Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-11-23
Asks to Be Relieved as Gen.
eraI Manager of Emergency
Fleet Corporation.
PLACE MAY BE FILLED
BY HOMER L. FERGUSON
Reuorts of Friction Between Naval
Constructor and Chairman Hurley
From Time to Time Denied.

Rear Admiral washington L. SappS
chief constructor of the Navy, has asked
to be relieved as general manager of
the shipping boards Emergency Fleet
Corporation because Of ill health and
probably will be succeeded by Homer L.
Ferguson, now president and general
manager of the Newport News Ship
building and Drydock Company. Mr.
Ferguson has been asked to take the
place.
In a recent general reorganization OF
the fleet corporation Charles A. Piez OF
Chicago was made vice president and
put in supreme charge of the ship
building program. Admiral Capps was
retained as general manager. but since
the reorganization he devoted his time
to technical details. 1t was said at the
time that the shipping board was MAX
ing tho changes to put production ex-
perts in charge.
The office of vice president was ere
ated by changing the bylaws. Edward
N. Hurley. chairman of the shipping
board. is president of the corporation.
Other changes within the organization
are pending. Admiral Capps was ap-
pointed general manager by President
Wilson to succeed Mai. George w.
Goethals.
Weakened Condition Noted.
admiral's weakened physical condition
had been known to him for some time
and on that account he had hesitated
yi - he Drac
when Gen. Goethals resigned.
1t - probable that Admiral Capps
for tho present at least also will bt
obliged to abandon active duty en-
tirely.
ping board to speed up the construc
ton program Vice President Charlie.
A. Piez ALREADY has taken over largt
share Of the work formerly done b!
the general manager, and has n hii
ing shipuilders.
II was stated authorifatively today .
the shipping board offices that othel
changes in the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration might be looked for. including
the resignation Of some of the principal
aids to Rear Admiral Capps. But the
point was made that these changes dc
not betoken. another reorganization like
that which followed the Denman.
Goethals controversy.
Reports Of Friction.
Thoukh here was no official statement
regarding the causes of Rear Admiral
Capps' resignation beyond the one
which said he had asked to be relieved
on account Of Ill health. it has been
reported frequently that friction has
developed between him and Edward n.
Hurley, chairman of the shipping
board These reports always have
brought denials.
These differences were said to be
largely over the optimistic views held
by Mr.. Hurley and his associates about
the amount Of tonnage which the ship
ping board and the Emergency Fleet
Corporation could produce. Mr.. Hurley
has held to the belief that the United
States would be able to approximate e
the 5000 00O0 tons of vessels needed
by the allies for the coming year.
No Promise Of Tonnage.
But Mr.. Hurley, in a talk with news
paper men last evening. insisted that
this program was not a promise. but
simply the end toward which the
board was trying to work. He said
that no positive assurance could be
given that the 100000 tons could be
achieved because of many factors In
volved which made accurate prediction