xxxiv INTRODUCTORY PROCEEDINGS. 



It is tO' the American merchant marine that we must particularly attend. The shipyards 

 in which our naval vessels have in the past been built will also build what will be required 

 for the navy of the future. They will as well produce their proportion of merchant vessels, 

 and in addition we now have all of the new shipyards. 



Our shipyards have produced during the year a greater tonnage of merchant vessels 

 than was ever heretofore in any one year produced in the yards of the greatest shipbuilding 

 nation in the world. 



The United States have spent and contracted to spend enormous funds, primarily to help 

 put down the war and incidentally to place upon the seas a great tonnage under their flag. 



Now that the inevitable end of the great war is rapidly approaching, the problems fol- 

 lowing the destruction and disorganization caused by the war demand the attention of our 

 best ability and judgment. I pass all of the problems not in themselves specially pertaining 

 to this Society. The one great problem for us to consider is that of the future of our mer- 

 chant marine and what is to^ be done for it. 



You who are owners of ships and shipyards and you who design and construct ships 

 cannot be indifferent to this question. There are at present in service, as has been stated, ten 

 million gross tons of American merchant ships, double the amount three years ago, and there 

 is a capacity in our yards for building in addition to the ships for the navy at least three mil- 

 lion gross tons per annum. Some of these yards, of course, build wooden ships which will 

 be useful coastwise, if not across the seas. 



When the war is really over shall we as a nation, supinely, as in the past, permit the 

 other nations of the world to carry our entire commerce overseas? 



It is incredible that any administration of the United States Government shall thus sac- 

 rifice the great funds and efforts, individual and collective, that have been expended in the 

 past two years to build up facilities, to educate men, and women, too, in order that we may 

 have and operate ships of our own; and if there are laws upon our statute books that pre- 

 vent our reasonable operation of ships, they must be amended; if our loading, unloading and 

 other port facilities are not what they should be, they must be changed; if there is anything 

 which interferes with our progress upon the seas, it must be removed, and if there is anything 

 yet lacking to advance this progress, even government ownership, or private ownership aided 

 by a judicious government, it must be developed not for the advantage of any section or 

 coast, but for the needs and advantage of our whole nation. 



I am quite aware that these are most general statements and that I have suggested no 

 special plan for bringing about that which is so much to be desired. Frankly, I must say that 

 the questions' involved are too' much for one man, and the result desired can only be accom- 

 plished by proper coordination of those out of whose experience may be determined the best 

 course tO' follow. 



I recall at this point the wild statements made early in 1917 as to our promised ship 

 production. No one familiar with our business was deceived ; but when the summer of that 

 year had passed, and numerous yards had been established and the great number of fabri- 

 cated ships had been contracted for, our hopes were raised that there would be during this 

 year 1918 a production of ships in our yards considerably greater than ever before produced 

 in one year in any other single nation. We have not realized these fond hopes, but I ask you 

 to consider what has been done in the coimtry besides building ships. 



Think of the enormous tasks accomplished in the past twenty months, three of which 

 were the hardest winter months ever known in this country. Think of the cantonments and 

 camps built for soldiers, sailors and aviators ; the raising of an army of three million men 



