The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-18
MERCHANT CREWS
TO SUCCEED NAVAL
Shipping Board Announces
Policy of Restoring CONNER
cial Conditions Quickly.
RECRUITING rs GOING ON
Vessels Engaged in Bringing
Troops Home Are Not
Included.
spsod, De,psseA 70 4,us Sun.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17.-Merchant
crews arc to be substituted for navy
crews on the vessels Of the American
merchant fleet as rapidly rs possible.
A policy of manning all outgoing ves-
sells with merchant crews has been de-
termined upon by tho Shipping Board
+. because Of the necessity Of restoring
commercial conditions as soon as pos
sible. This policy will not apply. how
ever; to vessels in the transport SER
vice bringing troops home from
Europe.
Merchant sailors for the ships are
20 be recruited as soon as possible
and all vessels placed in commerce
will undergo a change In personnel OF
officers and crews II they have been
under navy operation. This applies
to foreign vessels that were requi-
sitioned and chartered as well as to
American ships.
Tho shipping Board says that in
making its decision 1t has "been guided
by the necessity OF restoring the usual
commercial conditions governing the
operation of merchant vessels as rap
Idly as possible in order to enable the
ordinary competitive conditions to be
met" This means for one thing that
the vessels are to be changed over to
the cost basis for crews that viii OBJ
tain in peace times, when they must
compete with other American vessels
as well as those under foreign flags.
Tho board publicly expressed its ap-
probation of the naval crews and OF
the merchant crews that manned
some of the vessels through mine and
Submarine infested waters without
losses. While most of the transport
vessels had naval crews. some had
merchant crews. though all vessels in
the transport service were regarded
as part Of the military and naval
operations. 'ss
Removal Of the convoy and other
naval regulations on sailings makes 1t
possible to put merchant crews on all
Vessels not in the transport service.
Responding to a Senate resolution
General Manager Piez Of the Emerg-
gency Fleet Corporation. advised the
Senate to-day that from August, 1917,
to November %. last. $50 ships, ag-
gfegating 1,216,367 gross, tons, were
constructed by that organization.
Mr.. Piez also reported that because
Of inflated values due to the war, 1.-THE
normal value of many properties of
the housing division OF the Fleet Cor
poration will be worth less than 20
per cent. of their cost. He attributed
much of the high cost to the in
creased freight rates and long hauls.
EThe corporation, the report said,
during the war undertook twenty four
lausing projects. which included the
construction of S,9i9 substantial
houses, 1,119 apartments and eight
substantial hotels. all capable of hous-
ing $4,000 individuals. Allotments for
the projects amounted to $65.SS3, 900
and all are in advanced stages OF
construction, with s3.s0O,000 COM
plated.
plans for continuing control OF
skipping through the division of OPP
efations OF the Shipping Board after
January 1. when the Ship Control
Committee will cease to exist, are TAX
ing shape.
1t Is proposed that each coast Sec
tiDn have an assistant director Of
operations to control shipping locally
a1d that general supervision be cen
tired at Washington under j. IL. Ros-
setter. This arrangement ALREADY is
In effect on the Pacific coast.
-Allocation of shipping heretofore
handled by the Ship Control Commit
tee, will be dealt with by the division
of OneratiOns