Salt Lake Tribune | 1918-04-03 | Page 1 | Sharp Rebuke Given American Shipbuilders

SHARP REBUKE GIVEN IEI1 SHIPBUILDERS Chairman Hurley Asks Explanation Ex-planation for Decrease in Estimated Output During Dur-ing Past Month. SHIPS, NOT EXCUSES, WANTED, HE ASSERTS I Actual Facts of Probable Tonnage for April Sought in Telegrams to Yard -Managers. WASHINGTON, April 2. American shipbuilders were called upon tonight to explain why their output for March fell behind schedule. Chairman Hurley of the shipping board and .General Manager Tiez of. the emergency emer-gency fleet, corporation telegraphed heads of all the yards In the United States, saying say-ing they were "keenly disappointed" in the tonnage delivered and placing the responsibility re-sponsibility of turning out ships squarely on the men in control of actual building operations. "Keynote of present situation is management man-agement leadership." the telegram said. "Money, material and men have been supplied sup-plied without stint by the nation. The American people want ships, not excuses." ex-cuses." Suggestions were requested and the officials of-ficials said they wanted to know if the fault lay with the emergency fleet corporation. cor-poration. "Please don't overestimate," the telegram tele-gram urged, after asking for the prospects during April. It was said that the March estimate of 197,075 tons had been made on the promises of shipbuilders, who delivered de-livered only 166,700 tons. Wants Explanation. In discussing the telegram, the chairman chair-man said it was his intention to find out exactly where the fault lay. "Perhaps It may lie with representatives of the fleet corporation, who are co-operating wdth the builders," he said. "If so, we want to know it, and promise to correct cor-rect it. "Every man engaged in building ships ought to keep In mind all the time that he is working to back up the boys over there and that it is up to Iho shipbuilder shipbuild-er and shipworker to feed those boys who are giving their all in this war. If we all could get that idea, there would be no loss of production at any time." Chairman Hurley's telegram to the yard managers follows: We are keenly disappointed in the amount of tonnage delivered by American Amer-ican shipyards during the month of March, ayd tho slow progress made in many yards. Only twenty-one steel vessels, aggregating 1(57,700 tons, were delivered during that month, and our minimum estimate was for 197,075 tons. Instead of this reduction from our estimate, we should havo had an increase. This estimate was made on promises of shipbuilders. Thirty steel ships wore launched, with a total ton-' ton-' nage of 219,086. Eleven wooden ships . were launched, amounting to 40,000 tons. Effort in April. We nre particularly anxious that you and your organization should put forth a special effort during the month of April.' We are anxious that you should keep us fully informed concerning concern-ing all causes of delay encountered In ; building ships during this month, 1 daily; by wire, if necessary. We ore concerned with the entire programme, but we wunt April to break all records. rec-ords. Arc the majority of your men doing a good day's work? Are you working overtime".' Are you running u night ; shift, or planning to do so? it is irn-i irn-i perativo t hat every hour t h;i t can be taken advanty rf of be used. AVon't j you reply promptly to this telegram, ! rtatir.g frankly the faets? Money, nia-j nia-j u-rlal and men have been nupplied without stint by the nation. The key- not" f,f the present situation Sa man-a man-a gerncnt h-adersh lp. lOmergcnry fleet corporation looks to you for teamwork in applying leadership to speed up programme. We. will welcome any pugg-stions ; which you wish to inak. and if, in ' (Continued on Page Two.) iSHIPBUILDERS GET GHEE TO EXPLAIN , i . (Continued from Page One 1 your opinion, the fault lies with the emergency fleet corporation, don't hesitate to advise us. What tonnage do you expect to produce during j April in the way of finished ships'? I How many keels will you lay? How many ships will you launch? Tlease don't overestimate. We are anxious to get actual facts, so ihat our war programme pro-gramme may be carried out. 1 We are holding you personally re-i re-i sponsible for the successful management manage-ment of vour property. If you rail to I maintain vour schedule of production, which schedc.le the country is expecting expect-ing von to meet and which we must have vou meet in order to win tnis war. the country win eiuuge juu .mu us with not doing our part. Our countrv is holding every foreman anil everv workman in the shipyards, and especially every shipyard owner, stockholder and manager, as well as everv officer and employee of the emergency fleet corporation, responsible respon-sible for the work of building ships, Thev are needed badly, nnd the Annf ican people want ships, not excuses.