The Washington herald., 1917-07-18
To END SHIP
BUILDING ROW
Goethals and Denman Plan
Conference on Methods
of Letting Contracts.

All the cards In the governments
shipbuilding controversy will be laid
on the table today. II is expected, and
the differences between Chairman Will
liam Denman of the Shipping Board,
and Gen. George w. Goethals, mana
ger OF the Emergency Fleet Corpora
ton, will be settled.
1t was stated last night that Gen.
Goethals had suggested to Mr.. Dem
man that a conference be held for
going over and settling all matters
pertaining to the shipbuiiding pro-
gram. Chairman Denman replied that
/, such a conference was eminently de-
sirable and could be held as soon as
the contracts for building two govern
ment owned yards for construction
Of fabricated steel ships and the
estimates of cost on commander
ing ships now on the stocks, had been
placed in his hands by Gen. Goethals.
1t Is understood that this informa-
ton will reach Mr.. Denman's office
today and that Immediately there
after the conference will be called.
The failure sof Gen. Goethals to
send the contracts and estimates to
the Shipping Board caused further
delay In launching the government S
program. it was stated in the Ship
ping Board offices. Until this infor-
nation is at hand. II was stated there
is no need OF holding a conference.
and perhaps when the terms have
been examined. there will be no need
Of comforting with Gen. Goethals.
Chairman Denman made this state
ment last night.
I'VE have not received the contracts
for building two yards for the con-
struction of fabricated steel ships,
for which We are to spend $780,
600 of the public money or estimates
for the Communicating of ships on the
stocks. AS soon as we have these
contracts and estimtes which were
asked for at o'clock yesterday morn
ing. we will call a meeting which
trust Gen. Goethals will attend, to
discuss- them.
I'VE desire to have at hand the
contracts to which Gen. Goethals re-
ferred in his statement last Friday
and the cost OF communicating under
the, plan he sad he desired to put
in force Monday. The total amount
Of money involved in these two pro-
jects Is $500. 10000 and as yet we
have not seen the contracts or the
maps of the property on which the
plants are to be built, nor have we
had the estimates of the cost of COM
Wandering. We have every hope
that these will reach US In the near
future, as failure to reach US is in
terfering seriously with the rapid
construction Of ships.
The meeting which will be called
will be of the Shipping Board which
owns all the stock in the Emergency
Fleet Corporation and the consulta-
tion will be with Gen. Goethals, gen.
eral manager OF the corporation and
the plans finally matured will then
receive the approval of the directors
OF the Fleet Corporation. AS the law
requires that the majority Of the
directors Of the Fleet Corporation be
residents of Washington, and as some
members OF the board are not resi-
dents. 1t is made up of employees of
the Shipping Board as well as men,
bers."
One phase of the shipbuilding plan
which 1t Is hoped to put in opera
ton first will be the construction OF
wooden vessels to take the place of
colliers used in the coastwise trade
and which will be commandeered for
use in transatlantic service. 1t Is
believed that under this plan a
quantity of ships already in commits
sion and ready to start to sea as soon
as loaded will be available without
crippling the coastwise trade.