The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1917-04-18
WILL FORM GREAT
SHIP CORPORATION
Goethals to Begin Building Anti.Sub-
marine Fleet as Soon as Possible.
VIII Standardize Boats.

marine Fleet as Soon rs Possible.
VIII Standardize Boats.
Washington, April 14-The admin
istration's program for building q
vast fleet Of wooden cargo ships to
transport supplies to the Allies and
thus defeat the German submarine
campaign will be put definitely under
way Monday, when the shipping board
will form fifty million dollar COR
poration to build and operate the yes
sells.
The corporation will be organized
under the laws OF the District Of Co
lumbia and its entire stock will be
held by the shipping board. In legis-
lation to be introduced in Congress
early In the week the board will ask
authority to increase the stock in the
future If needed to as much perhaps
as $225000,OO0. For the present the
$50,0OO,O0O will suffice.
Private ship yards will construct
the ships on standardized plan
adopted by the shipping board on
basis in most instances of 10 per cent
profit. Some contracts will be let for
specified sums. The board probably
will finance some yards, although pri-
vatc capital already is Offering mil
lions for construction Of the vessels
Major Gen. Cocktails, who at the di-
rcction of President Wilson has agreed
to supervise building Of the ships, will
come TO Washington to take charge
of the work as soon as he can ar
range to leave his task of building
New Jersey highways. f. a. Eustacc,
a Boston mining engineer, who with
f.. Huntington Clark, a New York en-
ginccr, conceived the idea Of wood
Ell ship fleet, probably will be asso-
ciatcd with him.
The law creating tho shipping board,
provides for a corporation, the major
ity Of whose stock must be held by
the board. It's directors will be cm-
ploycs of the board, who will elect
their own officers. Gen. Gocthals prob
ably will be elected general manager
Of the corporation and Mr.. Eustacc,
who is an cmploye Of the board, will
receive salary of one dollar a year,
and Mr. Clark, directors.
The 100000 tons of German shipping
taken over by the government with the
declaration OF war undoubtedly will be
put under the corporation, rs will the
Austrian ships now in custody of the
United States. The general opinion is
that the German and Austrian owners
will be paid for their use during the
war and for the ships themselves if
they are lost or arc retained.
The story of how the wooden ship
hlilding plan grew from an idea con-
engineers until 1T has taken a place
in the forefront of Americas war pol
icy, reveals that Yankee inventive gen
ius and ingenuity were as ready to
meet the present emergency as at any
time Of national stress in the past.
After Mr.. Eustacc and Mr. Clarke
had been called to Washington by
Chairman Dcnman, of the shipping
board, and the board decided to take
up the plan, Mr.. Eustacc decided to
interest Gen. Goethals and went to
place the situation before him. The
canal builder Immediately seized on
the plan as the one way by which
the United States could do most to aid
the allies in defeating Germany. Then
Gen. Gocthals was told the board wish
ed him to take charge Of the work. Re
luctant at first to leave his post In
New Jersey, the General finally was
convinced the nation needed him.
Gen. Goethals was chosen to head
the work, 1t was explained tonight, FOR