The sun., 1917-12-22
SENATORS HEAR
HOW SHIP WORK
WAS RETARDED
Chairman Hurley and John
A. Donald of Shipping
Testify at Inquiry.
ONLY ONE VESSEL BUILT
20 Lost by Deiay-Contracts is
Let for 5.31O,1OO Tons
"a Yards Ready.
Special DeSnntch 10 Tar Snx


WAsHiNoroN, Dec. 2l.--The troubles.
trials. failures and future OF the United
states Shipping Board charged with the
work Of building the emergency war
time merchant fleet were laid bare to-
day in the first session OF the Senate
investigating tho board
e. ~ Hurley. chairman OF the board
and John A. Donald. a member. ap-
pcared before the committee. These
facts we're developed:
Only one ship has been started and
finished for the Governments merchant
feet since the formation Of tho Ship
ping Board and the Emergency Fleet
Corporation.
That private shipbuilders with Gov
eminent contracts for wooden ships
had the plans and specifications for
the vessels changed while in the proc
ess OF building the vessels.
This change In design cut down the
cargo carrying capacity Of the ships
about 700 tons each and will make
difference in the total cargo carrying
capacity Of the fleet when completed
Of quarter OF million tons.
That some great lakes shipbuild-
ing concerns which were asked to eX-
tend their plants to handle Govern
ment shipbuilding during the war were
refused any system Of amortization
despite the fact that the extensions
would be OF no value to the companies
after war as the plants are ample to
handle the ordinary shipbuilding on
the lakes In normal times.
Twenty ships Taken Away.
That twenty completed ships were
allowed to go to foreign owners before
the communicating order became ef-
fective and possibly Others.
That seventy-four new shipyards
have been built because OF the emer-
gency and the fact that the navy is
utilizing to q large extent the larger
established yards for its programme.
That forty-two Of these yards were
built where there was not SO much
as a homestead shack"
Labor. shortage OF cars for trans
portation Of materials and shortage Of
materials in the order named are the
chief causss for the delay In the ship
programme. Chairman Hurley de-
clared these obstacles almost had been
overcome.
.,, ',s ~, p ~ -. tso ," ~
80 onI,. On a. rn.,,,d hu, ,h,, ,ha
80 49,. 80, 4. ,ho,,, ,,ss
Th., an, ds,.v cau.sd nv ,or+ro-
versy between the Shipping Board and
the private shiphuilders over the aues-
eli,n,rated
That the retirement OF Admiral
Cams 40 general manager Of the
Emergency Fleet Cornorat;on and Of
Admiral Harria his successor from
the same no.ition was not due SOLELY
10 "i,I health" but that Cams de-
sired more autherity than he ros,essed
and that IJarr,, wa, "unsatisfactory.
Inxestiratlon Welcomed,
To begin with Mr. Hurley. who first
went before tho committee. made a
lengthy statement explaining the situa-
tion as It is at present. He declared
that the Shipping Board welcomed
thorough investigation Of Us accomplish
ments
When Admiral Capps and Joined
tho Emergency Fleet Corporation on
July 81, 1917, there were under con-
tract $4,000 tons OF wooden shirs
207,oo tons Of composite ships and
$4,000 tons Of steel ships" he said
Since then additional contracts amount
bOi 900 ton, Of wooden shin. have been
Pc" 80
s'u. s,,o,,nr , w. u,orr -, ,,onsi nn 'o an" y,
dn..,n ,"e ,or,, ,'an.. n,u ~
-,,,,a m ,,a,S 80 ne
$500, =, n,,., e
~. no,,;on -. ~. .o,.,
.. I,u,, 81 nav. nr.n.r.s 49,"
,to.,,,, '. o,..s, ~, a.. rrns anu
~ - '.
nro.r,mua -, cors,ruo,,on ] n", us, VIZ ,,s. ass
;n ~ a., ni,. ,,.,,,,. 49,. ."ne''
~ s.a ' .'', omran - sir' supe I'M
~. a,,,,,a,.nt ~ !, ,oI,,rs - "..n mas
", .s,uh,,;,s;n. -. -, -, gu" n...e!o'e
-, sno onn 80 ~, ,.,oh,, ~. n u-,Ion
..rho ,.,, nroar.,,,," pp"s
~ .Ss r "' .a,,s,. ""u pn"a'e
m, ~, ,, aIoh.s ,. ! ~ pei
..,.. -. Su, p .arus IN
81 C W 'ne "a'
wv. !. Wv. na'n,ns ao per
,',, ."N.n up WIN
,o so,, ,oro,n ~. . en'ppihe
& ~, ,,a. ,,,s,,ta "u account
~" . ,rn, "n"er the
urner ' Vi Hns.s' d, Inns tonnage Is now
oe''s 'o'"p'-,.n ",neI tne supcrvi~or
anu con''oi vi 'he emergency rleet Cor
Po'"''o"'