Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-11
TO HURRY BUILDING
OF NATIONS SHIPS
Big Business Men Put in Charge
of Work for Emergency
Fleet Corporation.
CHARLES A. PIEZ TO DIRECT
Lack of Organized Methods AS
cribed for Delay in Con-
struction Program.

has not produced vessels speedily
enough, practical reorganization OF
the Emergency Fleet Corporation was
announced tonight.
Big business men have been put In
charge. And from now on the entire
work will be conducted as any ono of
Americas great corporations would be
by big organizers. Tho following
men have been named to push the work
with all haste:
Charles a. Picz, OF Chicago, prcsi-
dent of the Link Belt Company. and
with the reputation of being. one OF
the biggest business organizers in the
country, named as vice president of
the Emergency Fleet Corporation.
James Heyworth, of Chicago. con-
tractor.
A. j.. Mason. OF Chicago, engineer.
Charles Day, of Philadelphia, con-
tractor.
Frank Kirby. OF New York. architect.
John Burton Payne, Of Chicago, law
yer. :
Definite delineation of the positions
and duties of the six men have not yet
been worked out completely, but to
Mt. Piez will be given the job of turn.
Ing out Americas ships with speed
PIEz WILL ORGANIZE
HIS OWN PROGRAM
He will have to organize his own
program, and he will be given full
sway. 1t was made quite clear at
the Shipping Board offices that Rear
Admiral Washington L. Capps. now
general manager OF the Emergency
Fleet Corporation, and his assistant,
n Rear 1trair T. rr u.
be quite as active and influential as
heretofore. There were rumors that
Admiral Capps had. resigned, but to-
night the naval Office denied that such!
was the case. He said there was no
conflict of function no dispute and that
all were working to the best Of their
Sbil!tyytospgadpret tho vessels required
aid contracted FOR. rfsiasH, -, stssSs4
~ l.. Whatever the. ultimate position OF
admiral Capps and admiral Bowies, It
is known tha. the production Of tho
government vessels was way behind
the tentative program. 4.
Lack OF business methods wan
ascribed as the cause. This was
learned through committee composed
OF Mr.. PieS. Mr. Mason. Alr. Day and
MIR. Kirby. who made an Investigation
OF tho. shipyards Of the country to find
out why the delay in the Forthcoming
fleet They reported that there was a
lack of coordination of the work, that
material was not provided properly,
that specifications were changed over
night, and that in man,. cases the deck
lumber had been supplied for the ves-
sells even before the Keel lumber had
been shipped. Everything pointed to
Il lack of big business methods.
ONE OF STRONGEST
ORGANIZERS IN COUNTRY
Mr.. Tiez was appointed vice-presi-
dent of the Emergency Fleet Corpora
tion week ago. but in that fact there
was little indication that there would
be an ovcrturning Oh the organization.
He has the reputation of being one OF
the strongest big-busincss organizers
of the country. being Identified with a
corporation with large interests not
only in Chicago. but in Philadelphia
and indianapolis. Hc Is very friendly
with the labor organizations through
out the country, anC IS said never to
have had strike in his plants. He
becomes really tic active head cf the
Emergency Fleet Corporation, because
as rice-Lresidenr ne IS next to Edward
n. Hurley, president of the corporation
and chairman of tho United States
shipping Board. Tho other mon will
all work in close cooperation with
MIR. Picz AS was explained at the
Shipping Board:
THE reorganization of the corpora
tion in the three months OF it's work
had not been getting what was needed.
Business methods will be used now
instead of naval methods. The designs
of the vessels all have been drawn,
the specifications laid down and the
contracts let. 1t is simply tho busi-
ness of better organization of.the whole
work on business principles The
ships have got to be turned out
The Fleet Corporation is now so pcr
cent behind In it's supply Of wood.
There are now $40 wooden ships in
process OF construction and contracted
for. Probably no more Will be want
ed. There are go fabricated ships to
be built. The steel program has not
been delayed to such an extent, because
they arc longer in tho making AMI
their construction did not call for such
speed as the wooden and fabricated
vessels.
CALLS ron G.OOe,o0O TONS
''oSS~ASe ID oG IDtS
The program calls for 5000, 900 tons
OF vessels by, tho end Of 1918. 1t was
said that with tho proper appllca ton
tho reorganlaed corporation will be
able to meet that. and. moreover. keep
up to the schedule. which VIII provide
100000 tons Of shipping by the end
OF 1919. D.
Mr.. Hcyworth will devote hi. time
entirely to tho, wooden ship. problem.
Mr. Day is now in London, wl,ere lie
Is studying the English method of
Mr.. Mason Will devote
all his time TO field work.. watching
the the, delivery Of material In all tho
yards, and tho progress 3iof tho work.
One particular feature he Will con
.cc.entrate soni2wilt bo the delivery of
the Eastern coast sh,pbuIld-
err having ompiat cd to tho Shipping
S5ard that they could not Got their
Sod sltyslsd properly, &. 4. is.5s