Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-01-05
TWO BILLION TOTAL
FOR SHIP PROGRAM
Board Asks SOL, 600. 600,
Out of Which Yards Are to Be
Extended and Houses Built.

1 Asking 1000. 900 for additional
! shpbuildins contracts. with sS2,oo0.e0o
of this for shipyards and $4,000. 900 for
| housing workmen, plans for 81 ,00e.-
| e0o, 900 government shipbuilding pro-
boards appeal to Congress for more
money.
| Thus far the board.'has been author
| ized to spend for shipbuHding s1,234.-
| 900. 900, contracts for most of which
i have been awarded. Today's request for
/ a further authorization and an addi-
| tional appropriation bring the estma ties
of funds needed for shipbuilding to 81,
io1s,o00.00o If the additional funds are
made available they will be put large
~ into fabricated steel ship contracts.
although some contracts for ordinary
steel ships will be let. as will a few for
wooden ships on the Pacific coast.
No new shipyards are planned by the
board. The fabricating yards have con-
tracts for about SEQ ships now, which
will keep them constantly employed
into 1919, but the board is anxious to
place more contracts and begin on the
task of providing materials.
Senators Amazed.
of shipbuilding contracts and ma
erals for ships for the government
disclosed at the investigation into the
activities of the shipping board yester-
lay amazed members of the Senate
commerce committee conducting the in
vestigation.
i, was developed that contracts for
shipbuilding had been formed out by
one company to another on the Pacific
coast at enormous profit to the first,
which was the Clinchfield Navigation
Company. The company actually con-
structing the ships was the Sloane Ship
yard Corporation.
It was developed. too. that the lumber
mills of the SOUTH supplying timber for
the wooden-ship construction on the
Atlantic seaboard. are making ire
mendous profits. though it was testified
that the price charged the government
for timber was less by II per cent than
the price charged private concerns and
persons for similar timber.
The price paid for southern pine, it
was brought out. Is SIS a thousand
more than the price paid for fir on the
Pacific coast. At the same time, the
mills on the Pacific coast pay almost
double the amount paid by the south
ern mills for labor. F. L. Sanford.
members of the Southern Pine Associa-
ton. told the committee he did not
know of a ''closed-shop" sawmin in
the south
The opinion was expressed today by
members of the committee that the
shipping board investigation would
soon be over. Senator Fletcher chair
man of the committee. said that he be-
leved the organization for shin build
ing was finally on an efficient basis and
would go ahead with the ships
II believe myself" he said. that the
government should have built its own
ships. and could have done SO more
cheaply than by letting contracts to
! these private corporations. many Of
which never before built ship"
Senator Harding Of Ohio. whose reso-
luton brought about the investigation
doubtediy was paying enormously for
its ships. it must have them, even
though il was robbed. in the present
emergency. The Investigation. he said
undoubtedly had done good by max
ing public the facts in connection with
the shipping contracts.
Mr.. Sanford Of the Southern Pine AS
ISOLATION described in detail the deal
ings of the southern mills with the
government through the Southern Pine
emergency bureau, established to aid
the government in obtaining the need
ed timbers for the ships. He testified
five weeks by changes in specifications
for the lumber made by the construc-
tors of the feet corporation.
Contracts for Southern Pine.
Frank A Brown the general pur-
chasing officer for the Emergency Fleet
Corporation, also testified in regard to
the contracts for southern pine. He
said ne thought the government was
| getting a fair price from the southern
mills when the price they were charg-
| ing private concerns was taken into ac-
count. but he added that the southern
mills were making large profits.
| Charles Bookwalter of New York, a
! division inspector for the fleet cor
! Doration. testified that the ferry COM
panies were holding up the government
| in their prices for transporting men to
! II" shipyards.
| The committee adjourned until Tues
| day. William Deninan. the first chair
| man of the shipping board. who lost Of
| flee along with Gen. Goethals. owing to
| their disputes over contracts and poll
! cies. Is here and desires to be heard