The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-17
M'ADOO DENIES ANY
DICKERING FOR SHIPS
Secretary Says Government
Has Taken No Steps to
Get Tonnage.
TWO MEN SUMMONED

wAsHINGToN, Feb. 16.-Thc Federal
Government has taken no steps TO as
certain the number of merchant ships
available for purchase in the event that
the Administration shipping bill Is
passed by Congress. according to a let
ter from Secretary McAdoo to Senator
Fletcher.
Mr.. McAdoo's letter is in answer t,
81 the questions raised by the Burton res
olution last week making Inquiries as
TO whether or not Secretary McAdoo
had knowledge hat any official had
secured options on detained belligerent
vessels. Mr.. McAdoo has given evidence
that he resen,s his resolution as a
thinly yelled attack upon him.
The communication caused something
OF a surprise, for 1t had been assumed
that the Administration, while pushing
it's light for the ship purchase bill. had
prepared for the immediate establish
. 1nent OF the proposed merchant marine
ny getting complete data as 10 the ton
mage available.
Two lnfOrmn MIS-.
According to MIR McAdoo's statement
the only Information now in the pos
session of the Treasury Department re-
i garding available ships has been vol
unteered by two persons. Bernard NJ.
Baker Of Baltimore and J. V. Mccarthy.
manager OF the Merchant Marine Agency
Z OF Boston. The latter. some time ago
furnished the Secretary with a list OF
fifteen English and seven German ships
and more recently has submitted ilsts
OF available neutral ships
Mr.. Baker Informed the Secretary
about a number of French and British
ships available for purchase In CON
clusion Mr.. McAdoo says:
TN view of the false rumors ano
statements which have come TO my ears
hermit me to say in conclusion that the
Secretary OF the Treasury has AT no time
had a communication from or discussion
with any banking house. banking ihst'
tuition or banker in or out or the
United states in regard to the pur'
chase, sale or disposition In any man
ner whatsoever of the German ships In
termed in the ports of the United states
or elsewhere or In connection with any
other ships OF belligerent or neutraI
nations for any purpose whatsoever.
Mr.. McAdoo denied categorically cues
tions embodied in the Burton resolution
designed to ascertain II the secretary oil
the treasury OF any o'n.I "a -
w1tnh is khowIeuse OF consetl nau ny
oVertures or ulrecteu inpu,.'ss " -,
owners Oh oeilse,en. s"lps, 80 - ~,
'ehuets Vi saie VI ~ - 1870 -,
located persons who had secured OPP
lions on such ships or had directly OF
indirectly taken steps to get Information
as to the possibility OF purchasing sUcf
SHIPS .,,
MT MeAuoo aiu no ~ -.
slple stets "micn nn'tn. =.
.aheh ~ ms uite'tion ys a. ~.
WIN "nou" ~ ~,
INQUIRIES naue ny ,he $1,000 ra,ia,
,"s' 'an, "n.n -. o.. ,r;na
ooarr ""S ,""Sn ~ ' IL
ing hone II ivo'.uo nhr.eL ~.
VIE !" E'f'pe ~ '"o "
"H'
voluntary intormn'i""'
Her. ,s m. only excerpt from TN,
Secretary's letter In which he indicate.
,hat he has Information az TO wher,
Sims are available:
..Tbe Merchant Marine Agency. ]. V
Mccarthy. manager. Of Boston. Mass.
In January 1915 voluntarily and with,
ont the solicitation or request Of tn,
Secretary of the Treasury sent to tn,
Secretary of the Treasury a lis, of yes
sells. some of English and some OF Ger
man repis,ry"
Mr. adds that his at:entlo,
was called IN some offerings of ships .
British and French registry by Il y
BAKER of Baltimore.
mir. Raker"s ays tho Secretary gay
the ~nformatio contained in these ex
hihi,s in resnons. IN n question aske
him viz. whether IL was true. as Al
legged nv onnonen,s Of the thinning hi
that no shins other than the inferno
herman vessels could be purchased
Tho shining hin became law
.sTha SECRETARY Of tho Treasury ha
entered INTO no negotiations with NJ,
Mccarthy or ANYBODY else for the pur
chase of ships. These offers were sub
mitted TO the Treasury Department ,
before stated without solicitation on m
mar, and resul,ed I nres,,ne from IN
80" P,'e " 80