New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-21
Denman Gets Broad Hint
to End Shipping Board
Dispute
Demand for Probe
Moves President
Smoot Resolution Would
Turn Light on Possible
Sensation
From TAe Tribune Bureaul


Washington, July 20. - Chairman
Denman Of the Shipping Board re-
ccived a pointed suggestion from the
President to-day, il is competently re-
ported, that it was high time to COM
pose the differences in his organization
ard permit General Goethals to pro-
ceed with the Communicating and con-
struction programme.
This suggestion came, it is said, af-
tel the White House had been ac-
quainted with some Of the facts which
inspired the Smoot resolution, passed
by the Senate yesterday, asking for full
information regarding the practical ac-
complishments of the Shipping Board
IL administering the emergency ship
ping programme. Several influential
Senator's of both parties are anxious to
have the light turned on some OF the
Shipping Boards transactions under
the guidance of Mr.. Denman.
The report that General Goethals
rad resigned was denied to-day both at
the Offices of the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration and the Shipping Board.
Chairman Denman declared there was
absolutely no truth in the report. On
the contrary, Chairman Denman made
it plain that the Shipping Board was
p, oceeding with consideration Of Cen
cral Goethals's programme in a way
that promised speedy action toward
actual construction.
Goethals Has Defenders
whether Chairman Denman win be
compelled by the President to accept
the Goethals plans or not is yet in
doubt. The chairman of the Shipping
Board. il left to his own devices, it
is known, will insist on sweeping
changes of the programme an
nounced by General Goethals a week
ago. In this stand he will have the
support of Commissioner Brent, OF the
board, who is his most stanch sup
porter. He will be opposed by Com
missioners Stevens and Donald, while
the stand of Commissioner White still
remains in doubt.
There have been some warm execu-
tive sessions of the Shipping Board
during the last two days, during which
General Goethals has found strong
supporters in Commissioners Stevens
and Donald.
Chairman Denman has been repeat
edly charged with proceeding with
consideration of the Goethals pro-
gramme in most biased and critical
manner.
Not All Harmony
II is known that Mr.. Denman would
welcome the resignation of two mem
bers of the board. These members, IT
is creditably reported, have such pro-
nounced views on some of the ques-
tions in connection with the Geothals'
programme that their presence has
ceased to be a source of JOY to the
boss" of the board. These members
in turn would have quit several weeks
ago had they not felt that designations
at the time would have insured the
supremacy of Mr.. Denman in the
affairs of the board. This result, they
believed, would have brought the
emergency shipping programme to dis
aster.
Unless the President actually inter-
venes to give positive directions to
Chairman Denman the fate Of the
Gocthals programme rests with Com
missioner White. He has been de-
fender of General Goethals during
consideration of the programme during
the last few days, but has not yet an
nounced the position he will take
when the final vote is taken on the
question of proceeding with the Goeth-
ais programme.