New-York tribune., 1917-12-23
[Stof Correspondence

NNNW N.bff tfbftAttSff
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.-The Senate
investigation Of the Shipping Board to-
day developed the fact that Admiral
Capps. former general manager Of the
Emergency Fleet Corporation, had held
I'D 100000, 900 worth Of ship contracts
approved by his predecessor, General
Goethals. for a period Of nearly two
months. Chairman Hurley made this
admission under the questions Of mem
bers Of the committee. Some changes
were eventually made in the contracts,
Chairman Hurley stated, though these
were Of minor nature.
General Manager Piez, Of the Fleet
Corporation. told members Of the Sen
ate committee that the wooden ship
building programme had brokh down
several months ago and was still in
bad shape. This, he alleged, was due
chiefly to the failure Of the Southern
Pine Association to make good on de-
liveries Of timber. Some of the delay,
however, he stated, was caused by
changes in the wooden ship speciiica-
rions. Pressed for an opinion on the
necessity Of changed specifications,
Mr. Piez declined to pass judgment,
saving that there was a difference Of
opinion among experts regarding the
original specifications.
others to testify to-day were Com
missioner Donald. Of the Shipping
Board. and admiral Bowles. assistant
to General Manager Piez. Commis-
sioner Donald declared that he knew
Of no way that Congress could act to
increase the production Of ships. "The
Shipping Board is taking all possible
steps to accomplish this now" said Mr.
Donald. 81 do not know of any way
that Congress could help by legisia-
tion."
Gives Committee Figures
Admiral Bowles supplied the commit
tee with a confidential report on the
progress OF work on the shipping pro
gramme and enlightened the members
on the difference between dead weight
and gross tonnage calculation.
To~day's shipping inquiry developed
little that was TO the discredit of the
Hurley administration. Even the de-
lay in acting on the Goethals negoti-
ated contracts by Admiral Capps, though
probably more protracted than was nee
essary, yet was mitigated in some
measure, it was explained, by the fact
that the contracts were referred 10 Ad-
miral Capps the day that he undertook
his new duties and before he had
gained any appreciable acquaintance
with his new duties.
Senator Knute Nelson Hghtened the
proceedings somewhat to-day, when he
declared that the recent impetus given
wooden shipbuilding in this country
was due TO the initiative of Norwegian
shipbuilders who had recently estab-
lished yards on the Pacific Coast. Later,
when the qualifications of Mr.. Ferris,
chief constructor of the Fleet Corpora
ton, were under discussion, Senator
Nelson wanted to know whether he had
ever visited Norway.
General Manager Piez testified that
the reorganization of the Fleet Cor
poration effected by Chairman Hurley
about the middle Of November which
made the manager Of the Fleet Cor
poration an appointive officer, charged
only with such authority as was dele
gated by the chairman of the Shipping
Board, was sound business practice
and similar TO the organization policy
Of all large corporations. This change
in the organization, he explained, elm
mated the dual authority relationship
which had beeh the basis for the Den
that Congress could speed up shipbuild-
ing by legislation, though he admitted
that Shipping Board officials would ac
complish this, he believed, as they grad
ually expanded and refined their or
man-Goethals controversy.
Has No Alternative
Dir. Piez said he knew of no way
ganization to meet the requirements Of
the task which confronted them.
The wooden building programme was