The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-24
GOethals and Denman Both
Quit Commission.
Accepting GOethals's, President
Asks Denman To Resign.
BIG SENSATION At CAPITAL
Also Accepts Resignation OF
John b. White of X. c.
Prepared in Advance, Success
sors of All Three Named.

washington. July 24.-Sweeping
steps were taken by President Wilson
today to put an end 90 delay in build
ing Americas great merchant marine.
Two resignations-those of General
Goethals, manager of the emergency
fleet corporation, and Capt. John b.
White of Kansas City, member OF the
shipping board. were accepted Chalr-
man Denman of the shipping board
was asked to resign.
Denman Immediately sent his reslg-
ration to the president in a letter
promising fullest support.
At the same time the president an
nounced the appointment of Edwin
Hurley, Chicago, as chairman of the
shipping board, and Admiral Capps,
naval constructor, as general manager
of the emergency fleet corporation.
cambridge Colby. New York, was
ping board.
Start With Clean Sheet.
I'VE will start with a clean sheet,p
the president explained in his letter
to Goethals, accepting the generals
resignation offer.
1t was evident from the promptness
with which the president acted in
livery particular InaI ne ndu Hdu tine
house cleaning" in mind for some
days
The stepping out of the premier
canal builder came as a complies sur
prise to Washington. 1t was believed
that the president would make one
last attempt to mOllify the two con-
tending men and get them to work
together in the great ship construc-
ton program facing the government.
In accepting Goethals's resignation.
the president wrote the following let
ter:
Cordial Letter to Cocktails.
MY Dear General Goethals:
Your letter of July 20 does you great
honor II is conceived i'll fine spirit OF
public duty such as have learned to ex-
pect from you. This is, you say, case
where the service Of the public is the only
thing to be considered.
personal feelings and personal prefer
ence must be resolutely put aside and we
must do the thing that is most serviceable.
1t Is with that fact in mind that feel
constrained to say that 1 think that you
have interpreted your duty rightly.
mo partial determination of the ques-
lions ut issue can now set the ship building
program promptly and effectively its
way to completion and success. It is best
that take the self-forgetting course you
suggest and begin again with fresh sheet
of paper-begin not only the ship building
but the further administration of the pro-
gram. The ship building is, happily, in
large part begun and can now be readily
cleared of debates that have unquestt Inably
darkened it.
with deep appreciation therefore of
your generous attitude and with genuine
admiration of what you have been able
within short time to accomplish, / accept
your resignation and feel that in doing
so l am acting upon your own best judg
ment. well as my own.
Il hope that you will feel that the peo-
pie of the country, for whom you have
rendered great services Will judge you
justly and generously in this as in other
things and that all personal misunder
STANDINGS and miSindVmpDtS m
have been created will pass in short time
entirely away.
with warm regard, cordially aud sin
(Signed) WOODROW WILSON"
Asks Dcnman to Resign, Too.
The presidents letter to Denman
follows:
MY Dear Denman:
Il hope and believe that am interpret
ing your best judgment, as well as
my own, when | say that our duty con-
that has arisen in connection with the
ship building program ought to be settled
and our personal feelings. all together and
with the single -.rpose of doing what will
serve the public interest. No decision we
could now arrive at could eliminate the
elements of controversy that have crept
into almost every question in connection
with the pregnant and / am convinced
that the only wise course iG to begin
afresh-not upon the program for that is
already in large part in process of execu-
.OI II,
Il have found both you and General
Cocktails ready to serve the public at a
personal sacrifice. Realizing that the only
manner in which the way can be COM
pletely cleared for harmonious and effec-
tive action is to carry our slip building
plans forward from this point thru new
agencies, General, Cocktails has put his
resignation in my hands and have adopt
ed It in the same spirit in which it was
tendered-nQt as deciding between two
men who l respect and admire but in or
der to make invidiOus decisions unneces-
Nd 1Ce NHNa -rrr- tO =
out further discussion of what is past.
am taking the liberty of writing to tell
you this in the confidence that YOU will
be glad to take the same disinterested self
forgetting course that General Cocktails
has taken. When you have done MS he
has done. l am sure that you may count
with the utmost confidence upO- the uIti-
mate verdict of the people Of TIE country
with regard to your magnaninouA and un-
selfish view of public duty and upon win
ming In the retrospect the same admiration
and confidence that 1 have learned to fee
for you. "
with much regard and very great ap-
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