New-York tribune., 1918-10-30
Hurley Insists on Change in
Findings Made by Greg
ory's Aids
Says Speed Forced
Increase in Costs
Men Who Asked Inquiry
Are Now "Revamping"
Verdict of Jury
By Theodore M. knappcn

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29..Thc Hog
Island Investigation report is being re-
written by the Shipping Board and the
Attorney Generals Office, in An effort
to produce a document that will meet
with the approval of both Offices. That
is why it has not been published
though six weeks have elapsed since
1t was first given to the President.
At the request of Chairman Hurley
of the Shipping Board the President
transmitted to the board the report
made by Assistant Attorney General G.
Carroll Todd before making It public.
The board was Of the opinion that it
would be q mistake to publish the re-
port, as completed by the Investigators
after about six months of unremltting
effort, because it did not do justice to
Hog Island Thus there results the
curious situation that the body which
instgatcd an outside investigation of
it's own affairs now considers and re-
vises the conclusions. The invcstiga-
tion was precipitated by communica-
ton from Mr. Hurley to President Will
son, in which the former asked for Il
searching estigation by the Attor-
ncy Generals Office.
Great Waste Alleged
The report, as originally submitted
to the President, thoroughly exoner-
rates the American international Com
pany and all of its officials from the
remotest approach to malversation or
criminal offence of any sort, but it
undertakes to make out case of
gross extravaganza and waste of public
funds by an elaborate argument, in
which unit costs at Hog Island are
compared with those of two other gov
ernment fabricating plants-the Harri-
man yard, at Bristol, Penn, and that
of the Submarine Boat Company, at
Newark. n. j.
In view of the fact that President
Wilson's letter of instruction of Feb
ruary il last to Attorney General
Gregory merely directed him to make
stituting criminal process if the facts
should Justify it," the point has been
made that the report exceeds its
proper scope when it enters the domain
of costs and financial comparisons,
after concluding that there is no basis
for institutins criminal process. 1t
has been suggested that this subject
might be inquired into by board of
engineers, but that no great illumina-
tion is likely to result from a lawyers
discussion OF it,
Officials of the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration who have been in close touch
with the colossal work at Hog Island
took the ground that such compar-
son was not fair, as the conditions at
the several yards we're different.
(cmnarisOn CaIIed JTrf,;r
The tremendous scale of the develop
mcnt at Hog Island, combined with the
peculiar adverse industrial, economic
and weather conditions of last win
ter, was enough in itself to necessitate
much larger cost per unit. they said
They concede that the Hog Island plant
was too large, but it's size was matter
Of judgment in which the Shipping
Board participated, and they hold that
no charge should lie against the Amer
lean international because of excessive
costs in consequence of attempting to
do too much at one plant in short
time.
These officials consider that the
American International Company has
done wonderful work in the face of
the most dlscouraging conditions. and
that it is entitled to recognition rather
than reprimand. They are not salts
he'd with the exoneraton Of the com
pany from criminal charges, but hold
that 1t Is entitled to complete vindi-
cation. From their stand resulted Mr..
Hurley's request to the President to
be allowed to review the report of the
investigation
New Dispute Started
Naturally. the Attorney Generals Of
tice does not enjoy having the results
Of Io,. Il
sected and discredited by the body
which invoked its services to clean up
It's internal affairs. The result is that
there is a sort of contest on between
the two as to what shall be written
INTO the report, so that both may stand
by it after it is published.
The Shipping Board is undertaking
TO show Todd and Mark Hyman, his aid,
that they are not expert at figuring
costs, and has already succeeded in
convincing them that they have erred
In their mathematics.
Beyond the question of cost account
ing methods, and the accuracy of fig
ures, is the vaguer question of what
constitutes extravaganza in war time.
me cry all last year was, and still is,
ships IN plenty, at any cost necessary
in order to get them quickly"
That was the public view and the
Shipping Board position. There was
no disposition to quibble about costs.
in ordinary times, and by ordinary
leisurely and careful methods, there
have been completed fer the estimated
S97,O00,O00, instead of the actual 500
600 900 80
The Attorney Generals office holds
that the discrepancy is so great as to