Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-05-21
OFFICIAL DENIAL MADE
OF FRICTION OVER SHIPS
Chairman Denman Nails Rumors Of
Differences Between Board and
Gen. Goethals.

Reports in circulation in Washington
for some time, and which have been re-
peated on the floor of the Senate, that
there is friction between members oil
the shipping board and Mai. Gen.. Goe-
tha1s. manager of the emergency fleet
corporation, are denied in a statement
made public by Chairman Denman OF
the board.
THE shipping board" said Mr.. Den
man, has never wanted to build wood
en- ships, but has been driven to it by
necessity. 1t views the expenditure OF
government funds for this purpose
with the same regret that 1t would nave
felt toward the expenditure OF $5O,ooO'-
600 given to it by Congress at the time
of its organization for the building OF
battleships to carry merchandise. me
wooden vessel has an economic Falue
that is not entirely negligible But were
it not for the war it is not conceivahie
that we would have built one of them.
Unable to Get Steel Ships.
Before entering into the wooden
shipbuilding project, the board can
vassed the steel shipbuildinS industry
and found that it could get no contracts
for the building of steel vessels in any
large number for the government ac-
count While we did not know it at
that time, we afterward discovered
that the reason for this was that the
British government had contracted Tor
nearly all the available space IN Amer
lean yards.
Gen. Goethals did not ask it, but we
assured him that his managerial pow
ers should be absolute and that while
he could call upon the board for any
assistance he might need the board
would not attempt to interfere with
any of his policies. We have endeav-
ored to the best of our ability to carry
out our share of the bargains and we
know, as every one else knows. that
the general at this difficult task mas
given the same cheerful energy and de-
votion of genius to the nation that ne
did on the canal.
Should the effectiveness of the sub
marine be happily curbed it is obvious
that the first curtailment of produc-
ton would be applied to the wooden
ships In this connection it should be
noted, however, that if the world pro-
duces all of the steel ships that it now
can built-or that can be built in the
next eighteen months-and in addition
all the wooden ships which can be
half the rate of destruction established
by the German submarines in the
month of April this year.
Steel Men to Rescue.
THE men at the head of the steel
producing industries realized late in
April that unless the production of
tonnage was stimulated there was a
good chance of the Germans winning
the war. They met together. elected a
leader entered into communication
with the shipping board and promised
to supply us with very large amount
of steel for shipbuilding within the
period of very few months, increas-
ing gradually from the present time to
maximum to be reached about Oc-
tober.
Gen. Cocktails thereupon began upon
plan of organization of the steel
shipbuilding industry. which, through
Standardization of construction, would
enormously increase the output of steel
vessels. This plan would require TAX
ing over of all vessels under contract
in the shipbuilding yards whose date of
completion can be fastened by increas-
ed labor and more rapid supply of ma
ferial and enuinmenf -