The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-11-15
PRESIDENT HAS NAMED
NEW SHIPPING BOARD

DOUBT is FELT AS 10 CON'
FIRMATION BY SENATE
WHEN 1T MEETS NEXT MONTH
Washington, Nov. 14.-The seven
members of the new shipping board
created by the merchant marine act
' finally have been appointed by Pres
ident Wilson; they are:
Rear Admiral William S. Benson,
Frederick L: Thompson, Alabama,
(Democrat) term of five years.
Joseph N. Tai, Oregon, (Democrat)
term of four years. John A. Donald,
New York, (DemocratN, term of 8
years. Chester a.. Rowell, Califor-
MIA, (Republican), term of two
years. Guy D. Goff, Wisconsin, (Re-
publican, term of one year. Charles
Sutter, Missouri, (Republican) term
Of one year.
All are recess appointments and
subject to approval by the senate
which meets next month. Since the
majority of the board are Demo-
Gratis and are appointed for the long
terms some doubt was expressed to-
day in congressional and other Off
cial CIRCLES whether the Republican
majority in the senate would con-
firm the nominations.
Senate May Wait Cd, .. ...
It was regarded as possible that
the senate would fail to act on the
appointments during the short ses-
sion ending on next March a, thus
paving the way for the appointments
Of an entirely new board after the
inauguration of President Harding
Should the Senate fail to act the
board now appointed would cease to
exist with the ending Of the present
congress. -: .'
Immediate organization Of the new
board is looked for. It will elect a
vice chairman and other officials and
take up a number of plans prepar-
ed by the present board of carry
ing out the merchant marine policy
as laid down in the merchant ma
rine act.
Admiral Benson is appointed from
Georgia as Democrat and his term
is for six years.
Admiral Benson and Mr.. Donald
are the Atlantic coast representa-
tives, Mr.. Thompson is the member
from the Gulf coast, Mr.. Goff the
member for the Great Lakes region
and Mr.. Sutter the member from the
interior. This geographical grouping
Of the members is required under
the merchant marine act.
Only Two Hold Over
The chairman and Mr.. Donald are
resppointed from the present board,
while the selection of Mr.. Thompson
and hr. Teal was made sometime
ago, but was not announced because
some Of the members appointed
then declined to serve. They includ-
ed Theodore Marburg of Baltimore,
Gavin HcNab Of San Francisco, and
Martin Gillen Of Wisconsin.
Under the law not more than four
members Of the board can be Of any
the political party. Four Democrats
and three Republicans have been ap-
pointed, but in some quarters today
doubt was expressed whether the
Republican senate would approve
this political alignment in view Of
the fact that. a Republican admin.
stration will come into power on
next March A. It was :. regarded.as
possible that action on the nomina-
tions would be held up until March
4.
Admiral Benson and Mr.. Donald
are the only members of the present
board and immediate organization
Of the new board is looked for, as
number Of policies with respect to
the government owned merchant
marine laid down in the merchant
marine act, can not be carried into
effect until the full board has begun
to function.