of skilled
operating personnel. In fact, thou
sands of trained men have left the
sea for want of berths.
S. More than $3.50 vessels, most
of which were built during World
War II, are at anchor in strategical-
ly located reserve fleet" areas.
Most of these could be pressed into
service, although many are slow
and cumbersome Liberty ships"
But the picture has its bleaker
aspects.
The Nations shipbuilding indus
try is hardly a shadow of it's war
time self, the Maritime Commission
freely admits. On VI day the
commission had more than 80 yards
in operation. Today the Govern
ment has no shipyards in operation
Four Yards Stand By
Regardless of condition, all ships
in the reserve merchant fleet would
have to spend some time in a ship
yard before sailing into wartime
service-if for nothing more than
mounting weapons.
With an eye on this eventuality,
the Maritime Commission has kept
for Government-owned yards on
standby basis. They are at VIII
mington, N. c.; Alameda and Rich
mond, Calf, and Vancouver, Wash
The Maritime Commission, under
agreement with two shipping firms,
recently authorized construction of
five new passenger ships costing
about s8o,000,000 in all.
It has taken bids for a proposed
superliner to cost an estimated $685.
100000. This ship, capable of carry
ing 1000 passengers or 10000 troops,
would be the biggest ever built in
this country. Vice Admiral William
w. Smith, chairman of the Mari
time Commission, says prospects of
building it are very good
Besides three passenger ships,
which won't be completed for at
least two years, United States ship
yards have on contract or on order
81 tankers, some of them high
speed vessels for carrying oil here
from the rich Persian Gulf region.
In addition, the commission, ac-
cording to Admiral Smith, expects
to let contracts within the next six
months or so for two experimental
cargo ships expected to serve as
model for improved successors to
last wars Victory or Liberty ships
in event of another national emer-
gency.
Britain Leads All
Other countries, notably Great
Britain and Sweden, are outstripping
us in postwar shipbuilding Britain
Is now building about half the total
tonnage under construction in the
world.
The United States Government
pays subsidies on new ship construc-
ton to Offset the cost of building
ships in this country in comparison
with other countries. Many private
firms said the 80 to IS per cent SUBJ
sides paid before the war we're in
adequate. They asked Congress last
session to make it fiat so per cent
This was turned down.
But the Maritime Commission, in
awarding contracts for the five new
ships, agreed to pay as much as As
per cent, plus additional help for
installing certain features like added
speed, considered defense measure.
The Government set aside $84, ,000,-
900 in the year ending last July
for subsidy funds. For while no.
body wanted any part of this, so the
offer had to be extended until Sep
tember 80. 1t was only month or
so before the later deadline that the
money was spoken for under the
passenger ship program.
81 Million Available
This year, in the IL months ending
next July l, s94 100000 is available
That will be pretty we'll taken care
of by the s65,0O0,O 900 liner if it is
approved and by the two prototype
cargo ships.
The five new ships authorized in.
clude three 13,000-gross ton, 19-knot
ships to carry 800 passengers ano
crew, to an estimated $32 900 ,00(
total.
Cost of the two others is estimated