Evening star., 1950-07-16
BY W. H. shippen

BY W. n. Shippen
Congress may move at this
session to bulwark the Nation
against the near-disastrous ship
shortages that developed in both
world wars.
Bills were introduced in the
Senate and House this week TO
begin the refitting of ships in
the Merchant Marine reserve best
suited for military requirements.
A $25 million appropriation is
recommended.
Meanwhile, Is Victory ships
were reactivated on the West
Coast to move cargo under con-
tract into the Korean zone, and
the Military Sea Transport Service
stepped up its schedule by char
tering 20 additional cargo carriers
for service in the Pacific.
Ample sea transport for both
men and materiel is now avail
able, unless the Korean situation
deteriorates rapidly. or spreads to
other areas, a spokesman for the
military service said.
Admittedly. however, a des-
perate shortage of skilled workers
exists in the shipyards. where
cutbacks, layoffs and contract
cancellations have reduced the
forces below the 10000 recon-
mended as a security minimum
by a presidential advisory COM
mittee in 1947.
Intended as 'Pump Primer"
The $25 million asked to refitI
ships on a priority schedule set
by the Navy is intended also as
a pump primer" to help the
hard-hit yards hold together an
expansible nucleus of skilled en-
ployes.
1t was estimated the $25 million
would recondition 1874 Victory
class ships as troop carriers, at
tack transports and 10,000-ton
cargo vessels with a speed of is
to 10 knots. The reconditioned
ships would be held at ready"
status, and not placed in service
unless commercial carriers proved
inadequate to military needs.
Lack Of new construction or re-
conditioning work in the yards is
matched by grave shortage of
passenger ships in commercial
service. United States flag lines
have only so in operation now, as
compared with 134 in 1899.
Six modern passenger ships de-
signed to compete with the luxury
service of other nations are now
under construction, including the
United States, a super-liner in
the Queen Mary class. The liner
is about one third complete at
Newport News, Va, and is sched-
uled to be launched in the spring
Of 1852.
One Of two ships designed for
the Mediterranean service was
launched last month and should
be commissioned next spring. The
ships will be somewhat smaller
than the America, now the chief
Of the United States passenger
feet.
SOthers Under Construction.
The three other ships are under
construction at Camden, N. j. One
was launched last month and
the other two are to come off the
ways sometime this year. They
will be appointed for 'round-the-
world service.
Yet these substantial additions
to the passenger feet, according
to an estimate by the National
Federation Of American Shipping
viii bring the total accommoda-
tions up to only about half what
they were before the war.
Lack Of swift passenger carriers.
which could be quickly rented as
troop transports, would be q seri-
GUS handicap in event of major |
Several months ago, military ex-
perts estimated for Congress that |
our present troop lift capacity,
even If all available passenger
transports were pressed into serv-
ice, is about 80 per cent short Of
requirements in an emergency like |
Pearl Harbor.
No passenger ships were built in
this country during the war, while
the yards were rolling out 1850
Liberty ships and some 1880 tur-
bine-propelled carriers in the Vic
tory class.
All were Of about 10000 tons
capacity, but the Liberty ships
were built under pressure before !
turbine equipment was available |
and are from five to eight knots |
slower than their successors.
The reserve fleet. moored on
caretaker status at nine anchor
ages on both coasts and the Gulf
of Mexico, consists Of more than
2,250 ships of all types, including
1,529 Liberties.
Privately Owned Ships.
Only about ITO ships of the
faster category remain in storage.
The vessels withdrawn from this
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