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Show 'SHIPBUILDERS AREREBUKED Hurley Sends Messages Demanding De-manding Explanation for Failure to Produce Ships. WASHINGTON, April 3. American shipbuilders were called upon last night to explain why ihelr output lor ! March fe'l behind sc hedule. Chairman Hurley of the shlpp'ng , board and General Manager Plei f the ! emergency Beel cor poration telegraph led heads of all the yards In the Cnhed i States, Baying they were "keenly dis- I I appointed" in the tonnage delivered land placing the responsibility of turn-I turn-I Ing out ships squnrelv on the men in1 control of actual building operations. "Keynote of present, situation Is management leadership." the telegram tele-gram said. "Money, material and men have been supplied without stint by the nation. The American people want ships, not excuses." Suggestions were requested and the officials :ald they wanted to know If the fault lay with the emergency fleet corporation. "Please don't overestimate." tho telegram urged, after asking for the I prospect? during April. It was said ; that the March estimate of 197.073 tons had been made on the promises of shipbuilders, who delivered only 1 66. -700 tons. Wants Explanation. In discussing the telegram, Ihe chairman said It wps his Intention to find out exactly where the fault lay. "Perhaps it may lie with representatives representa-tives of the fleet corporal Irn. who ore co-operating with tho bul'ders." he said. "If so. we want to know it, and promise to correct It. c ery man engaged in DUiioin 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 the shipbuilder and shlpworker to feed those boys who are civ ins their all In this war. If we all could Ret that Idea, there would be no loss of production produc-tion 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 f March, and the slow p. ogress made in many yards Only twenty-one 9teel vessels, aggregating 167,700 tons, were delivered during that momh and our minimum estimate was for 197.075 tons. Instead of this reduction from our estimate, we should have had an increase. This estimate was made on promises of shipbuilders. Thirty steel ships were launched, with a total tonnage ton-nage of 219.586. Lleven wooden ships were launched, amounting to 40,800 tons. Effort in April "We are particularly anxious that you and your organization should put forth u special effort during the momh of April. We are anxious that you should keep ns fully informed concern-inc concern-inc all causes of delay encountered In building ships during this month, dally: by wire. If necessary' We sre concerned with the entire programme, but we want April to break all records. rec-ords. "Are the majority of your men d' Ing I a good day's work? Are you working! overtime? Are you running a night shift, or planning to do so? It Is im- I peratlve that every hour that can be taken advantage of be used. Won t I you reply promptly to this telegram, tating frankly the facts? Money, material and men ha.ve been supplied without stint by the nation. The keynote key-note of the present situation is man-' agement leadership Emergency fleet j corporation looks to you for teamwork In applying leadership to speed up I programme." |