THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



223 



that manufacture the hundreds of parts 

 necessary to the building of a big steel 

 steamer. So long as these parts are for 

 a given size and type of ship, they are 

 made to an exact pattern and dimension. 



Similarly, when the ship-buyer wants, 

 say, an 8,800-ton cargo vessel, under the 

 standardization process he knows to 

 whom he can turn for a vessel of that 

 size and of the type that he desires. It is 

 just like the automobile buyer of today, 

 who knows where he can get a car of cer- 

 tain horsepower, size, and design. The 

 saving that took place in the steel mill 

 and in the industrial plants will benefit 

 the buyer. 



The comparison, in my mind, between 

 automobile factories and "ship factories" 

 is more real than mere theory. I think 

 that our plan for standardizing ships will 

 work out in a practical way, just as the 

 standardization scheme in the automobile 

 industry has been brought about. 



The great object to be attained from 

 all this, of course, will be the greater 

 speed in tonnage production. That is the 

 imperative need of today, and so long as 

 the war lasts the demand for rapid ship 

 construction will remain. Every mile 

 gained by American armies in France 

 calls for more tonnage, for with the 

 lengthening of our lines of communica- 

 tion and the strengthening of our man 

 power abroad the need for more food and 

 munitions will increase. 



By January 1 we hope to have com- 

 pleted the great bulk of requisitioned ton- 

 nage that was on the ways when the 

 United States entered the war. That will 

 mark the definite turning point in our 

 ship production. By that time we will 

 have put into effect our standardization 

 plans, and then, I firmly believe, Amer- 

 ica's shipbuilding machinery will be run- 

 ning at higher speed and greatly increased 

 efficiency. 



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