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Show SHIP BUILDING IS RETARDED BY DISPUTES Washington, Dec. 29. Labor troubles trou-bles were blamed for much of the delay de-lay in the government'a ship building build-ing 'program by Raymond B. Stevens, vice chairman of the shipping board, teatlfying today In the 8enate commerce com-merce committee's investigation. Since the United Statea went to war, Mr. Stevena aald, ahlp yards have lost a total of 636,991 working dy by strikes and other disputes. This, he figured, represents the wo'rk of 80,000 men tor a month. , Happily, aald Mr. Stevens, the situation sit-uation la Improving by reaaon of the measures taken by the board to ad-Just ad-Just differences wherever they arise. Senators took a lively Interest in the story of the labor situation, and the Inquiry tamed to jte whole aub-Ject aub-Ject of labor aad Its poaltloa daring the war. Questions aa to the Wisdom Wis-dom of conscription of, labor for ahlp yardaaa'd other government work drew from Mr. Stevena emphatic opposition op-position to say attempt to,qree civ-lllaaa civ-lllaaa to work under prescribed eon-'dftfons.and eon-'dftfons.and government fixed wages.1 Telling of the board's work in, establishing es-tablishing with the atd of the labor department employment agenctea on the Pacific coast, Mr. Sievcns said that with their Institution also la the east the board hoped to obtain from other 'industries aa many men as it needs. He added thatta appropriation, appropria-tion, would be needed to provide housing facilities at Isolated plants. "The number of men should actually actu-ally be more than doubled," he aald, "It we are to accomplish our full alms. Roughly ,there now are about 150,000 anea engaged In ahlpbulld- ing. We could use from 200,000 to 300,000 more. We are obtaining new men gradually now and hope to obtain ob-tain them much faster later on. Re-centlylOS Re-centlylOS yards reported they could use Immediately 20,000 more men." Mr. Stevena described a bonus system sys-tem Instituted In Pacific coast yards, and said If it proved sscceasful an extension to ttie east was planned. "Ia that not an excess profit you sre paying?" asked Senator Nelson. "We do not consider it aa auch," replied Mr. Stevens, ','hut IMt will speed up the production of ships we think It Is. wise to pay It What wa are concerned with now la the production pro-duction of ahlpa and if the bonus will help accomplish that it ia worth while despite ihe aaat.' |