Evening star., 1952-08-01
Photo.

ZAP Photo.
ANDREW JACKSON HIGGINS.
confidently doomed the president
of Higgins Industries, Inc, Of New
Orleans.
1T can't be done." the Navy
said.
1.-The hell it can't" retorted
Mr.. Higgins. "You just be here in
three days."
Without benefit of drawings,
Mr.. Higgins had workmen strip a
hah finished tug and revamp its
hull, and when the Navy officials
called some 72 hours later the
tug had become a tough tank
|lighter-one good enough to war;
rant the Navy's issuing a contract
for its production.
His formula for achievement
was simple: "You just pitch in
and work. The results take care
|of themselves"
Big Factor In War.
World War II lifted Mr.. Higgins
to a position Of national promi-
|nence.
Higgins-built landing craft
showed their snub noses onto in
vasion beaches around the world.
Higgins-built cargo planes moved
supplies into many combat the
|aters. At the peak of the war his
plants were producing around
! 900 war boats a month. They
turned out total of $4,000 boats
and ships during the war.
Mr.. Higgins devised a moving
production line for constructing
interisland cargo ships. He built
fleet patrol torpedo craft and life
boats of nodded plywood and his
research men invented a plastic
pocket filter that would convert
sea water into drinking water for
stranded airmen and sailors.
In sizzling language, Mr.. Hig-
gins insisted that no one use the
word cant" in his presence. He
had record of doing such things
as these:
Having one batch Of boats
painted en- route to market by hir-
ling painters to work aboard the
moving freight train.
Launching 170-foot cargo ships
without ways, using an elevating
dock to ease them into the in
dustrial canal.
Fond Of Own Voice.
A handy man with words, Mr..
Higgins was unabashedly fond of
his own voice and during the war
used an elaborate public address
system to spur his employees to
greater efforts. In the autumn of
1945 he used the same public ad-
dress system to inform workers
he was liquidating Higgins In
dustries. Inc. He had closed his
three plants in the midst of a
strike by 1000 American Fedora
ton of Labor workers.
A union spokesman accused him
Of "stlll playing to the galleries
and said he was aiming at "strik-
ing a mortal blow at labor and
making Of himself a martyr and
hero over night"
Higgins Industries, Inc, has
voluntarily shut down shop be-
cause of the harassment of or
ganized labor unions and Govern
ment agencies" Mr.. Higgins said
in paid newspaper advertisements
under the heading, "Give Me Lib
erty!" His statement. addressed to
"the loyal workers" of his COM
pany, continued:
Nov, I don't intend to emulate
Patrick Henry, or 60 as far as he
did. He said, Give me liberty or
give me DEATH We say for our
selves and our workers. Give us
liberty and life.' and the right of
any man to take any job that is
offering and he is qualified to take
without tribute to anyone"
Reopened Operations.
A short time later, a new firm.
Higgins, Inc, was formed, and Mr..
Higgins said he was taking over
certain assets and contracts" of
Higgins Industries, Inc. He re-
opened bodybuilding operations,
reconverting to manufacture of
luxury craft. Meanwhile, the Con-
|gress of Industrial Organizations
replaced the AFL as bargaining
|agent for the workers.
AT the time of his death, Mr..
Higgins company was engaged in
building more than SOL million
worth Of cargo vessels, tugs, mine
Isweepers. aluminium bridge-build-
ing boats and various other classi-
fled developments for the armed
services.
Born Aug. %. 1886, at Colum-
bus, Neb., Mr.. Higgins was the
youngest of 10 children. When he
was six, his family moved to
Omaha and there he attended
public schools.
Later, at Creighton University.
MIR. Higgins had a good scholastic
standing. but his record in the
field of discipline was something
else and he "left without gradu-
ating." He was called back in
l943 and given an honorary LID.
degree.
Mr.. Higgins moved south in
1906 and entered the lumber bus
mess at Mobile, Ala. He moved
to New Orleans in 1910, looking
"for something bigger and better. "
as he explained.