The sun., 1917-06-20
U. s. COMMANDERS
SHIPS NOW BUILDING
GOethals. Takes Over Ten on
Stocks of Baltimore
Company.
WILL SPEED UP WORK
Denman Board Repeats 1000
Wooden Vessels Will Be
Built in is Months.
WILL SPEED UP WORK

WASHINGTON, June 1e.-An intima-
tion OF the summary manner In which
Major-Gen. Goethais proposes to take
over shipping on the stocks for use In
trade with our allies, was given to-day
in the announcement from Baltimore
that ten steel steamships contracted for
or In process Of construction by the
Baltimore Dry Docking and Shipbuild-
ing Company had been commandeersd
by the Government
Gen. Goethals. in q recent conference
with steel shipbuilders and steel man
ufacturers in Washington. told them OF
his intention to commander the ships
on the stocks and to take over the con-
tracts on which work had not been be-
gun in order to speed up construction
work by placing double and triple shifts
on the work.
The action affecting the Baltimore
corporation Is merely forerunner OF
what may be expected all over the
country. Gen. Goethals intends to get
the maximum out of the steel shipbuild-
ing industry even II he Ii somewhat re-
luctant to enter wholeheartedly into the
proposition to build wooden ships along
with steel to the limit Of The country's
ability.
Yields on wooden ships.
The controversy between Chairman
Denman Of the Shipping Board and Gen.
0oethals IL for the moment Quiescent.
0oethals has yielded to Mr.. Denman's
opinion that the contracts for steel ships
should contain = $66 ton price for
plates rather than . 3s5 price. while Mr..
natAnsthlv hna vialAad (3on
Goethals's opinion that wooden ships
should bo constructed only In small
numbers rather than to the capacity Of
the yards.
A story was current to-day that Lord
Northcliffe had given assurance that the
British would be willing to enter into
contracts for whatever number Of
wooden ships that the United States
did not wish to build. At the Shipping
Board to-day there was a disposition to
discredit the story. It was intimated
that wooden ships still would be built
In this country for the Shipping Board
in a number approximating the original
plans of 1000 within eighteen months.
In the Senate to-day Senator Stone
Of Missouri sharply criticised Gen. Goe-
thals for even having considered the
payment Of such a figure as S95 a ton
for steel plates for the construction Of
merchant ships. Senator Smith OF Mich
igan with equal warmth jolted the Mis-
sourian for even daring to reflect upon
the character of man who had handled
appropriations exceeding $3.50. 100000 for
the construction Of the greatest engineer
ing work on earth.
MP. stones Criticism.
:what I complain Of" said Senator
Stone, 'is that there should even have
been q tentative contract at the basic
price Of 3sB q ton when the United States
Steel Corporation paid 10 per cent on
It's entire 31.000.000.000 Of stock at
the time 1t was selling steel At
431 q ton. Even tentative con-
tract has too much the suggestion Of
graft. am not accusing Gen. Goethals
but do criticise the people who would
coldbloodadly rob the Treasury Of the
United States"
"Cen Goethals has never signed con-
tract for the delivery Of steel at $50
ton," came back Senator Smith In
evident anger. But 1 know that Gen.
Goethals invariably has insisted on the
| inclusion In every contract Of the para
graph which places In the hands Of the
Council of National Defence the power
| to adjust the prices for steel set forth
! in the contract. Each and every con-
/ tract has such a clause. Further.
know that It Is the hope Of Gen. Goethali
and Of the Council of National Defence
that they will be able to obtain this stee
at from $<5 to $50 ton"