The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-04-04
Senate Bills Introduced to
Extend Authority OF
Shipping Board
THWART ATTEMPTS
OF GERMAN CAPITAL
Teutons Tried to Secure Control OF YES
sells owned or Under Construction In
United states-Retains Private Char
tiers.

tiers.
WASHINGTON, April 4.-Nast OK
tension of federal powers over ship
building, ships, shipping rates, docks
and terminals has been asked of con
aress by the shipping board, and is pro-
posed in two bills introduced yesterday
BY Senator Fletcher of Florida, char
man Of the commerce committee, after
conferences with Chairman Hurley.
The President would be authorized
bv tho legislation TO prescribe, through
the shipping board, charter and freight
rates and 10 take over ships, docks,
wharves and terminal facilities in one
bill. The second measure, by amend-
ing tho law creating the shipping board
would extend it, authority over owner
ship and transfer Of vessels existing
or under construction. Both bills have
been referred TO the commerce commit
tee.
In explaining the new legislation,
Senator Fletcher said that Shipping
hoord had discovered and thwarted at
tcmpts of German capital 10 secure con
troll az vessels owned or under con
struction in the United States, fo'
prescnt profits az well as TO provide
Germany with n merchant fleet afte
the war. To enlarge the powers o
the board 10 deal with such attempts |
one Of the chief purposes OF the pro
posed laws.
Besides authorizing the president I
prescribe "ratcs, terms and condi
tons under which American vessel
may be chartered, one of the bill
would authorize him 20 disapprove eN
listing charters, prohibit chartering @
INV specified class Of vessels; TO pre-
scribe freight rates for American ves
sels. coastwise or ocean going; TO pr
scribe in any United States POI
crates. charges and terms for doe
age. wharfage. ,stevedoring, handhr
and bunkering Of vessels and renta
of docks and terminal facilities. II q
so would empower him TO preserii
rrioritv Of wharfage service, priority
which car2oes may be carried and
rect the routing Of American vessels
foreign ships under charter 10 Anne
can citizens
Another clause of the bill would e.
move, the President 10 regulate 'vo
ares. courses and use of protective
ynes and any other matters aHeeti
navieation. equipment, fueling, pail
ing nud atming" of American vesse
ana to exclude vessels from dams
zones.
Amerienn citizens and others witl
American jurisdiction would be y
hibited from chartering any fore'
vessel without the President s approx
OF 10 import or export goods exceed
1000 tons in weight on terms reuuir
the seller and buyer. respectively,
pay transportation costs.
The President Z powers under the
would be- limited 70 six months al
the war or. If he should deem shipp
shortage warranted. for an additic
year HEAVY penalties-five years
prisonment and $4,000 fihe-are
posed for violation of the Preside
regulations.
The second Fletcher bill, relating
s ownership OF vessels, would pena
during the war, the sale, transfer, :
ot,chnrter Of vessels owned in Who'll
part nv American citizens without
proval Of the shipping board 1t
ptovides that AL ship construction
tracts must receive the board e
proval and prohibits clearance of A
lean built vessels without it's conse
Transfer Of shares of stock IN
ping concerns also would be subie'
the boards censorship. Senator Fl
er said this provision especially
designed TO prevent German ca
from securing interest in Anne
ships