The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-07-13
WILSON ORDERS
WOOD AND Steel
VESSELS BUILT
Row Between Goethals and
Denman Is Not Yet
Settled

Washington, July 13-The Preside
today, by executive order, directed the
Shipping Board and the Emergency
Fleet Corporation to proceed with
the Immediate construction of both
wooden and steel ships. the COM
Wandering of ships on the ways, and
the communicating and chartering of
ships on the seas up to the limit per-
n1itted by the. $3.50, 100000 appropri-
ated by Congress for the emergency
tship programme.
/ However, the question Of whether
General Goethals or Chairman Dem
man now has the power to shape the
course of the shipping programme
still remains a matter of grave doubt.
In fact, to impartial observers, the
President seems to have set the stage
for a protracted continuance of the
row between Chairman Denman and
| General Goethals.
The Presidents order vests authori-
/, ty in the Emergency Fleet Corpora
| ton. of which General Goethals is
general manager, to spend $500, 000,-
900 for construction and for comman-
deering ships now under construction
on the ways for foreign owners. Over
the expenditure of the remaining
| $3.50, for communicating and
L
division of authority between the
Shipping Board and the Emergency
Fleet Corporation.
/ On the face of this arrangement it
| would appear that General Cocktails
| has the larger power as was the in
i tention of Congress when the great
4 sum for the emergency ship program
was voted. There is a little Joker in
1 the situation, however. General
/ Cocktails as manager of the Fleet
4 Corporation, is subject to the direction
of the executive committee of the
board Of directors Of that organize
ton. To be sure. General Goethals
himself is a member of this executive
committee, but his two colleagues are
Chairman Denman and Mr.. Eustis,
who, it will be remembered, was dis
charged some weeks ago from the
fleet corporation by General Goethals,
but his resignation declined by Mr..
Denman.
1t can be confidently predicted that
Chairman Denman and his supporter.
Mr. Eustis, will let no opportunity pass
to set obstacles in the way of General
Goethals. In fact, they have already
begun by inspiring reports that this
Us an appropriate time for the builder
of the Panama Canal to take a much
needed rest at some quiet summer re-
sort.
That General Goethals will resign,
however, is not a very strong posi-
bilit5 at this time. The general likes
a fight about as well as anything that
can be served UP to him Mr.. Dem
man, despite his suave protestations
of admiration and friendliness for
General Cocktails. has made 1t plain
to those closely in touch with the
shipping situation that he was &c
discredit him. No one knows thiS
better than General Goethals.
For General Goethals to surrender
at this stage Of the game therefore
would be most unexpected Up to the
4 / present he has declined to talk: In
fact, he has adopted that method fo1
4 procedure which is. called in the par
4 lance of the soldier passive resist
! ance." However passive resistance
is not the only plan of operation II
+ ! General Goethal's repertoire.
The general is going to build ships
+ and if Mr. Denman gets in the wa!
n misrepresentation and f1nesse will no
n be as successful expedients as seem'
to have been the case in his dealin,
81 with the President.