South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-07-17
SHIP PROGRAM
AGAIN HELD UP
Denman Hats Cocktails Plan
to RequlSitiOn Merchant
Vessels Now Building.

WASHINGTON. July 17.- The
governments merchant ship build
ing program was halted Monday
when Maj. Gen. Goethals. manager
OF the shipping boards fleet corpora
ton. postponed his plan 20 requisi-
ton all steel merchant ships under
construction and 20 let contracts for
building two government owned
shipyards for producing fabricated
steel ships.
At Gen. Goethals' Office IL was
said the pOstponement was due to
a request by Chairman Denman. OF
the shipping board. for a short de-
lay 20 give the board time 20 go
over the program. This was denied
at the shipping board. although the
statement was made that Gen.
GOethals mad been asked to supply
additional information concerning
his plans.
Mondays development was re-
Earded as bringing TO a direct issue
the question Of who is 20 have SUI
preme authority in carrying out the
building rcgram-Chairman Den
spend S75O.OO0. 900 for acquiring a
great merchant fleet. given 10 Prest
Wilson by congress has been divided
in an executive order between the
shipping board and its corporation,
the board being authorized 20 ac-
Quire vessels by purchase and the
corporation 70 take charge Of build
ing.
Denman Claims Responsibility.
In announcing his program last
Friday Gen. Goethals apparently as
sumed that as manager OF the cor
poration he would be given a free
hand. but Mr.. Denman. in a state
ment Monday night. assumes re-
sponsibility for the shipping board,
whose members are directors and
stockholders Of the corporation.
officials. who have watched the
situation develop and who have been
concerned lest differences between
Chairman Denman and Gen.
Goethals hinder the governments
ship building plans AT time when
every vessel that can be construct
ed is needed 20 meet the German
submarine menace, declared Mon
day night that Pres't Wilson might
he called on 20 settle the controversy
once for all.
While the disagreement between
the two men appears 20 be largely
over the number and type OF wood
en- vessels 20 he built. Il Is no secret
among their friends that the differ
ences go deeper than that.
In a letter 20 Mr. Denman made
public Friday. Cen. Goethals an
uounced that he would start his
program Monday. The fact that he
has postponed IL was made known
after he had received "A letter from
Mr.. Denman Monday morning The
contents OF this letter neither would
divuIge. and at the offices of one it
was declared Mr. Denman had ask
cd for a delay while at the Office of
the other il was asserted he merely
had asked for more complete infor-
nation.
Here Is DCnman's Statement
Mr.. Denman's statement accepting
for the shipping board and the cor
poration responsibility for the ship
building program. given 20 the press
Monday night. reads:
we requested Of Cen Goethals
certain information concerning his
program for the expenditure or the
$3.50. 600. 600 o. public money where
the president executive order has
made the board and the corporation
responsible II the project had
reached the condition OF prepared
ness which 10 has been asserted has
been reached the information could
have been furnished in two hours:
or we could have been told if the i'm
formation was not i'm hand
When we do get information i'm
writing We viii take mp with Gen.
Goethals a discussion of all the mat
tiers involved i'm the project OF build
ing ships What we want is speedy
construction OF ships. reasonable
prices for steel ina ship fabrication
and retention Of all alien tonnage
ON our stocks. which may he neces-
sary 20 carry troops and supplies 70
Europe if tho rate OF submarine
Sin5ings continues AT even two
thirds OF that for the last five
months.
we also are interested i'm the re-
tention by the government or any
fabricated plants constructed by the
government and are interested i'm
determining the policy as 90 their
sale on facts as they exist after the
war and not now. We cannot now
determine conditions OF the world
and we may require operation OF
these plants by the government aft
er the European war is over.
Saws Contractors Unknown.
Gen Goethals has not even told
the public or the directors OF the
CORPORATION he name OF the two
contractors who viii undertake the