The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-06-08
COCKTAILS DISMISSES
two CRITICAL AIDES
F. N. Clark, Engineer, and F. A.
Eustis, Ship Expert, Ousted.

sary equipment when requested. and |
protecting the contractor on account |
OF advances in the cost OF labor and |
in the price OF materials. The only |
contingency unprotected is inexperi- |
ence, which is not a contingency, IL |
the prospective contractor possesses |
the necessary and proper organiza-
ton for carrying on the work.
"On April Is I made certain recon- |
mendations TO you concerning the nee
essary authority. There were 100000 |
available, and contracts were limited to
this amount until the hearings were
held, n order that / might truthfully
tel the committee that l had not obli- |
gated the Government beyond the
amount available.
Tells of Obligations.
subsequent to the hearing. I removed
the limit and have obligated the Gov
eminent in excess Of the amount to
saJOOO.oOO or $zs.OOo,oOo. This shows the
falseness Of the statement that ship con-
struction u being delayed unnecessarily
"A competent naval architect was
employed He will not approve the.
Hough or the Donnelly plan for ships
engaged in overseas travel, due to the
| lack OF proper longitudinal strength.
with the view Of strengthening con-
struction sufficiently to warrant the
building OF a limited number Of ships
| OF this design, which are to be built
under the personal supervision OF MI.
HouRh. In view of the recommends
ton Of the naval architect, ! am not
willing to take the responsibility OF
contracting for the construction OF
ships along those designs.
| THE usefulness of these two gen
1 tIemen in this organization is at an
end. Mr.. Eustis was retained at your
suggestion and given a position OF
responsibility.
"For Lack Of Loyalty
How he has fulfilled his duties his
statement to the press discloses:
Under the circumstances, / am ac-
cepting the resignation of Mr.. Eustis
as q member OF the executive COM
mIttee Of the United States Shipping
Board Emergency Fleet Corporation,
and discharging him from the service
for lack OF loyalty and mistatement
! and Misrepresentation Of facts.
This applies to his employment
| with the corporation, and, Of course,
has no bearing on the dual position he
occupies as agent Of the Shipping
Board.
I "MlE. ClaTk Is 10 De olEHlsteu rum
the service for similar reasons"
"What's WHAT For Public.
The facts are" said Mr.. Clark TO a
Times representative. that we have
received offers from some OF the big
gest and most reputable firms in the
country to turn out $500. 900 tons of
wooden ships within eighteen months
Three big firms have offered. after
six months. TO give us one ship OF
5000 tons a day.
These offers have been submitted
to General Cocktails and have been
rejected. II alone knows the reason.
We want the public to know what's
what. The claim that wooden ships
can't be built is absurd, and dis
proven by documents We have in our
possession. and which General Goe-
thals has seen.
Meanwhile the situation across the
water is a lot omre serious than most
people over here realize, and unless
omething is done quickly. we're going
to have war in our own waters before
Christmas.
We have no quarrel with steel
ships Every one admits they are bet
have steel ships and wooden ones,
too?
Steel Program Slow.
The program to build steel ships Is
too slow. Despite the fact that the
need is most pressing. We haven't
even started. Theodore Ferris. con-
sulting architect on the board. is still
working over his drawings. II Will be
two weeks before they are in real
shape. Il will be a month at least be-
fore the order for the steel can he
placed. II isn't possible to build
enough steel ships in the required
time.
Wooden ship haven't really been
given a fair deal. In the fret place,
the standard design settled on is so
intricate sthat many OF the firm
wouldn't agree 10 handle It. II re
ouires too much skilled labor. It's
a good ship. but it's too hard to build.
II takes too long.
I'VE have had offers of more simple
designs which would answer the pur-
pose But General GoethGls sits in his
chair like an iron-handed dictator"
The Shipping Board announced to-
day that contracts for l6O wooden
ships had been let with in the last ten
days, 100 ships to the Southern Pine
Association and sixty to different
firms on the Western coast, with an
option for fortys more at the same
/ price