The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-07-14

TO settle this matter.
Reports have reached the capt.
tai OF delay. too, In the construc.
ton OF the environments at the
American lake army post. due to
the failure OF Puget sound lumber
men TO keep the contractors sup.
piled with sufficient lumber.
Among tho important things
Among the lmpor
fixing irpasse are: The ship
building program, eantorment
construction. purchase Of equip.
ment and clothes for the half.
million seleet service army.
mining and distribution Of coal
for government and private
use, eo-ordln alton OF railroad
transportation, and conserva-
tIon and oistrl butlon Of food.
In all these matters there IL Sc
rlous delay, due 20 the unsettled
question as to how much the profit
ought to be-
Prices Fluetua.e
Steel 81 the uloat conspicuous CT
ample OF the ptice-fixing difficulty.
Seven weeks have been lost In
ship construction by failure TO
agree on base price for steel
plates whether ss5 or sos n ton
Is fair price and more time was
lost debating relative merits OF
wood and iron as materials for ship
construction.
Incidentally. he price % lumber
for ships and c.ntonment IL quoted
all the way from So a thousand 10
sts thousand
Government Liberal
The administration has tried 10
avoid controversy and delay by as.
surfing everybody that fair and
even liberal profits would be viii.
lngly paid for honest and prompt
work.
In awarding he work on canton
ments. this policy was carried TO
the length ~ hscardinE all com.
reiitive bidding and offering con.
tracts on tho d asls Of cost plus a
fair profit 4 Na.r profit might be
a. hirh rs per cent OF the amount
involved
Place Prof, Firs.
This plan has had only partial
success.
Some busincss men. moved By
patriotism. offered TO work for cost
with no profit.
On the other hand. some ~ the
most powerful business interests
those which control steel. OFF and
coal-havc placid profit above pa
triotism. and have insisted on a
margin OF profit which the govern.
ment officials regard an graspsnE.
Gary Fails
For many days personal dlplo.
macy has been AZ work. In the
hope the profi,eering interests
might be made 10 see reason and
accept voluntarily some funda.
mental arrangement fair TO both
sides. How they have failed 10 do
this II shown IN the action OF the
coal operators. headed by r. 8
Peabody and hit committee. Mr..
Gary and his steel committee have
in similar fashion failed 10 come
thru. Tho railrpad maKnRtes have
employed all their energies IN max.
ing n patriotic drive for the ~ per
cent increase In freight rates. and
have slgnally failed TO relieve
shortage OF coal cars or to provide
cars 20 transfer new food crops.
Secretary OF the Navy Dan
iels has commended from the
beginning II will be necessary
for the government 70 take
over all raw materials, ore.
coal, oil. wboi. cotton and
lumber. and rosslbly the basic
foodstufs, like wheat. corn
and potatoes. Secretary Baker
agrees with him ana would
add railroad transportation Of
coal.
President Wilson Is coming TO
the conclusion some radical step
OF this sort ma be forced by the
attitude Of n few big business men.
The federal trade commissions
plan for solving the coal famine Is
approved by most OF the cabinet.
and there Is disposition TO broad
en- II TO include other raw mate
rails.
But. whatever the remedy. all are
agreed something must be done at
once to end cclAy and inefflciency
ard ewDrH $50 ayaI,- ,rrrl-