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INTRODUCTION
When J.A. Jones Construction was awarded the federal contract to oversee Liberty Ship construction at the Brunswick shipyard in February 1943, it faced the formidable task of transforming thousands of individuals into an organized workforce committed to wartime levels of production. In order to do this, the J.A. Jones management team benefitted from the ritualization of the construction process to transform their employees, their worksite, and the time they spent there for maximum productivity.
"Speed--More Speed"
In this photograph, Emil J. Kratt, general manager at the shipyard, stands at podium speaking before the launching of a Liberty ship. The podium is covered in patriotic bunting; beneath the lectern is a poster with the U.S. Maritime Commission insignia that reads "Ships for Victory" along with the urging of "Speed--More Speed" by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The dais behind Kratt is comprised of officers and dignitaries. The physical layout of the space, along with the symbols and important people on display, convey the gravity of this occasion and its place within the nation's war effort.
