The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-28
MAKE 5000 DEFICIENCY
IN MERCHANT TONNAGE
Denman Condemns Persons For Try
ing To Create Controversy BE-
tween Board and Cocktails.
BOARD RECEIVES CORDIAL
SUPPORT OF GOVERNMENT
VIII Continue To Use Utmost En-
beavers To Defeat Submarine Cam
paign-Must Turn Ont Many Ships
In Eighteen Months.

Washington. May 77.-wiliam Dem
man. chairman OF the shipping board.
tonight sharply condemned persons he
charged arc attempting to create
controversy between General George
w. Cocktails. In charge of the mammoth
merchant fleet building movement. and
members OF the board. And in the state
ment he administered reproof to Gem
oral Cocktails for his address in New
York Friday wherein GoethAls called
the effort to build 1000 wooden ships
In eawhssen>.uaAtfss s4sepeiass,'
I'VE believe that the committees OF
congress and not public dinner with
the head of the steel trust are the
places for the discussion of matters of
policy with regard to sh!peuilding."
said Dennan.
THE shipping board ha. but one
purpose in Its activities in Washington
at the present time. That is to use
its utmost endeavors and powers to
defeat the submarine campaign OF the
German empire. No person nor any
groups OF capitalists can
draw any one Of us into q controversy
with General GoethAls. nor do we
think that the general il seeking II.
III all the ships that can be built
In the next year or eighteen months
are built there would still be need
for thousand wooden ships.
We stand to make good the den-
|ciency In our merchant tonnage. even
though the German rate OF destruction
lis reduced to half that established In
the month of April. I do not know
whether a thousand wooden ships can
be built in eighteen months. There
was hope expressed that we could
and I have carefully avoided denying
the possibility of realization OF this
hope. My reason for not denying It
In because we do not care to have our
herman enemies In Berlin receive that
amount Of comfort. can state that I
think that General 0oethals Is Of the
same point Of view with regard to the
Germans Every attempt to make 1t
appear that there 10 disruption be-
tween General Cocktails 10 adding to
German comfort and assurance.
RecsiveA Quick Respense.
II desire to have It made clear that
In my long experience with legislative
bodies have never known any legisiA-
.tare to give the quick response to any
suggested explanation which has been
given to the proposals of the shipping
hoard for three-quarter- billion-doliar
appropriation. The response OF the
senate WAS almost instantaneous. The
lrApidity OF movement Of the legtslation
lin the house when one considered what
was asked Of II. has been equally phe-
nomenal.
Every request we have made to the
treasury department. Tor money has
been received equally quick response.
It was not necessary to sell Panama
canal bonds In order to obtain money.
The general must have bcea uneer
some. misrepresentation In this esnnso-
tion. have deep fastA In tho -.
sorrcefulncss as the Americans ana
the allied naval cfNcers snc ;nv~ntnvs
10 destroy the submarine.
until that time wa a1aat keep ths
allies fed and rnunitioned ~ Aeeta eou-
istantly diminished by ts,a torpedo, II
! Is not going to hclr the var TO s,raAd
stories Of eisharmony among the Va.
Irious organizations 1T government kevs
| in Washington.
II can say with great Certainty
that the board hAs received nothing
but the most cordial support and as
sistance from avery branch Of tAe gov
eminent, including the council Of ma
ltionAl defense. tbs department Of COM
nnerce. the army. the navy. the treasury
department. ard the department OF