The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1917-08-04
TO TAKE 700 SHIPS
NOW BUILDING HERE
shipping Board is Ready to Com
mandeer All Vessels in American
IardS-Ships at Sea Come Next.

Washington, Aug. 3.-The Ship
ping Board today decided to COM
mandeer Immediately all ships Oh
the stocks in American shipyards
and hasten their construction. This
means the seizure of about 700 yes-
sells of more than 100000 tons.
about 1,024,0 200 tons of which is
being built by British interests.
The communicating OF ships on
the stocks will be followed by an
order placing under Government
control all American-owned ships on
the seas, this making it possible for
the Government to direct their op-
erations. In the direction of this
shipping the Government will work
in cooperation with the allied Gov
ernmentS.
1t was said today that Rear Ad-
miral Caps, General Manager OF
the Emergency Fleet Corporation,
who will be in direct control of this
phase OF the shipping program, was
at work on the commander order,
and that it might become effective
tomorrow, or Monday at the latest.
1t is proposed that the Govern
ment, in order to hurry construc-
ton, shall take title to the contracts
and the hullS in the present stage OF
construction. This will make it pos
Sible for the Government to put eX,
ira shifts of men at work and guar
antee additional pay for overtime.
1t is likely that in completing the
contracts the Government will re-
fuse to pay the high price for steel
agreed to by allied countries, and
will do its work on the basis OF the
price to be fixed after the investiga-
ton by the Federal Trade Commits
sion into production costs.
The question as to ultimate own
ership of the vessels which will be
Communicated has not been settled,
but final disposition of the foreign
craft will be left to negotiations be-
tween the United States and the
Governments concerned.
If conditions warrant the Govern
ment will permit private capital to
regain ownership Of the vessels at
ter they have been completed; 9TH
erwise the Government will take
them over. The latter course would
involve large expenditure Of mo-
ney some officials favor putting to
other use.
General Goethals' plan for con-
structing two Government-owne
shipyards for building fabricated
steel ships is to be taken up by the
Shipping Board later. 1t is under
stood that Rear Admiral Capps is
opposed to the form of contracts
proposed by the General for this
work, and that the whole plan may
be abandoned. In that event the
fabricated ships would be built in
private yards for Government ac-
count.
American steamship owners mere
declined yesterday to comment on
the plan of the Shipping Board to
commander all shipping now under
the American flag. The impression
was general that the Panama, An
con, Colon, and Alliance Of the PAN
anna Railroad Company, which are
Government owned, would be taken
over for the Atlantic trade, as they
are big freight carriers, and that
steamships of the United Fruit Com
pany would have to carry freight
from Colon to New York at Govern
ment rates. Two of the largest
United Fruit liners are already in
the service of the Navy Depart
ment.
1t is understood that several
steamships. engaged in the West In
dian apd Central American trade,
will be taken off within fifteen days
and put into the Atlantic trade to
carry food to the Allies.
The American Line fleet which
carries passengers and mails and
about 5000 tons of provisions on
every voyage to England will not be
interfered with by the Shipping
Board. it is said.