New-York tribune., 1917-07-17
Chairman Delays the Com
Wandering of Ship
yards
Clash Is Again
Up to President
Head of Board or Gen
eral Must Go, Is
Belief

Washington, July l6.-Hostilities be-
tween General George w. Goethsls and
Chairman William Denman of the
Shipping Board have been resumed.
General Goethals's announced comman-
deering of shipyards did not take place
to-day In explanation. it was said,
that General Goethals's programme
had been delayed at the request of
Chairman Denman.
But the chairman of the Shipping
Board denied he had ordered delay
of the Goethals programme, although
he objected to the use of the term
programme" saying General Goe-
thals's plans could not be raised to the
dignity of a programme until they re-
ceived the official approval of the Ship
ping Board.
Chairman Denman stated that he had
only asked General Goethals for some
information bearing on his announced
plans for the purpose Of fully inform
ing the Shipping Board thereon. This
information, he said, could have been
supplied in two hours if General Goe-
thals had been as we'll prepared to pro-
ceed with his plans as his recent an
nouncement implied. There was no
intention on his part TO delay ship con-
strrction, he insisted.
Both at the Offices Of the Emergency
Fleet Corporation and the Shipping
Board there was, however. an unmis-
taxable air of belligerency. The now
long protracted row between The chair
man of the Shipping Board and Cen
eral Goethals over the question OF un-
hampered power 70 proceed with the
emergency ship programme, 1t can be
authoritatively stated. has broken forth
anew with an even greater vigor than
preceded the issuance Of the Presi-
dents executive order last week.
Issue Up TO President
The issue is now put up squarely to
the President-Shall Goethals or Den
man direct the shipping programme,
for which Congress has appropriated
$3.50, ,00O,0 600? There is no middle
ground. The President sought this
middle ground when he ordered the
feet corporation and the Shipping
Board to proceed with the work, at the
same time assuring both General Goe-
thals and Chairman Denman that each
in his own province would be unham-
pered.
Chairman Denman, howcfer, can sec
but one province, and that is his. He
Al. hct
wav of General Goethals. He is in
yariably on good technical grounds, as
BELTS a lawyer of parts. On the other
hand, General Goethais sees only the
task of building ships confronting him'
He is impatient of technical delays
He wants action.
Who will survive only the President
can determine.
As the situation now stands, General
Goethals believes he has authority
directly from the President TO proceed
with the steel and wooden ship con-
struction.
Chairman Denman contencs that Gen-
eral Goethals, as general manager OF
the Emergency Fleet Corporation
holds the status OF an employe OF the
Shipping Board, which holds all tne
stock in the corporation. II is MI
Dcnman's contention that General Goe-
thals, as an employe, bears only a
minor responsibility, and that the CHIEF
responsibility for the success or failure
of the shipping programme lies with
the Shipping Board.
Situation Is Impossible
The chairman Of the Shipping Board,
therefore. intends that General Goe-
tbals shall await the approval of the
Shipping Board on every detail OF MS
plans. This situation, of. .cials agree
il an impossible one. Either Denman
or Goethsls must go.
Fxplaining the delay IN General Zoe.
tbals's announced Communicating OF
shipyards to-day, Chairman Denmah
said: c..LoI.
certain information concerning tne pro, Pro
gramme for expending the si9o'OUO'VUo
~ nublic money for which the fresl-
49, order has made the Emer-
cencv Fleet Corporation and the snip
-, Roard responsible. If General
Coethals's plans had reached the condi-
ion Of preparedness 1t has been as
serted thew had reached. the lnforma-
t;on could have been furnished wlthin
two hours, or we could have been told
tbat the information was not at hand.
when we do receive the information
IN writing We will take up with Gen
crsl Goethsls the discussion OF all inc
matters involved in the project OF
building ships.
"What we want is a speedy construc-
ton of ships. reasonable ,price Tor
e,col and ship fabrication, the reten-
tion Of all alien tonnage on our stocks
which may be necessary to carry troops
to Europe if the rate Of submarine
sinkings continues even two-thirds as
great as they have been during the hVe
months ended July l."
C.. ". GHbcrts analysis Of the
shipbuitding situation on page 81
u. S. Navy Must
E;uI II Roaf Cura