d then he began
his work. His first day was spent in going over the details of his task
with Chairman Hurley and Mr. Piez. He then received newspaper men,
beginning the campaign of publicity which turned out to be so
successful. He was full of compliments for the work which had already
been done. "It is prodigious, splendid, magnificent!" he said. "It is
far greater than any man who hasn't seen the inside of things can
appreciate. The foundation is laid. That task is well done. We are going
to get the results which are needed and I should be proud if I could
have any part in the accomplishment. All I can say for myself is that I
am filled with enthusiasm, energy and confidence. Mr. Hurley and I are
in full accord on everything, and we are going to work shoulder to
shoulder to make the work a success, but the large burden must fall upon
the people at the yards, and they are entitled to any credit for
success. I do not want to have any man in the shipyards working for me.
I want them all working with me. Nothing is going to be worth while
unless we win this war, and everyone must do the task to which he is
called."

One of the first steps that Mr. Schwab took to speed up ship production
was to establish his headquarters in Philadelphia, as the center of the
ship-building region. Chairman Hurley remained at Washington, and the
operating department, which included agencies such as the Inter-Allied
Ship Control Committee, was removed to New York City. It was stated that
nearly fifty per cent of the work in progress was within a short radius
of Philadelphia.

The year before the war the total output of the United States shipyards
was only two hundred and fifty thousand tons. The program of the
shipping board contemplated the construction of one thousand one hundred
and forty-five steel ships, with a tonnage of eight million one hundred
and sixty-four thousand five hundred and eight, and four hundred and
ninety wooden ships, with a tonnage of one million seven hundred and
fifteen thousand. These of course could not be built in the shipyards
then in existence. New shipyards had to be built in various parts of the
country.

In the first year after the shipping board took control, one hundred and
eighty-eight ships were put in the water and through requisition and by
building, one hundred and three more were added to the American merchant
fleet. By April, 1918, the government had at its service 2,762,605 tons
of shipping. Dur