The sun., 1918-12-21
HUNT FOR CRIME AT
HOG ISLAND FAILS
Assistant acknowledgements
Inquiry Suggests Only
Carelessness.
COST EXCEEDS ESTIMATE
Court of Arbitration Recon-
mended to Decide Liabil-
ity of Contractors.
cost EXCEEDS ESTIMATE
S5scid! Despatch 10 TuE suS.

WARRINGTON, Dec. 2o,-'The iacts
4. ,o, ius,ifv criminal process. but
,,.o.o,,. ,,.u,oo,, ~, ..,,-
une VINO
mates and the cost OF the yard wouio
Indicate the ACCESSIBILITY Of the creation
=, n, arbitration court 10 decide to
To-. 70 o,,, ,ho ,or.rao,o-, AZ.
VIVA eA'''' -
liable to the government Inc prop
able cost Of the plant will DO about
AZ, ooo 600 Including $4,000. 900 for
,,,., g.. - 49, ,,,,,o,,,
huui'ol''
Fleet Corporation)' compareu win an
original estlmate OF szl,ooo,VVo ana
revised estimate OF SE"ooo'VoV'
Waving all MINOR questions OF con-
troversy' says the report inns as
crepancy must ce que 10 some lunua-
mental miscaicuiauon'
Consideraoie eitort mas oeen maze
by the agent In the hearings to
stultify It's own estimates by claiming
that they were mere guesses that
nobody could rely upon. But the
Fleet Corporation did rely on them
evidence i,stifyinK the agents
present position"
This IN substance is the nnuing OF
Assistant Attorney-General Todd in
his investigation OF the hog Island
shipyard. HIS report, made public at
the White House To-Day following
wireless instructions from the Presi-
dent. leave the question or cost open.
The Assistant Attorney-General de-
clares the costs are not known and
The burden OF proof Is on the Govern
ment agents and the American Inter
uational Shipbuilding Corporation.
Among other things Mr.. Todd ques-
tons the methods pursued in so far as
they relate to the costs.
He quotes the representatives OF the
contractors In leading up to the prin-
c'pel conclusions drawn, which are as
follows:
I'VE could not examine this array
Of evidence without coming to the con-
clusion that prior to February l there
existed at Hog Island a condition
which specifically at least would i'm
press any one as an organized riot
tangled mass or state OK chaos
The most significant single fact in
dcating the point of view at Hog
Iarrslv ,urnhsr prera nrana,d % .ha
extent OF more than s1o,0oo,000. and
that there was no effort until our in
restigation to prove whether the pre-
paid bills were in fact followed by the
eetual receipt OF the material.
A
that while the contract provided in
express terms that the agent should
keep detailed plant cost account and
contained very careful provisions de-
ming cost yet the agent at an early
cate look the position that since the
government PAID TOT everything that
went INTO hog lsiand II was unneceS-
sary 10 comply with THIS provision.
Renee at no stage OF the work since
last december could II be determined
"hat any unit OF plant construction
COST Ihus u was never possible for
Nhe agent 10 supervise either It's own
"o'h OF the work OF lts suocontractors
uOfl the point OF view OF what the
"ork was costing.
II was certainty possible TO super
wise the Undertaking from the stand
point OF cost without detriment to
speed
rmc,sn.x r,,...,
IN feoruary Admiral Bowles was
oeh' 10 Hos Island TO exercise the full
power OF the Fleet Corporation In the
matter OF direction and supervision:
"e was aoie TO increase the efficiency
VI the Work and yet eliminated un-
"ecessary salaries IN three DEPART
MERITS anc renta! charged Tor un-
necessary equipment, thereby erect
ing saving OF several thousand dol
Hrs day A similar reorganization
N o'her departments is under way.
IN substance the agent has taken
He position That since this was not a
numerical Job but a war job in which
'peen was or the essence therefore In
ne absence OF positive misconduct or
,nminahty the question OF cost was
u minor Importance.
rect view OF the contract Sneed NJ
.o-n..i,,S was u nlsn Importance aho
rost n1,,nt auI ,, III 'he way Oh
Is w.. - a'io"eu LOT It, but sPeeu
49, piOiioIeu oy olsreBarulnB the