Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-30
ASSERTS HURLEY
CHANGES REPORT
Revises Findings of Greg.
ory's Hog Island P'robers,
Says Paper
COMPANY is CRITICIZED
Ship Board Head Said to Be
Dissatisfied With Excess
Cost Statements

Assertions that the Justice Depart
ment's report Of it's Hog Island inves-
tigation IL being rewritten and changed
by the shipping board and the Attorney
Generals office were made today by
the New York Tribune in a special dis
patch from Washington.
The article says In part:
The Hog Island investigation report is
being rewritten 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 it
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 1t public
The board was Of the opinion that it
would be a mistake to publish the re-
port as completed by the investigators,
after about six months of unremitting
effort. because 1t did not do justice to
Hog Island. Thus there results the Gu
rious situation that the body which in
stigated an outside Investigation of its
own affairs now considers and revises
the conclusions. The investigation was
precipitated by communication from
Mr.. Hurley to President Wilson, in
which the former asked for a searching
investigation by the Attorney Generals
office. i.
Great Waste Alleged
"The report, as originally submitted
to the President. thoroughly exonerates
the American International Company and
all of It's officials from the remotest ap.
proach to malversation or criminal Of
Tense of any sort, but it undertakes to
make out a case Of gross extravagance
and waste of public funds by an elab-
crate argument, in which unit costs at
Hog Island are compared with those Of
two other Government fabricating plants
the Hartman yard, at Bristol and
that Of the Submarine Boat Company. at
Newark. n. j..
I'm view Of the fact that President
wilson's letter of instruction of Febru-
ary IA last to Attorney General Gregory
merely directed him to make an investi-
cation with a view to instituting GRIM
inai process II the facts should justify
IT, the point has been made that the re-
port exceeds its proper scope when 1t
enters the domain of costs and financial
comparisons. after concluding that there
is no basis for instituting criminal proc
ess.
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 n comparison
was not fair. as the conditions at the
several yards were different.
Comparison Called Unfair
'These officials consider that the
American international Company has
done wonderful work in the face of
the most Encouraging conditions. and
that 1t is entitled to recognition rather
than reprimand. They are not satis-
fled with the exoneration of the COM
pany from criminal charges. but hold
that 1t is entitled to a 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
flee docs not enjoy having the results
OF six months of unremittlng labor dis
stcted and dlscredited by the body
which invoked it's services to clean up
Its internal affairs. The result In that
there Is a sort Of contest on between
the two as to what shall be written
into tho report. so that both may stand
by 1t, after 1t is published.
''rhc shipping board is undertaking.
to show Todd and Mark Hyman, his aid
that they are not expert at figuring
costs. and have already succeeded hi
convincing them that they have erred
In their mathematics,
Beyond the question Of cost account
ing methods. and the accuracy, of fg-
ures, Is the vaguer question Of what
consitutes extravagance In wartinie.
The cry all last year. and still Is, ships
In plenty. at any cost necessary In
order to get them quickly
That was the public view ana the
BEYOND the question Of cost account
no disposition to qulbb:e about costs"