New-York tribune., 1918-10-28
Republicans Riddle
Charge They Held
Up Shipping Bill
Indignant Denial Support
50 ed by Tribune's Table
Of Year Ago
Where the Blame Lies
Democratic Senate Group De-
layed First Measure by
Bolting Caucus
Where the Blame Lies
By Carter Field

W NASHiNGION, OCJ. .i.-lne DemO'
cratic charge that Republican, members
of Congress obsaructed the shipping
bill, made in support of the appeal OF
the President for a Democratic House
and Senate in order that there might
not be divided counsel. has brought in
dignant roars from Republicans here.
Scott Ferris, chairman of the Demo
cratic Congressional Committee, in his
statement printed this morning, pur-
usorting to prove that Republican mem
bers had been much greater obstruc-
tionists of war measures than Demo
Gratis. says:
"Republicans not only antagonlzed,
but sried for two years to Kill, the
shipping bill, which made possible the
treat merchant marine that is carrying
our soldiers and supplies to France.
Assuming that the Republicans, as
Mr.. Ferris at least infers. blocked
measure which would make possible
the CARRYING of our soldiers and sup
plies to France" said one Republican
leader. 81 wish The Tribune would re-
print table which it printed last De-
cember. showing where the blame for
the delay in the shipping programme
really rested.
This table was printed December 10,
1917, and was as follows:
September 7, 1916-Bill creating
Shipping Board signed.
December %, 19l6-Presldent ap-
points members of board.
January 81, 1917-Board organizes.
April II, 1917-Emergency Fleet
Corporation organizes.
April II, 1917-Goethals appointed.
July "a 1917-Denman forced out
and Goethals resigns
November is, 1917-Capps resigns.
December IT, 1917-Harris resigns.
st will be seen by this that the
President did not see any occasion for
hurry" the leader continued. "He took
Just three and half months after he
signed the bill before he even appointed
the board. The board was permitted
TO take one month and nine days after
il WIS appointed before it organized.
Three months more passed before the
Emergency Fleet Corporation was or
ganized.
"Then Denman, chairman of the
board, was permitted to hamstrlng
General Goethals, big man who could
nave carried out the job if he had not
been held up at every turn by man
was that he had practised maritime
law
"Goethals wanted to build steel
ships. Denman, with the backing of
certain Pacific Coast interests to
whom President Wilson was rather in
debted for the fact that he had been
retained in the White House, wanted
10 build wooden ships. Perhaps sGoe-
thals did not realize it, but that fight
fov wooden ships had already been de-
cideo when Bernard NJ. Baker, of Bal
/ 1.
the Administration because he insisted
on steel ships and opposed Denman.
AT any rate, untold millions of dol
lars have been wasted through this de-
sire by politically influential people on
the Pacific Coast and in the South.
Gwen Chairman Hurley now realizes
it, and is not only diverting the wooden
ships, which have been completed to
other than transoceanic uses, but is
ght at this moment making publicly
announced survey of the wooden ship
them off from their connection with
the United States Treasury. Further.
more, nearly every shipyard, which has
fallen down Oh its contracts with the
government, is in the South.
But to get away from the mere
item Of delay on the part of the Ad-
tninistration, which "The Tribune's'
table shows amounted to more than a
wasted year, l would like to call at
tention of the country to the fact that
group of Democratic Senators, heade d
by the late James P. Clarke, president
pro tempore of the Senate at the
time, beat the first shipping bill by
boitlng their party caucus. One of the
group who bolted was Senator Bank
mead, OF Alabama, whom the President
must De ldered as appealing to the
people of Alabama to re-elect."