The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-07-25
Goetha1s Resigns and Viii
son Requests Denman to
Do Likewise.
CAPPS AND HURLEY
THEIR SUCCESSORS
Capps Is Chief Constructor
of the Navy, and Hurley Is
Chicago Business Man.

Washington, July 24-President
Wilson today asked Chairman Den
man, of the shipping board. to resign
and accepted the resignation of Major
General Goethals, as general manager
of the emergency fleet corporation.
Edward N. Hurley, Chicago bust
ness man and former chairman of the
federal trade commission, will be
come chairman of the shipping board.
Washington L. Capps, chief construc-
tor Of the navy, will succeed General
Goethals as general manager of the
emergency fleet corporation. Balm
bridge Colby, of New York. Will be-
come a member of the shipping board
in place of Captain John B. White,
whose resignation the president ac-
cepted today.
In asking Mr.. Denman's resigna-
ton, President Wilson suggested that
he would be gl@d to have Mr. Den
man take the same disinterested
and self-forgetting course that Cen
eral Goethals has =. ken"
When you have done as he has
aone' tnszF esgdent wzote Mr.. Den
man. am s-1re that y,u NAV conn.
with the utmost confidence UI,v,, 49,
ultimate verdict of the people of the
country with regard to your mag
unanimous and unselfish view Of public
duty and upon winning in the retro
spect the same admiration and conf
dence that l have learned to feel for
vOu.'
President Wilson'S action came as
a surprise Officials generally had
thought he would make a further eff
fort to patch up differences and divide
specifically between Chairman Den
man and General Goethals pow>Ns
conferred on him by the shipping act.
Chairman Denman received the
presidents request for his resignation
at noon and rendered it Immediately.
Il want to help the president in
every way possible" he said, "and
never have questioned the wisdom of
his decisions"
The presidents letter to Mr.. Den
man follows:
II hope and believe that I am in
terpreting your best judgment as well
as nv own when | say that your duty
concerning the debate and misunder-
standings that have arisen in connec-
ton with the shipbuilding program
ought to be settled without regard
to our personal preferences or our
personal feelings altogether and with
the single purpose of doing what will
be best to serve the public interest.
"NO decision we can noe arrive at
would eliminate the elements of con-
troversy that have Crept into almost
every question connected with the
program; and I am convinced that
the only wise course is to begin
afresh-not upon the program. for
that is already in large part in pro
cess of execution, but upon the fur
Their execution of it.
81 have found both you and General
Goethals ready to serve the public at
a personal sacrifice. Realizing that
the only manner in which the way
can be completely cleared for harmon
ious and effective action is to carry
our shipbuilding plans forward from
this point through new agencies. Gen
eral Goethals has put his resignation
in my hands and have accepted it in
the same spirit in which it was ten
dered-not as deciding between the
two men whom l respect and admire,
but in order to make invidious decis-
ions unnecessary and let the work be
developed without further discussion
of what is past.
q am taking the liberty of writing
to tell YOU this in the confidence that
you will be glad to take the same
disinterested and self-forgetting
course that General Goethals has
taken. When you have done as he
has done I am sure that YOU may
count with the utmost confidence
upon the ultimate verdict of the peo-
pie of the country with regard to
| YOUR magnanimous and unselfish view
| of public duty and upon winning in
| the retrospect the same admiration
and confidence that I have learned to
feel for you.
with much regard and very great
/ appreciation of the large services YOU
| have rendered,
Cordially and sincerely yours.
| Signed: WOODROW WILSON