Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-08
RESULT OF DIFFERENCES
OVER WOODEN SHIP PLAN
General Manager Accused of Pre-
scribing Impossible Form
of Contracts.
TANGLE OVER COMMITMENTS
Chairman Denman, OF Shipping
Board, Had No Intimation
OF Controversy.
fRy Associated Pres..l


WASHINGTON. June 7.-Differences
over the governments wooden ship
building program came to a head to-
night. when r. A. Eustis. assistant
general manager OF the Emergency
Fleet Corporation. and his assistant.
f. Huntington Clark. issued state
ments virtually charging Major-Gen-
eral George W. Goethals. general man
ager Of the corporation. with haltinG
building OF the vessels by prescribing
an impossible form of contract.
The statements reveal that the feet
corporation has just received offers from
ten firms TO build 436 wooden ships
within twelve month. or 7s6 within
eighteen months. General Goethals
has turned the proposals down BECAUSE
the builders wished 10 construct the
ships on 4 cost plus 10 per cent profit
basis. instead Of contracting for a fiat
price for the ships.
aIr. Eustis and Mr.. Clark are the
mining engineers who originated the
wood shipbuilding plan adopted by the
Shipping Board. and regarded by Cen
eral Goethals as impracticablc When
the board formed the feet corporation
and put General Goethals at its head
with full powers TO build ships the
two engineers were assigned TO the
corporation as the generals aids.
After taking charge of the building
program. General Goethals turned to
steel construction. and limited the
wooden program to not more than $50
ships in eighteen months. Mr.. Eustis
md Mr.. Clark contend the corpora
ton can build 1000 wooden ships with
in that time without interfering with
steel building.
CANNOT FIND GOETHALs
TO OBTAIN STATEMENT
General Goethals could not be seen
;o-pigh, for comment on the state
ment. Chairman Dcnman. Of the Ship
ping Board. who has been represent
ed as opposing General Cocktails plans
to restrict wooden building. said:
None OF the members OF the Ship
ping Board has any knowledge of the
statements attributed to the engineers.
Mr.. Eustis and Mr.. Clark intimating
a refusal by General Goethals to build
many wooden ships as he might.
Nor had they the slightest intimation
that they were TO be issued. General
Eoethals, as head OF the Emergency
Fleet Corporation, in the service of
which they have been acting, has en-
tire responsibility for the shipbuildinS
program, wood and steel The board
has not insisted that either wood or
steel be given preference. All that we
desire is ti.A-+saStuaun of quickly con-
structed tonnage for immediate war
necessities. General Goethals has not
requested any assistance from the
Shipping Board. and any request for
assistance that he might have made or
will make would have been and would
be given immediate attention"
EXPECT RESERVATIONS
WILL DE ASKED FOR
Mr.. Eustis and Mr. Clark are serv-
ing the fleet corporation without pay.
Both indicated tonight they expected
their designations would be asked for.
duty to put the situation before the
American people and show them that
ships can he built to overcome the
German submarine campaign.
Mr. Clark explained to- night the
tangle over commitments for wooden
ships When first employed he and
Mr.. Eustis, he said. directed several
shipbuilding companies to go ahead
with wooden shipbuilding. leaving the
form of contract to be determined on
later The builders. he said, were
given to understand they would get
at least 10 per cent on their work
General Goethals. he said. on taking
charge, stopped all work, and the
prospective builders had been unable
to obtain any satisfaction as to whether
they would be given contracts.