The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-07-13
SH|PSBUILD|NG
AND BUILT TOBE
COMMANDEERED
Executive Order to Speed Up
Construction
MAY SEIZE SUPPLIES
Additional Power Conferred on Ship
ping Board and Emergency
Fleet Corporation.

Washington, July 12-President VII
son issued an executive order today,
giving power to the shipping board
and emergency fleet corporation TO
commander ships in the building and
on the seas. This will speed up the
government ship building program by
more than twenty-five per cent.
The communicating order repeatedly
urged by both Chairman William Den
man of the shipping board and General
Goethals of the emergency fleet cor
poration. places the power in the gov
ernment's hands to speed up contracts,
take over the building Of ships, seize
ships on the seas and take over exist
ing charters. 1t is expected the number
OF ships at the command Of the gov
ernment will be Increased BY almost
fifty per cent by the end OF the month.
No question of a conflict in authority
between the shipping board and the
feet corporation is expected, principal
ly as result OF President Wilson's de-
cisi0n in the controversy as to the
merits of the wooden ship program
versus the steel ship plan advocated
by General Goethals. Chairman Den
man to whom the legislative order was
sent today Immediately dispatched a
letter to General Goethals apprising
him of the action of the president and
suggesting the shipping board wished
to work in entire harmony to the end
of increasing tonnage
Coming after the announcement the
steel manufacturers OF the country had
agreed uqon g program Ger ceiling
steel to the government at a minimum
price, the question OF Communicating
steel plants practically Is disposed Of
but the question of Communicating raw
supplies still remains open. 1t was
stated authoritatyely today the ship
ping board may feel called upon tc
seize supplies of pig iron, coke, coal
, and ore that they may be supplied tc
the steel companies at a price allowing
| the manufacturers a fair profit in sell
ing the finished product to the govern
ment at the agreed upon price.
1t was explained the steel companie;
dependent upon outside sources fol
their supplies of raw material coulC
not hope to supply steel to the govern
ment at a stipulated price if they were
forced to pay exhobitant prices foi
| the materials entering into the manu-
facture thereof The order delegates
a divided authority and affects som'
| $3.50 O00.O available for ships.
The order gives to the Emergenc.
Fleet corporation power to commando
materials and ship contracts, and thu
shipping board is given power to com
mandeer ships under construction ant
ship charters The shipping board ais,
is given the power Of disposition, OF
Grafton and management of the CON
mandeered vessels and Commercial
ships acquired by the United States.
| OF the $75000O000 at the disposal O
| the government for ships, S5OOOOO,OO
will be used by the feet corporation 4
letting contracts for new construction
and $3.50 100000 will be used Jointly b
the corporation and the shipping boar
in the Communicating program.
One immediate effect Of the ordc
will be the seizure Of contracts io
ships now on the way and the placin
sf extra shifts to work to hurry con
pletion.