The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-14
Wilson and Cabinet Discuss
Plans for Floating Vast
Merchant Fleet.
ENGINEER EVOLVES
NEW VESSEL TYPE
New Yorker Has Ideas Which
May RevOlutiOnize Wood
en- Ship Methods.

Washington, April 13-Means of
quickly putting additional vessels into
filling the prophecy of Premier David
Lloyd George Of Great Britain yester-
day that more ships meant viceDry for
the entente allies, was the principal
subject before today's meeting of
President Wilson's cabinet.
AS a result d bill will be introduced
in both houses Of congress early next
week. substantially increasing the $780,
100000 appropriation now available for
the shipping board and giving the
board additional authority so that the
building of wooden ships and the ac-
quisition of other vessels may be eX-
pedited.
Legislation also probably will be
proposed giving the shipping board
power to formally take over the Ger
man merchantmen in American ports.
While it is conceded that the president
would have the right to take this step,
it is understood that a specific act of
congress will be preferred. Examina-
tion of the German merchant ships
with the view to their immediate re-
pair, so that they can be utilized
promptly will be completed within two
weeks.
Philippine Fleet First.
First among those to be put into ac
tive service will be two of the fleet of
lrir in hap iS
expected that within two or three
weeks the ships will be loading Manila
hemp to be rushed to the United States
to prevent a failure of the supply of
binding twine for the crop of this sea-
son.
While the exact sum to be required
OF congress fol. the uses of the ship
ping board in building up the Amer
lean merchant marine has not been
disclosed, it has been estimated that
before the campaign of wooden ship
building has been completed it will
have cost approximately $225,ooo,o00.
To Hurry Supplies.
After the cabinet meeting it was said
that every possible means of providing
additions to the vessels conveying sup
plies to the entente allies, and thus
render the German submarine cam
paign ineffective, will be utilized.
If any vessels can be spared from
the Pacific they will be brought
through the Panama canal to the At
lantic ports. Every shipyard in the
United States not actually building
war vessels will be given contracts fol
merchantmen and encouragement. will
be given for the establishment Of new
yards and the enlargement of old ones
Steps are under way to ascertain
the most pressing needs of the entente
allies, and every possible effort will bs
made to fill them.
While the allied and American fleet.
are seeking to actually destroy German
submarines, more ships will be sup
piled to take the places of those sunk
To Begin Next Week.
BY next week many ship building
yards wilr have begun construction Q
ships for the great wooden fleet. The.
will proceed without waiting for for
mai COHtldNNs, siSSCpllhS lily lIoih
of 10 per cent profit when the YES
sells are completed.
The builders will construct type 0
vessel acceptable to the shippin
board. Later, when specifications ar
prepared, all ships will be of standar
obstruction.
0oethals to Supervise.
Major General George w. Goethal!
it was learned today, has accepte
President Wilson's request to super
wise construction of the fleet. At tn
present the program is being outline
by +. Huntington Clark and F. !
Eustice. two mining engineers who c
about the same time conceived til
wooden ship idea and. dropping the
work, hurried to Washington to off
their services without charge to IL
government. They probably will cor
tinue as assistants to General Goethal
New Sort Of Ships.
When specifications are complete
all builders will be required to col
struct the vessels after plans deve