Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-02-14
! SHIPPING BOARD
ASKED TO'EXPLA|N.
4 4 Emergency Fleet Corporation G
Also Prevented From Nego-
tisting Sale of Ships.
WOULD CHAN GE BIDDING.
Senator Ashurst Launches At
tack and Demands Public
Bids Be Obtained.
WOULD Y cIHAYH G e BIDDING.
NJ JUSTIN ,IcGRATH.

ny JUSTIN NIcGRATH. &
q WASHINGTON. Feb. 13.-The Ger
man ships will not he sold on Monday.
The Shipping Board today changed its
program There were several reasons
Sssfof. tho change, They are here enu-
.perated in the order of their Import
s anrc:
~ T. William Randolph Hearst came to
y Washington today and through his at
torncys, Messrs. Anseli & Bailey, ex-
Governor Joseph w. Folk, OF Missouri.
and William ~, DeFord. of New \ ork.r
I made application to Chief Justice Nc.
a Coy, In the District Supreme Court.
8 fer an injunction TO restrain the United
4, states Shipping Board and the Elmer
! 5ency Fleet Corporation and stop the,
sale of the ships. Chief Justice Mccoy
issued rule ON the defendants to
make appearance on Monday and show
& cause why temporary restraining or
der against them should not be issued.
Cinim board acta Too Quickly.
9. A concurrent resolution directing
;at The Shipping Board not to scll tho
thirty former German liners. except
through regular public bidding after
* three months advertising. and then
only II proper offers are received, was
& introduced In the Senate by senator
Aahurst,g OF Arizona. The introduc-
s. sion Of the resolution ccasioncd q
ebatc, which showed that q number
asof tho chamber thou gbt tina 4 tho sihip. !;
ming Board " as at;tt in 8 too hastil " and
B assuming too much as,tilo q 3; U
! Republ lican1 ot II nots. ntrcduced An
& lao & House q srssofut tton providing for
an Inv vestig gallon of 4 he proposed trans
sturcs in the War Department. The
committee would go Unto the question.
the shippiins hoards aofhGSraty 70
IS and tho amount therefor.
II Payne Oncrs I1xrInnatiou.
4.aThc Senate Committee on Com
rnerce, to which, the Ashurst resolu-
afternoon, at which Chairman John
Barton Payne. OF the shipping Board.
was called upon for a full explanation
Z proposed sale of the German ships. II
was made clear at this hearing by scv-
eral OF the members of the committee
saoo;0oO, the bid Of the International
Mercantile Marine. was an adequate
: price for the shipsi that they were
y at all, he made under conditions which.
would cffnctually prevent tho ships
from being transferred to any other
sh more es1 sge Of the
sale. e. *
Denies Intention to Sell.
.Aithoushsc Chairman Payne hereto
Is foro has told the press that the sale
sss1ay Informed members OF The commit
fteo that II was the intention of the
Il Shipping Board merely to receive bids
on Monday and not to effect the sale
sof any Of the ships until after each
n particuiar bid had been carefully con :!
sidcred, and determination reached
kt,-S k1,r fT<.s- xIssIxx tI.I ar u RI
- Senat tor 4 Wesley Q. ones chairman
ofs the committee. asked Chairman
Z Payne whether he would be willing,
4 to postpone the sale OF the slips until
,nConEress had formulated asdefinitc pol ).
=. Icy for a n American merchant marine.
, Chairman Payne resi- ended stha ~ the
= Iuest from the committee TO order tn
8snostponementf itssWould be pleased to
Thinis Present Offers Are Best.
Without such aEde1ntte request, how
es or, Chairman Payne did not know
ctbe r the board woald he willing, on,
len sth OF time tho con summation OF
he sale. In tho opinion OF The board,
4 t.haiTna an Payne said. conditions were
price for tho. ships than they were;
II ely TO s be, la ter on. If the ships
SIS We're not sold they would have to be
4 This would mean Il total Investment of
& Ss5. 100000. basng the fleets valuation
bid of the inteGmaSnal Gno n er
turned =. out later. Chairman Payne said,
IS hat It was mistake not to have
9sold the ships when conditions were.
he a critieizsa. onrq psqsoTaily wan,a
:. IBIS conviction was, he aaid, that tho
aipa should be sela nGW e ade.
had preyiously stated to tho commit
Y tee that IN his opinion the $2S.Oooooll
81 bid of the International Mercantile:
Ma riIe fairly represente ed the present
4s ,S Committee Has Doubts.
1t was evident that the COMMITTEES
OF the s2s,000,00 bid, and was fear,
s fu1 OF the rcsponsibiiity that Congress
ficetS for that amount was permitted,
8 At tho samo time members Of the com :
mittee were indissposed to take upon.
their shoulders tna the of
nstins UPON R its ibsia bea. Judgement ata
1 hen Chairma = Payne 8announee eed to-
!: the eommitteen !, thst !, he Rnlen,be ers of
4 With subpoenas "a % IS appear n Judge
safcCoy.s court next Afonday2and show
apse why tn q & appl ication OF William
olB The easss
OF Of the Committee not oaiyss showed
great Interest. but relic The asked
adSs seW Jssties sdpss Sssa ruiz is ao
siat a hs had board m to1 ssS'sSa ss
s5 S. not fo
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