New-York tribune., 1919-01-24

srammc of the Emergency Fleet Cor
even in sight The ultimate respon-
sibility for the determination of this
policy rests with Congress. The Fleet
corporation Is going on with it's work,
making some cancellations and alter
ing Its types wherever possible to meet
commerclal requirements, but it does
not feel authorized to make cancella-
tlons that will involve hundreds of
millions of dollars of net loss to the
government without Congressional
authorlzatlon. It has stopped con-
ssructon or cancelled 1872 wooden
ships and has reduced it's steel pro
gramme from some 10000. 1000 tons to
less than 15.000.000 but that is about
as tar as 1t dare go until peace time
policy has been defined.
In discussing this programme before
the senate commerce committee to-
day, Mir. Piez said that the 5000 900
tons of commitments could be can
ceiled c at loss of $780, 900 900 to $780,
100000; that about 100000 tons
could be cancelled at loss of about
$500 100000 and that 1900 900 tons
could be cancelled at loss of ap-
proXimately $lO0,O0OOOO.
Would Cancel 100000 Tons
Mr. Piez advice is to cancel 100000
tons and take the loss, but to go
through with the rest of the pro
grammc, which would be about 11,O0O,-
oOo tons of steel ships, with the sub
stitution wherever desirable of diff
ordered, so as to have a better balanc-
ed fleet. Something over 100000 tons
OF wooden ships will have to be com
pleted. This would make the national
fleet total about $4,000 900 tons instead
of the 100000 of the wartime pro-
gramme. After the proposed pro-
gramme is carried out Mr.. Piez cal
culates. the normal annual building to
maintain the American merchant
marine should be about 100000 tons,
or about 40 per cent of the normal
capacity of the yards.
The total number of the yeards now
building ships for the Emergency Fleet
was given in a lengthy and detailed
report regarding the whole status of
the shlpbuiding venture as 1874, Of
which thirty-one arc on the North
Atlantic. eleven on the Delaware River,
nineteen on the Middle Atlantic. twenty
nine on the South Atlantic, ten on the
Gulf, eighteen on the South Pacific
coast, twenty-four on the North Pacific.
twenty on the Great Lakes and eleven
IN ShIpbuilding District No. II.
The total Of commitments of the
Emergency Fleet Corporation for wards.
shlps, housing, docks, etc, is now So
le,ooO,OO as against authorizations bv
Congress of So ,671 100000. OF the wards
building ships of 5000 tons or more.
practically eighty-sevcn of the wooden
sn'pyards are complete. Ffty-six of
lhe steel shlpyards arc complete, and
most OF the eleven others are nearly
done. >
:, AS to concrete ships, Mr.. Pez said
that since the armistice the number
had been reduced from forty-two to
fourteen, eight of which arc 7.5OO-ton
tankers, four 7,500-ton cargo boats and
tWo OIL 5000 tons cargo. The concrete
snlps Will cost about 80 per cent less
than the steel. Mr.. Piez considered it
good Judgment TO complete the four
teen in order to learn finally Just what
are the possibilities and limitations of
concrete vessels. The 5,O0O-ton ship
Falth mad given great service and was
pone dry after several long voyages.
In regard to Hog Island. Mr.. Picz. as
showing current and probable eventual
costs. The first ship cost S2,427, 900,
the seventeenth S1,425,00 and the ff-
tleth would cost about $1,34OOOO. The
original estimate was 81 10000 a ship.
In connection with Mr. Pez's en-
phatic statement that d policy in re-
gard to further construction should be
determined on Immediately, Senator
Jones made the point that under the
terms of tn chill providing for the
emergency ship programme the Presi-
dent is finally responsible for all poll
cies of construction and management
and that the Shipping Board and Emer-
gency Fleet Corporation are merely his
personally designated agents, thus in
dicating that the J.. present lack Of pol
President