Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-24
TO END SHIP ROW
within "a HOURS
President Lays Strong Hands
Upon Controversy Between
Goethals and Denman.
PERSONNEL CHANGES LIKELY
Resignation of White as Member
of Board May Give De-
sired Opportunity.
PERSONNEL CHANGES LIKELY

WASHINGTON. July ?3.-The ship
ping row will be settled within twenty
four hours. The President, alarmed to-
day at reports Of the delay to the pro-
; gram. laid strong hands upon the con-
troversy between General Goethals and
Chairman Denman.
AS a result. changes in the personnel
with certainty in high quarters.
The President took. the matter up
imm cdiately upon his return to Wash
ington this morning. This afternoon
he hurried to the Office of Frank Polk.
acting Secretary Of State. then to the
Office of Secretary of war Baker.
There gathered in that Office immedi-
ately Secretary Daniels, of the Navy
Department.: Chairman Denman and
the shipping committee of the Council
of National Defense.
Immediately after this meeting. the
White House authorized the statement
that the whole shipping matter will be
Strengthened out within twenty four
hours.
cipal difficulty between General Goe-
thals and his board of directors"
arises out of the plan for commander
ing ships now in the water. and over
contracts for shipyards which the
government will build.
OF SHIPS
Is NATTER CONSIDERED
Communicating ships was one OF the
principal objects of the Presidents call
at the State and War Departments. and
of the conferences among the Cabinet
members representing these branches.
the shipping committee and the chair
man Of the Shipping Board.
The resignation OF Captain John B.
White. one of the board members. was
confirmed to-day. At the same time it
was learned that Captain White had
actually rendered his resignation many
weeks ago. He then gave i'll health
as his reason for wishing to retire.
When the Goethals- Denman row be-
came hot Captain White intimated that
it would be agreeable to him IL his
resignation was not accepted. To-day
however. he admitted publicly that he
had resigned. and that the President
might accept his resignation at any
moment.
The most likely change L. the per-
sonnel Of the Shipping Board suggest
ed here tonight was that the Presi-
dent would take advantage of Captain
Whites resignation to name new
member of the board. possibly desiE-
mating him chairman in place of
Mr.. Denman. In such an event It is
considered likely that Mr. Denman
would not continue long to serve.
DENMAN MAY RETIRE
WHEN DISPUTE IS SETTLED
With new mar at the Shipping
Board head the development of the
shipbuilding program might at least
be expected TO proceed without acri-
mony. and with a speed which 1t has
hitherto lacked. Once the points now
in dispute are settled. ii is considered
likely that Mr.. Den.nan will retire.
The President Is not wholly dis
pleased with the work Mr.. Denman has
done. He has learned that within a
week much progress has been mado
on the shipping program. Contracts
for seventy-fve new ships have been
let within that time. They include
both wood and steel The chief points
of disagreement appear to be the pro-
gram for Communicating ships already
in the water. ard for the erection
OF the government-owned shipyards.
Nevertheless these itoms are vital to
the complete success OF he shipping
program. and the President is not Will
Ing that they should be delayed a mo-
ment longer than possible