Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-19

Manager Piez Says Laying of
>KeeIs Is Not Halted by
Armistice.
FLEET INQUIRY REOPENED


Signing of the .armistice will not in.
terfers with the production of ships on
the part Of the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration, which will go on laying keels
under present contracts.
General Manager Piez of the corpo-
ration today told the Senate commerce
committee when investigation, was re-
opened into the construction of the Hog
Island sllipyard that the corporation
will continue to build ships at the pres
ent cost of construction.
Mr. Piez and Charles NJ. Schwab,
until recently general manager OF the
chipping board, were the principal VII
neSSeS today.
The decision to reopen the inquiry
resulted from charges recently made
in the Senate that :oS,000,0oO mad been
spent SO far in the construction OF
the yard, hut that only one ship had
been completed. and that it was not
seaworthy until returned to the yards
for some modificat ions.
States Total Expenditures.
Responding to questions by Chair
49,
.ptal expenditures up to date amount
d to about SIS. 900. 900. The American
International Ship Building Corpora
ION, which has the contract for build
g the project. has not been paid any
Aing for the construction of the
yards.
He said most of the work has been
dbne by subcontractors. but he did
nit know how much they had re-
csiyed According to uncOnflrmed re-
ports. however, he added. the Arneri-
can International Company has ex-
pended nearly Il million dollars out OF
its own pocket on the project.
IN opening the investigation Sena-
tor johnson of California urged that
the committee reopen its inquiry ana
20 into thorough investigation OF
the project.
cent commission would be 4 reason
able amount to pay the American
company.
Under questions of various senators.
1t was brought out that while con-
struction work has been under the
direction of Rear Admiral Bowles.
who has had practically unlimited
powers. responsibility for carrying out
tie full program of constructing fifty
ways instead of limiting the yard to
thirty-one, as suggested last January
BIZ the shipping board in its report,
poration. Mr.. Piez said when the plan
to limit the size of the yard was pro-
pissed Bowles made a survey of the
situation and altered, the plan, recon-
mending that the full program be
carried out.
Keels for Fifty Ships Laid.
The witness said so far keels for
fifty ships have been laid. one ship
delivered and five are in the wet basin.
The one ship delivered was launched
prematurely,s which delayed it's being
placed in the service by about sixty
days. The ship, however. was given
the highest rating by Lloyd's. Be
cause of the trouble with this ship.
the ban has been placed on premature
1aunchings at the yards. but he said he
anticipated the delivery of at least
two more ships before January l next
Mr.. Piez praised the work performed
by the Skinner plant at Seattle,
Wash. which has produced twenty
six ships this year on five-way
yard. This plant holds the record on
production. Instead of making
record on one ship and then slowing
up. the yard, he said. has maintained
All average of between Seventy-two
and eighty-four days per ship.
Under cross-eXamination of Senator
Johnson il was brought out that APP
pFONl1ndtelE 10 = per cent OIL the con-
struction work at the Hog Island
yards was sublet to subcontractors.
These contracts totaed about ST.
100000, it was testified.
Admiral's Powers Limited.
would you have the government
take over the yards or continue their
operation as now" asked Senator
johnson of California.
THAT question is being considered
now" replied Mr.. Piez. There are
some grave disadvantages in taking
them over.
Mr.. Piez told the committee that for
the purpose of not impeding the man.
Rgement of the yards any more than
POSSIBLE. the emergency corporation
limited the powers of Rear Admiral
Bowles, the corporations representa-
tive at the yards. About January l, he
said. survey is TO be made of the
situation with a view of aScertaining
whether the American international
corporation is reducing the cost of
production. Upon the result Of that
survey will depend whether the gov
eminent will take over the yards or
not.
Mr.. PieZ estimated that the plant
will be completed within sixty DAYS
It an estimated cost of about sos, 300
90. The original estimate he said,
.as S21 900. 0ad0, which was ter in
reased To $21.0o0,000.