The Detroit times., 1917-07-24
PRESIDENT MAKES CLEAN SWEEP OF
SHIPPING HEADS; NAMES ADMIRAL
CAPPS TO SUCCEED CANAL BUILDER
Must Start All Over
With Clean Sheet,
Says Letter

WASHINGTON. July q sweep
Ing steps were taken by President
Wilson today TO put an end 10 delay
in building Americas great mer-
chant marine.
Two designations those OF Gen
Goethals. manager OF the emer-
gency fleet corporation. and Capt.
White. member Of the shipping
board, were accepted Chairman
Denman. OF the shipping board. was
asked 10 resign
~ the same time the president
announced the appointment OF Ed
ward y Hurley. OF Chicago. as
chairman OF the shipping board. and
Admiral Caps, nav constructog
ss general manager OF the emer-
gency feet corporation
cambridge Colby. New York, WAS
named IN Whites place on the ship
ping board
We will start with a clean sheet.
the president explained in his letter
To Cocktails. accepting the generals
resignation Offer
II was evident FROM the prompt
ness with which the pres dent acted
In every particular that he had had
the house cleaning IN mind for
some days
In his letter to Gen. Goethals, the
president said
Nv uaar cen. Goethals-Your let
ter 20 iuly ~ does You sreat honor
" r. conceived ln n ave spirit ~
pn ir duty such q ! have l"arncu-,p
SAY % case Nhrro tHe interest ~ the
on. iit is t'. only thing ~ DO cnu-
sidcre1 r aftl frtiuEs and pet
sonal preference must POO rcsolutely
put aside sud rr mlst io the thing
that lz must ftrf' '"11i'
Tt Is wtth .his fact ia mind that
feel cousfrnfucd e. say trHf think
you have interpreted your duty rsht-
40 imper ols determination or the
questions az l.-uc can Now set the
sh pbuilding program on is way
promptly and effectively 90 compi"-
tton and success. ~ rs best that We
take the seif-forgettng course you
suggest and ncEIn again with tr"sh
sheet ~ paper beg inninE utf "nly
the saiu building b1t the fnriher ad-
min atrattOn 90 the program. The ship
building ls. happily ~ largo part
begun and cau now readily be clear
cd 20 debates that have uuqucstipna-
bly, dark'ued %.
with deep appreciation therefore
90 YOUR generous attitude and with
genuine admiration ~ what YOU have
been abb 20 = short time 20 accom-
plish I arc opt your resignation and
FEEL ;hs; in doing 50 ! am acting ur-
On your own best Judgment. as well
rs my cwn
nope you viii feel that the p"o-
PIE of tho country for whom YOU
have rendered great services. viii
Judge you Justly and generously IN
this ns iu other things and that all
personnl Misunderstanding and mis-
judgments that may have been Great
- VIII pass in short time entirely
Win warm regard. cordially and
WOODROW WILSON
Tho presidents letter 20 Dcnman
follows
". Dear Mr. psrman- hope ard
hsIev, that 7 mn Interpreting your
own neft Judgment as well a. my
own WHEN I say tfsi our duty con
cernirc tine debate and nliFundsr-
standing fhtt-Ens arisen In counec-
tion Wih tlc saip building program
oueht o. a. Settled without regard
Z, our perRonnl prefer noes pr our
refs7nal fsc!inxa, al together and
with Ih~ single purpose 81 doing
what VIII hest serve the public in
tcresf NJ decision We could now ar
rive az rouif eliminate tho cl~frrnts I
OF coHfroversv hat have creTt into
almost ev~r" quasi Gn In connection
with the program, ani 7 am CON
vince thai tNr 3rly wise course ~
20 begin afro fh -n-t Upon tho pro-
Grsm-for fh1t lie already IN large |
part In process 90 -N~rufi"n. bat Hpon |
the further -veertion - ~
have fou1d butu YOU and Gen.
Ncetlals ready o. Servo the public ~
a personal sacrifice Realizing that !
the only manner in which fh- way
can Sc crmnfct-lv Dirarci fhr hnr-
mon rua ana effective actian IL %
carry our ship building ulhns for
W. 20 ftoru fhis notrf .hru new aEcn- !
cies. cen Gnrfi.nis Las put his rraig-
ra'ior ia NJ hsnds and have ac-
ceptr,l n fn no tasur snirtt ~ which |
"a vas rendered not as deciding be- |
tNccn fsvu men whom = r"speCt AMI |
adn r.. Sut In order 30 make IN
widows decisions unnecessary and Let |
the waTt develop withptt further I
dipcussion or what i past an /
tsk'nE tha iibcrty ~ writing 20 tell |
you this IN the condolences that YOU 1
Wiz 30 giad 20 take The same dlsin- |
trrcsted seif forgetting course that |
Zen. Noethsis Los takr0. when YOU I
have done NJ nc has zone. Z am are i
thai r''u may count with the almost |
confidence upon the ultimate verdtct |
OF The people OF the country with re- |
gard TO your magnsulmous and un- !