Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-22
SHIP ORGANIZATION
READY FOR SPURT
Following Recent Changes
Chairman, for First Time,
Has Proper Authority.
HURLEY APPEARS AS WITNESS
He Accepts Full Responsibility
for Success or Failure
Of Program.
HURLEY APPEARS AS WITNESS
lev A.socIat-d prc,z1

WASHINGTON, December cl.-Fuil
responsibility for the success or fall
urc OF the governments shipbuildins
program wa5 shouldcrcd to-day by
Chairman Hurley Of the Shipping
Board. tcstiiyinr at the Senate Com
mcrce Committees inquiry OF delays in
ship construction.
Called as the first witness. Mr.. Itur-
ley admitted that there have been
delays, hu. declared that the recent
reorganization of tho boards Emerg-
ency Fleet Corporation for the first
time gives the chairman proper au-
thority and fixes responsibility where
il belongs. The dual organization OF
til. hoard and the corporation, he said.
has been done away with. and th-
present senrra! manager OF the cor
poration answers directly ~ the chair
man.
The present organization. MIR.
Hurley said. us the only way that
ships can be built. We do not need
additional leSislat ton. II the head of
the inatitution docs not build ships, II
is because OF incftciency and not be-
cause of faults Of ;he orranization.'
From MIR. Hurley and from John y.
Donald, who has been "A member OF
the board since its creation, tho COM
nlittcc drew long story OF tho trou-
bles Of the board and the fleet cor
pora,ion. starting with the row at
the outset between William Denman.
first chairman OF ;hc board and Major
! General Goethsis first general man
aSer OF the feet corporation.
CoNTRIBUTORY FACTORS
IN CONSTRUCTION DELAYS
Reside. organization faults factors
! which have contributed TO the delay
| in ship CONSERVATION were given by
! Mr.. Hurley as the navy's utilization of
shipbuilding facilities. lubor troubles.
lack Of housing for workers. the ne
cessity Of building new shtpyards and
changes in specifications of ships.
| The changes in specifications were
made iIr wooden vessels two months
ago after some OF them already were
under construction. They were made.
Mr. Hurley aid, by Admiral Capps and
his staff of designers, when il became
apparent the ships as contracted for
originally needed larger timbers To
strengthen them.
The labor situation. Mr.. Hurley said.
/ Is Improving, and the shipping Board.
IN cooperation with the War and NAVY
departments and the Council of Ma
tional Defense. is working on a COM
p. ehensire housing plan.
alt. Hurley told OF the difficulties the
OLD board and the new had in getting
the building program started The
poaro round. he said. when il started
out to build ships that eighteen OF the
largest yards in the country were
crowded with navy work. and thar
new facilities must be provided
! 1T is hardly fair to say that tho
newly created facilities shall from the
very lay they have been put into on
GRAFTON produce ships at their maxi
mum capacity" he urged Time ia
necessary for expansion. and for the
development OF necessary labor"
- ENTIRELY NEW
! YARDS ARE CREATED
! The Shipping Roard began it's pro-
/ gram. Mr.. Hurley said. with fifty-eiEht
shipyaris existing in the country.
Since then seventy-tour entirely new
: yards have been created.
! The Worl; thus FAR" he said. has
been III mary cases preparatory. But
this preparatory period is rapidly get
| ting behind us. and the period OF ac-
| tudl construction is Immediately be-
! fore US"
/ Mr. Donald described the feet cor
noration's reorganization which stripped
! Re3r-Admiral Capps, General Goc-
4 thalss successor, OF authority and led
10 his resignation. Tho recent resis-
! nation of Rcar-Admiral Harris, who
succeeded ADMIRAL Camps. and quit
after about weeks service. was due.
Mr.. Donald said. to the naval officer
/ taking measures without consulting
the board. Admiral Harris was sue
ceedcd by Charles rics. of Philadcl-
phia. whose Office as vice president in
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