The sun., 1918-05-08
SHIPPING BOARD
T0ASK BILLION
STEELDELAYED
Schwab Sees Congressman,
Rushes Away to Speed
Deliveries.
PLANS RESERVE STOCK
Work Now in Full Blast, With
Transportation Only
Drawback.
PLANS RESERVE STOCK
Special DespatcA to The srs.

WASHINGTON, May 7.-Appropriation
Of another huge sum for shipbuilding is
to be asked Of Congress tomorrow by
Chairman Hurley Of the Shipping Board.
Charles NJ. Schwab. Director-General of
the Emergency Fleet Corporation. and
Charles Piez. vice-prcsident of that or
ganixation. will appear before the Ap-
propriations Committee Of the House
with the estimates for the fiscal year
1919.
These estimates we're finally drawn
and approved by the Shipping Board and
the trustees Of the Fleet Corporation at
q long session to-day. They will not be
made public until they are formally laid
before Congress tomorrow. but they are
expected to exceed $1,000. 100000. They
will include a large sum for concrete
ships on both the Atlantic and the Pa
ciic coasts.
Congress already has appropriated
$l.760,000.000 for the Shipping Board
and Emergency Fleet Corporation. prac-
tically all OF 1t in the current fiscal year.
Director-General Schwab Is to attend
the meeting Of the War Council in Sec
retary Bakers office tomorrow to 60
over the steel shipping and other situa-
tions. This means that the questions OF
raw material conservation. particularly
that Of steel OF ship construction. volume
and availability and steel production will
be discussed.
To Attend Two Meetings.
From the meeting Hurley and Schwab
Nr-th N>n
get there before Mr.. Piez concludes his
testimony on the estimates
Senator McCumber. who has taken d
deep interest in concrete ship construc-
ton. has been asked by Chairman Hur.
ley to appear with him before the Ap-
propriations Committee to get the neces.
sary sum for a considerable concrete
shipbuilding programme in the three
governmental yards.
The Senate Commerce Committee will
resume its shipbuilding investigation to.
morrow when It will begin an inquiry
into the steel contracts let by the Sub.
marine Boat Company. (which built and
is running the big Govepnment fabri'
Gated ship yard at Newark.
President George Horton OF the Chi
cago Iron and Bridge Company and
President worden Of the Lackawanna
In the Submarine Company ard are eX-
ecutives OF that organization were par
ties to contracts let to the two bridge
companies. These contracts. however
were approved by Admiral Capps and
Admiral Bowles Of the Emergency Fleet
Corporation.
Both have since resigned their bridge
company presidencies and are running
the Submarine boat yard efic!ently.
Twenty-eiGht Hulls Delayed.
II developed to-day. however. that
work on the twenty-eight hulls has been
delayed by lack Of fabricated steel. The
, Hog Island yard ia also still short OF
steel. but 1t Is said this shortage Is being
made up.
The fabricating plants have the plates
now. and 1t Is said they will soon catch
up so that the ship work can go ahead
Director-G General Schwab Ia working on
steel delivery system which he hopes
will keep the yards for a month to three
months ahead on steel. so that there
need be no further delay from this
source. This will I've also discussed with
the War Council tomorrow.
Word was received from the Baltimore
Dry Dock and Shpbui!dnG Company
to-day that its yard working on eight
big steamers Is held up by lack of steel.
Mr.. Schwab is investigating and will
speed up deliveries.