South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-20

them.
No Direct Statement.
The report evades making a di-
rect statement Of how much money
was wasted i'm the construction OF
the Hog Island yard. and recounts
its findings as 20 the alleged mis-
management Of the yard during its
construction in a series OF charges.
each charge being based on oral or
documentary evidence taken for the
investigation. These charges are fol
lowed by the answers OF the ac-
cused. quoting in the report
we have not undertaken 10 pass
final Judgment on the issues thus
raised. because IL was not necessary
TO do so i'm order 20 determine ths
question Of criminality. and. beside.
they involve in large mart engineer
ing and construction problems
which can ne authoritatively deter
mined only 10y experts in those lines
We think it our duty. however. 20
make a specific statement OF the
issues which have arisen in this re-
gard and TO suggest a course for
the protection OF the rights Of the
government" the report says
Charges Against Corporation.
The report charges the agent (the
American Internationa! Shipbuild-
ing corporation with.
1.-The agent so miscalculated
the understanding that it allowed
the first six or seven weeks 20 pass
before making any rational proyi-
sion for the handling OF transporta
ton features Of the enterprise A
the very inception or the Job. orders
were placed almost simultaneously
for some 1000 carloads of freigh-
under rush priority orders This
freight started rolling ir in Tie
month or October Gg17l when
there were no yard facilities on HoE
Island TO receive or handle -t re-
sultiug In congestion of the rail-
roads and railroad sidings in and
about philadelphia but eVtendiur
as far south as Norfolk. Va anil
possibly farther I'm spite OF nfor
NAL warnings from tho EmereRrc-
Fleet corporation and the railroads
early I'm October that more freight
was being ordered than could he
I handled at Hog Island the agent
4 disregarded these warnings and
took the position that Dc was re-
/ sponsible for the sob and won.
properly handle the situation
Congestion Brings Embargo
"2-As "a result OF this congestion
F the railroads were forced in Notem- b.
+ her 20 put an embargo against an
. shipments 20 Hog TslaH d When TIN
+ agent became alive 90 the situation
and wanted 20 construct storage
Yards ar Hog Island 20 found that
the materials FOR that purpose were
so tied up iu the general mass o.
4 freight that it was impossible 20
4 move them 20 Hog Island and thus
relieve conditions The cars had -
be moved 90 tho island 90 get ri1
OF them whether their contents Were
needed then or later The agent ha 4
20 employ numerous trucks % a'i
character 10 go 20 distant points I'D
trane-shin The contents of FIRE. ght
cars and also had 10 purchase large
amounts OF materials IN or ab0u.
. Philadelphia at hiEh prices. which
could be transported hy truck Tn 8
in turn created such congestion
upon the road from philadelphia
and upon the internal roads on the
island that trucks were tied up for
hours trying 70 move from one pare
Of the island TO another
Checking System Breaks Down.
Owing % This Dissemination
[ in receiving material .he whole sys-
tenn OF checking and recording the
receipt and distribution OF materials
broke down. with the result that ir
was impossible tc determine from
the records - the company what
material was received or what wa =
done with it when received. or wha 2
was on hand Large crews of men
were held idle awaiting the arrival
CONTINUED ON PAGE ELEVEN