The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-09-28
ARE PUT INTO SERVICE
Eight Ships Will Be Run
Permanently in Sea
Service
BRITISH TAKEN BY SURPRISE
Had Expected Them to Be
Returned for New
Distribution

WAsHIN0TON. Sept sT-Eight
German liners. including the former
Hamburg American steamer Imper-
ator. second largest ship In the
world. allocated to the United States
by the inter allied shipping commits
sion after the signing OF the arms.
tice ana used 10 bring homo Ameri-
can troops, are TO be retained by
the United States Plans to place
them In passenger and freight serv-
Ice are being prepared by the ship
ping board.
The Imperator had been allocated
| by tho allied naval commission at
Paris TO Great Britain and the Brit
ish minister OF shipping expected
that the ship would be delivered to
him today at Hoboken for use by
! the Cunard limo in service between
New YORK and England The ship
ping board announced today. how
ever. that II had taken the liner over
from tho war department and or
dercd n survey 10 determine repairs
necessary for use as n liner.
IiosctSr TcIls situation.
J H. Rosseter. director OF the d.
vision OF operations of the board,
tonight issued n statement explain
Ing the shipping boards action.
II was understood that the action
" the board In retaining tho ships
was "A direct result OF a decision BY
the supreme economic council at
Brussels 20 allocate 10 the allies IL
oil tank steamers In German ports
which the Standard on company
Of New Jersey contends are its prop
erty The ships were operated un-
der the German flag, but tho COM
pany claimed they belonged TO It's
German subsidiary.
Under Secretary Of State Polk! q
head OF the American peace delega-
uon Mt Paris, has sought 10 have
the ~ oil ships hllocated for the
transportation 'uf oil from the United
states 10 Germany. The representa-
tves Of the five great powers at
Paris nErred, but the supreme econ
omic council on which the United
states B not nov represented. or
dcred Germany 90 turn tho vessels
over to the alice
i,rtUn Vessels
n was snid a. the war department
today that since the ships had been
assigned TO ~ by the shipping board,
return thom when no longer needed
as transports
Great Nritiln has contended that
tho ALLEGATION OF the eight liners by
the inter allied commission was only
temporary and that when the need
FOR the ships as troop transports had
uH~."i 'hey were 10 revert 20 the
allied pool for permanent ALLEGATION
among the allied and associated ma
ruur
Meantime. tho Cunard line has
been advised by the British minister
NJ shipping 10 cancel its plans 20
operate the lmperator under the
.'uuari flag next month.
The ALLEGATION had been made by
the interullied shipping commission
at Paris and Great Britain has con
tended hat % was only temporary
ana that when the need Tor the ships
in The homews ri movement Of Amer
lean troops ceased 90 exist they would
revert tu the iufcr8lIipJ pool FOR per
maucnt disposition among tho assoc
c.ated and allied powers as might
be agreed upon nv the commission
Al the war Department ~ was
stated that the position OF the de-
Iurtm'u' was that The shipments
we're turned over to % hv tho ship
ping board rnr 'h" specific purpose
~ transporting 'ru.ua Hrf wa sup
plies ard 'n1' ihIg activity having
been practically concluded shc. oh
liuuE prDrstgr" vtH. f1 r.'Hru tua
vessels 90 'N. board regardless u
any International agreement.