The Washington herald., 1920-02-17
CHECKS
,BOARD'SSALE
0FLINERS
Provides CON-
merce Committee Must
Pass on Act.

VI AAtt man EtlDE hN
the Shipping Board was ordered stop
ped yesterday by the Senate on the
adoption of a resolution by Senator
Mcclellan. of Tennessee. The resolu-
tion directed that no sale should take
riace until the subject has been con-
sidered by the Commerce Committee
and reported TO and acted upon by the
Senate"
President Wilson is expected to
deny that any agreemnt had been
made between the Shipping Board and
British interests in regard to the dis
posal of the ships. as was asserted an
the Senate last Saturday.
Received Bids.
In accordance with instructions
from the Senate Commerce Commit
tee. Chairman Payne yesterday re-
ceived bids for the ships. These he
will lay before the committee at a
special meeting Wednesday morning.
In the District Supreme Court Asso-
ciate Justice Bailey took under ad-
visement a decision on the applica-
tion OF william Randolph Hearst of
, al injunction to stop the sale of the
vessels. His decision will he an
nounced Friday. The shipping men.
who appeared in large numbers at the
opening OF bids yesterday. were told
that only bids from American indi-
viduals or concerns would be consid-
cred. and that the ships must continue
: to fis the American flag.
William r. Collins. secretary OF
the committee on commerce and
marine of the American Bankers
Association, was the principal wit
ness before the Senate Commerce
Committee yesterday. He urged that
the former German ships and any
others now in the hands OF the gov
ernment should be disposed of as
soon as possible TO private Ameri-
can owners at a fair price.
Collins asserted that the fortunes
of war had for the first time placed
: in the hands Of the United States
a merchant marine that rivalled in
/ tonnage the merchant fleet of Great
] Britain. Government ownership oil
government operation, he contend.
] ed. would soon result in Great Brit.
ain again acquiring most Of the
cargo tonnage.
should Not Compete.
Il am firmly of the opinion" said
Collins, that the government in nc
way should compete with establish.
ed steamship lines, as is the cast
| today. In time of peace it spell,
! chaos in the shipping business
! Pending final disposal of the ships
/ they should be chartered at fail
terms to American concerns who
are able to operate them to ma.
| ticnal advantage.
Fields S. Pendleton. a New Eng.
| land ship owner, asserted that un.
| der the pressure of war construc.
| tion the amount of tonnage ahoat
and on the ways had so increased
! that he expected to see freight
rates forced to the lowest point In
many years bye competition. and
! that in view of Great Britain's pol.
I icy of subsidizing her merchant
marine. the infant American feet
could never survive such a period
of freight rate competition without
revised shipping laws. He urgeC
D that the transfer of ships now held
by the government to private con
Germs be made gradually to prevent
/ the market being glutted, and In
! order to secure a reasonable price
Must Protect Owners.
There is not a shiPbuilding firm
in this country today" he asserted
, that can continue to bUiid SHIPS W
competition with the cheaper labol
of Great Britain and Ja~ n. unless we
have radical changes in our law tc
protect ship builders and ship own
1 ers."
Among the bids received yesterday
was 10000 for the Black Arrow. oy
the Oriental Navigation Company, ans
s14. .05o0e0 for nine vessels Of the fleet
by p. A S. Franklin. president OF tpe
International Mercantile Marine. Yes
! sells included in the bid are the Le-
viathan, George Washington. America
! President Grant. Napsemond. Anti
gone, Pocahontas. Princess Matoiks
and Gallao. Moore & Mccormick OF.
fered A,5ooOoo for five vessels toi
South American service, and the Nun
son Steamship Line ma C a condition.
al bid OF s., ,sOO.o 900 for the same vessels
The George W. Goethals Shin AM
Commerce Corporation offered 10000,
! 600 for six vessels for tho IIan,surs
and Bremen service. For the sam,
' group of vessels the Interns tiona
Mercantile Marine bid s10, 500, CO.