The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-06-08
Engineers Of Federal Shipping
Board Issue Statement Calling
GoethaIs To Task For His 0p-
position To Wooden Vessels
ALLEGE CONTRACTS FRAMED
so AS TO DEFEAT PURPOSE
Eustace and Clark Declare
Course Pursued BY Head Of
Commission Is Of Type That
Approa ches 0bstructionism
(Associated Press By U. s. Naval Com
munication SerVicel

munication Service)
WASHINGTON, June S---Carrying 20
an acute stage the controversy over the
relative merits of wooden aud of steel
ships as factors in smashing the subma-
rine blockade, Frederick A. Eustace
and A. B. Clark, engineers of the fed
eral shipping board, issued a statement
yesterday virtually charging Maj-Gen.
George w. Goethals, in charge Of the
ship construction, with obstruetionist
tactics initiating against the wooden
ship project.
The Eustace- Clark statement prac-
tically charges General Goethala with
having 50 framed the contracts for the
wooden ships as - make their eonstrue-
tioif pEohibitfte on account of the re-
quiremehts Of the contracts.
The project for the construction inn.
mediately Of thousand wooden ships
in oil parts Of the country to take the
place of the tonnage destroyed by
German undersea pirates and thus TO
break the submarine blockade was
originated by Engineer Eustaee, who
is member Of the shipping board.
The government, through the shipping
board, organized and Incorporated
company TO build the vessels. GEN
eral Goethals gave up a position at
the head of road building in New
Jersey to take charge Of the ship con-
struction for the United States.
Soon afterwards the controversy
over the feasibility Of great wooden
ship feet developed. The difficulties
in the way of the wooden ship project
were pointed out as inability to secure
such an amount of lumber, the imprae-
tieability of the plan and the impossi-
bility of having so many ships con.
structed at oHe time. Two weeks ago,
at banquet Of steel manufacturers in
New York, General Goethals announced
that the wooden ship plan had been
abandoned. In announcing his substi-
tute plan for the construction of steel
ships that eventually could be made
into an American merchant marine,
General Goethals said:
"on the principle of the seleetiye
draft / have been called again into
Government service.
"The plans which I found had been
formulated were TO build 1000 wooden
ships in eighteen months They were
to build wooden ships because there
was no steel available.
81 consulted with Mr.. Farrell and
found that / could get steel. 1 there
upon announced the impossibility Of the
wooden ship project. Fifty million dol
lars have been appropriated for the use
of the shipping board from the sale of
Panama canal bonds. But no effort has
yet been made TO sell any of those
bonds. Money is necessary TO build
ships, and began a campaign to get
money. | am also believer in abb
solute authority. i wanted money and
authority. l have been given both nm.
der the pledge of the steel people to
supply me with materials.
| ~ want the cooperation Of the steel
men. have got TO have the coopera.
| tiOp Of manufacturers Those who help
build ships viii help bring the war to
termination.
Later a compromise plan for the con,
struction Of several hundred OF the
wooden ships was arranged.
The statement issued yesterday by
Engineers ,Eustace and Clark alleges
that the construction of the original
number of wooden ships was feasible
and would not in any manner Interfere
with the construction at the same time
of additional ships of steel. E.....
| William Denham, chairman of the
shipping board and president Of the
company in charge of the construction
of the feet of vessels for the govern.
ment, said yesterday that he did not de.
sire to make any comment on the state,
ment of Eustace and Clark nor in any
way enter into the controversy.
! General Goethals refused TO comment.