New Britain herald., 1917-07-17
SHIPPING BOARD
HAS NO EXPERIENCE
DenInan Must Co. Wooden Ships
Impractical Says Baker

of Bernard n. Baker, who was the
yEploving spirit in the creation OF the
United States Shipping Board, there
is only one way to make that body
accomplish the purpose for which 1t
was organized, namely, the upbu1ld-
ing of a great American merchant
feet.
It Is necessary that William Den
man, chairman of the shipping board.
Ebe dismissed, says Mr.. Baker, and
that his place be filed by some man
who knows something about ships
and who will cooperate with Gen
Cocktails Mr. Baker was named a
member of the board when it was
.Acreated last January, but resigned
when he found that Mr.. Denman, was
Slated for the charman ship.
Knows Nothing of Ships.
Mr.. Den1nan knows absolutely
nothing about ships" said Mr.. Baker
Yesterday. HIS sole qualifications
for the position were that he had
some experience as lawyer on the
Pacific coast in prosecuting claims
against other nations for alleged in
=. Engagements Of our rights on the sea.
13e was and is wholly innocent Of
any knowledge which would assist in
the building Of a great fleet.
"Ie will not cooperate with Gen.
Goethals and he insists on adhering
to the program for building wooden
ships instead of steel ships.
LAS q matter of fact he has said
that he purposes to make the chief
work of the United States Shipping
tho Of claims from
Great Britain for the infringement Of
our rights. This, when Great Brit
ain is our ally, will be very en-
barrassing to President Wilson.
"As a result of these tactics five
months have passed and the board
has no definite policy. It has not de-
termined whether it will build steel
or wooden ships
'Mr. Denman should be replaced at
once by a man who really does know
shipping and who is big enough to
see the necessities of tie situation
The shipping board has undertaken
great patriotic work in which the
welfare of the nation is involved and
Its mem bers should be conscious of
Their responsibilities. The American
people should demand that they not
only know their duties but live up to
them.
There is no doubt of the absolute
Impractical bility of the wooden ship
program. 1t is slower than the pro-
gram for steel ships. It has been so
long since wooden ships were in gen.
eral use that it is impossible now to
get men who know how to build them.
Lumber is Lacking.
Men will not learn, because when
the war is over there will be no oc-
equation for them. Steel is being
used now even in the construction of
coastwise ships and barges. Seasoned
lumber is necessary for the building
G wooden ships and it is impossible
to get it in the quantities needed for
the program mapped out by the Unit
ed States
steel ships can be built very much
more rapidly, but ships made partly
OF steel and partly of wood can be
built still faster. Steel can be put
where the strain is Greatest The i'm
portant thing is that five months have
Passed since the shipping board was
appointed and it has not yet adopted
a policy.
1T is true that it has let contracts
for some ships, but it should have a
very HluCIl larger hummer COn-
struction than it has. 1t should be
working now at its highest efficiency
to support the aims of the United
States in the war. 1t Is not doing
that"
Did YOU expect to be appointed
chairman of the shipping board when
1t was organized?" Mr.. Baker was
asked.
NO" he answered. IT expected
Cart John A. Donald, now member
Of the board. to be named. I re-
signed because I could not work with
Mr.. Denman."
Would you accept the chairman
ship now"
1T have offered my services in any
capacity in building this fleet without
any remuneration" said Mr.. Baker.
Saw Ship ON State Seal.
Mr.. Baker thinks that what he de-
scribes the incompetency Of Mr..
Denman and his willingness to CO.
operate with Gen. Goethals are all
the more dangerous because other
mem ers Of the board are hardly
better informed on shipbuilding than
he is.
The other m EN- bers are j. B. White
of Kansas City, long engaged in the
lumber business; Theodore Brent,
who was IN charge Of the traffic bu-
reau of the cotton exchange in New
Orleans when appointed. and former
Congressman William D. Stevens of
New Hampshire.
''Mr. Stevens once told me that he
knew all about ships because he had
been seeing a ship on the coat of
arms of New Hampshire all his life"
said Mr.. Baker.
=
SMITH FOR CARDINALS,