New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-14
blot to Gust Goethals
| Is On Foot, Lodge Charges

them to keep General Goethals. He
is an officer Of a corporation, and that
corporation controls the matter
at was my recollection that the
Senate had referred 70 General
Goethals by name broke in Senator
Smith. of Michigan. land ] have not
heard his name mentioned In TINS
conference report. | simply want TO
say on that point that if the question
Of General Goethals's status IS 10 be
raised by the conference report 1t
will make a great deal of difference
with some of us as 10 our attitude.
| think the Senate by a very large
majority expressed its confidence in
and its desire for General Goethals's
services. II the position to which he
has been appointed is 70 be abolished
and the matter left solely TO the Ship
ping Board, which is composed of Mr..
Denman and others. | feel very sure
that some controversy will arise re-
garding it."
There is not a word in the confer
ence report discriminating against
General Cocktails replied Chairman
Martin. and there is not member
Of the conference committee or OF the
Senate Appropriations Committee. so
far as know, who does not agree with
the Senator in everything he has said
about General Goethals. He is in SUI
preme control, but he has been put
there by the action OF a corporation
which has been duly chartered and ere
ated under law"
when the bill passed the Senate"
said Senator Lodge, sit contained a
clause providing for manager of the
Shipping Corporation, who is General
Goethals, but when il returned from
the other house that clause was out Of
the bill.
Shipping Board RumOr
at was rumored that it was taken
out on the representations OF the Snip
ping Board. | cannot make out from
hearing the report read whether or not
the manager of the Shipping Board is
retained. l do not want General Goe-
thals turned out in that way.
Surely" defended Mr.. Martin. the
Senator knows that nobody has turned
General Goethals out of anything. We
did not put him in office. and we nave
not turned him out of Office
NO" said Mr.. Lodge, but the House
took pains to strike out the clause IN
der which the Office existed"
'If / understand the situation cor
rectly." said Mr.. Smith, "under the law
General Goethals could not be put OUT
without a change in the law me
country has confidence in Genera
Goethals. 1t understands that he is
man 10 be relied upon; the government
desires his service, the Senate IS very
anxious that he shall be retained IN
this important position, and 1t has SO
indicated by a vote here. Any. propo,,
sition in this bill or in any other >ii
which in any way reflects upon the
capacity of General Goethals or the de-
sire Of the government to see him re-
tanned would meet with very great dis
favor.
81 say this with some feeling, because
| know something about the Shipping
Board They have appeared before our
Committee on Commerce over and over
again. If they have much capacity they
have yet 10 demonstrate It, but Cen
eral Goethals needs no demonstration
of his capacity. Any proposition that
will curtal his power or minimize his
usefulness 70 the government at this
time ought TO meet with a stern rebuke
upon the part Of this body"
Authority Given to Board
81 vas only going to say" resumed
Mr.. Lodge, that, as ] understand It,
this gives the opportunity to the Ship
ping Board to drive General Goethals
from Office, which they did not have
before"
Finally Mr.. Lodge obtained from Mr..
Martin the admission that as the meas
ure passed the Senate it did recognize
the Office of General Goethals, but that
as il came back from the House and in
its present shape it did not.
81 know the House struck out the
clause which recognized the Office held
by General Cocktails" said Mr.. Lodge.
81 spoke TO the Senator from Virginia
as to the importance of it. and he
agreed with me.
There is not any question that Con-
gress and the country have confidence
in General Goethals, that they want
him to be there, and mean to have him
there, but that is not the plan of the
Shipping Board, unless am very much
mistaken"
At this point Mr.. Underwood told
the Senate that General Goethals was