Bisbee daily review., 1917-12-22
 ASSUMES AL
 BLAME DUE ID
 SHIP DELAYS
Chairman Hurley Declares That Authreity Has Been Centralized and Production of Ships Assured.
CBy Review Leased wire,


 WASHINGTON. Dec. 2I-Full re- sponsibility for the success or failure Of the governments shipbUilding pro- gram was shouldered today by Chair man Hurley of the shipping board testifying al the senate commerce committees investigation Of delays in ship construction.
 Called as the first witness in the in- quiry. Mir. Hurley admitted that there have been delays. but declared thar the recent reorganization of the boards emergency fleet corporation for the first time gives the chairman Of the board proper authority and fixes responsibility wle it belongs. The iual organization of the board and the corporation, he said, has been done away with and the present gen eral manager of the corporation ansS- CTS directly 10 the chairman.
 Responsibility Placed.
 The present organization" AIr. Hurley said. "is the only way that ships can he built. We do not need additional legislation. If the head the institution does not build ships it is because of his inefficiency aTfd not because of faults or the organization"
 From Mir. Hurley and John A. Don ald. who has been a member of the board since it's creation, the commit tee drew a long story of the troubles Of the board and the fleet corporation. starting with the TOW at the outset between William Denman. first chair man Of the board, and MaJOr Gener- al GOethals, first general manager Of the fleet corporation.
 Besides organization faults. factors which have contributed to the delay in ship construCtion were given by NIT. Hurley as the navy's utilization of shipbuilding facilities, labor trou- bles, lack of housing for workers, the necessity or building new shipyards. and changes in specifications of ships.
 Specifications Changed.
 The changes in specifications were made in wooden vessels two months ago. after some of them already were under construction.
 They were made. Mr. Hurley said. by Admiral Capps and his staff Of designers when it became apparent that the sh:ps as contracted for origin ally needed larger timbers to strength en them.
 The labor situation. MT. Hurley said, is improving and the shipping board in cooperation with the war and navy departments and the council of na- tiOnal defense. is working on a com prehensive housing plan.
 Mir. Hurley told of the difficulties the old board and the new had in get ting the building program started. The board found. he said. when it started out to build ships that IS Of the largest yards in the country were crowded with navy work and that new facilities must bs provided.
 Time Big Factor.
 Tt is hardly fair 10 say that the newly created facilities shall from the very day they have been put in opera tiOn produce ships at their maximum capacity" he urged. Time is neces- sary for expansion and for the de velopment of necessary labor" The shipping board began its program. NIT. Hurley said. with only SS shipyardS existing in the country. Since then - entirely new yards have been creat- ed.
 The work thus for" he said. has been in many cases preparatory and has carried with it the usual amount Of annoyance and disappointments. But this preparatory period is rapidly getting behind us and the period Of actual ship construction in full accord ance with our plans is immediately be- fore us"
 Reorganization Cescribed.
 NIT. Donald described the fleet corp OratiOn's reorganization which strip GoethaIs successor. Of authority and led to his resignation. The recent resignation Of Rear Admiral Harris, who succeeded Admiral Capps and quit after about a weeks service. was due. Mir. Donald said, to the naval of ficer taking measures without con sulting the board. Admiral Harris was succeeded by Charles Piez of Chicago. whose office as vice presi- dent m charge of production was com bined with that Of general manager. The trouble between Denman and GOethals. Mir. Donald said. appeared 10 be a difference in temperament and the question as 10 who was in su- preme charge of the building pro gram. The controversy. he said. de layed the shipbuilding program and permitted more than a dozen ships to get away from the Uited States which might have been retained if the boards communicating order had been issued earlier
 Delays Cost Great
 The new board communicated con