Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-11-16
7 mo WRONCD0ER SHALL
u ESCAPE SAYS BENSON
shipping Board Chairman Issues
Ringing Reply tn Critics
OF Corporation.
INSISTS on CLOSEST WATCH
Easy Matter to Pick Flaws in
Such Organization" ADMIRAL
Says-AIcn Employed as Check
against Graft.
LEY Associated rrcss.l

CHARLESTON. s c.. Nov. I5.--Ec.
pIyinE TO critics OF the Shipping
Board and Emergency Fleet Corpor-
! alton. Rear Admiral William s. Ben
son, chairman OF the board. declared
in an address here tonight before
the South Atlantic Ports Association
-.lat his fellow countrymcn" could
depend upon II that NO wronEdocr
. connected with the board will escape
, II the wronGdoing is called TO my
attention"
NO, only have insisted upon the
closest watc, upon all matters" said
.. chairman Benson. hut have follow
: 81 the work OF the Shipping Board
n every pert of the world. with the
ono thought in mind that wc are
now reaching that crucial moment
which spells either the success or
failure OF a permanent merchant ma
yinc.
There is no effort on our part TO
shi7k whatever responsibility we have
assumed. We have insisted that At
all times tho records are open 10 the
public. Every facility IS offered 10
nose who desire Information.
II is an easy matter for any ono
{" pick flaws in an organization like
'''Pi'Hb 'thI'i' W y Il.iu 80 ~ t!H
100000 shipbuiidcrs, and in the man
ming OF our ships wc have had to
train thousands Of men.
Employ Men rs Checkers.
OF course, IN an organization OF
this magnitude. you will find hero
and there evidences of wronEdoinE
and now and then you will uncover
a systematic effort TO dcfraud II
was necessary for the Shipping Board
10 employ men whose sole rcspon-
sibility was the nncovcring Of wrong
doing. and these men were CHARGED
with heavy responsibilities The
men who we depend upon to be checks
upon those who might be tempted
70 do wrong bear heavy rcspons,-
bi!fty If they failed us: but in IN
organisation spending over $1,000
100000. where. rs the largest steam
ship operator in the world, millions
or dollars arc expended from day 20
my. II would be impossible to prc-
vent all wrongdoing or to do bust
ness without suffering financial losses
from time to time"
Men OF vision will take into CON
-fderation the Whole picture presented
~. shipping problems, Chairman Ben
son asserted. recalling the work done
ny the American merchant marine
during the war aud praisinG the Wis
Oh Of Edward y. Hurley, who, az
tairnan OF the board after the arm
slice went ahead with The shin
i-nildiug program.
Ny predecessor. John Barton
'aSne, had a heavy responsibility
placed upon him when he stepped In
10 the Office made vacant through
VT Hurley's resignation" Admiral
Henson continued. Thousands OF
r'a'H1s, amounting to millions OF dol.
i;t's, the Jobs of more ;han 100000
men involved in the settlement O.
these claims. problems of rccoustruc-
h"h. are only few of the many
pressing matters that came before
him in a days work"
Responsibility With People.
Responsibility for tho establish
'ncnt OF Il permanent merchant ma
r!ne rests with the American peo-
Tie as well AS with the board. Chair
men Benson declared. adding that
1t is the responsibility of everv
newspaper publisher in America. and
have time anu again called unon
'!ie press. and it. has met me In
noble manner. IT, spread this mes
sage before the w6rid--that America
is now ship independent"
Declaring that he was CHARGED. ,s
CHAIRMAN Of the board. with great re-
sponsih!iity. Chairman benson said
ne would be coward!y II he refused 10
exercise 10 The best OF his Judgment.
the powers vested in him.
If mistakes have been made" he
said. They were mistakes THAI nat
ura!ly may be expected IN such
stupendous enterprise Involving rs
Z does the active employment G,
more than 1000 sea-go.us vessels
With the manifold problems involved
II snip operation. the completion OF
u huge shipbu!ldiag program en-
Tracing the payment OF millions OF
dollars and the settlement OF thou
sands of claims when come AS =
result OF an effort to be fair 10 those
men who, when We needed them
placed their facilities at our dis
Dosal and endeavored 10 DO every
thing within their power to halp
this country In its ehipbuildlug pro.
gram.
we are engaged in no ch.id'z play.
our effort is world wide. our work
reaches into every part OF the world
IL Affects every interest !, s. your
DoSibeSfS 10 "atCN tNlS development;
and TO critically examine Our wort
from day To day. II is your business
20 question what VIC do. u is a
good thing that men are awakened
10 the splendid opportunity shipping
affSfds. but whilc i is no ch!ld'g
play to build M this world. wide
organization, ] do say s, IS childfe
play on the part ., any ono who
heedlessly spreads erroneous ::u
pressione which tend 10 destroy con
idence in our ability 10 maintain
support and develop permanent
merchant marine, privately owned.
All we ask is constructive criticism, "
South Play. His Part
The South is playing an inpor,an,
part in the development o. the rncr.
chant marine, chairmen Benson told
the association.
You men OF the South have :
peculiar responsibility no declared
announcing az did Ia tho por, o:
New York that We would sp.oal,
shipping throughout the country. &.
was with the hope and belief ,ha,
when the task was presented 20 the
men of the South and the Gult, tina,
they would meet the issuc, and be.
"a