The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-02-24
BRITISH FL0UTED
U. S. SHIP BOARD
Supercargo Reveals Attempts Of
English Captains to "Knife"
Merchant Marine.

Amazing charges OF how. British
'aptains commanding American ships
Turing the war foated the Shipping
3oard, and tried to knife" the United
'tates Merchant Marine, were retailed
by J. Il. Ditchie, "supercargo" on
several American freighters, before
he Senate Commerce Committee late
yesterday.
THE whole spirit Of these British
ars whom we put in charge OF our
ships was stick the Shipping Board
hip and they went the limit in try
ing to load our boats down with
needless expense and to discredit
operation by the American Govern
nent," he stated.
Critici.es Board.
ITO say that Government operation
received a fair test during The war
or during the current postwar period
is absurd. I hope Congress investi-
gates the operation of Shipping Board
ships. 1t then will know why it has
cost so much to run them"
Ditchie told of the oiling of his
ships at an English port where ex-
cess oil costing $1,000 more than 1t
would have cost in the United States.
was purchased needlessly. The chief
engineer OF the ship, a Britisher.
told by a Mr.. Collins, a representative
of the Shipping Board in England,
that a commission is paid for the sale
of EXCEL oil.
1.-The ships could have bunkered for
the round trip in the United States"
he concluded
Recites CareIessnesA
Ditchie related numerous other in
Of n ~ the NareIAQQnAqa Of RYif-
ish captains in handling American
carriers. Ono Of them lived In Liver
pool, auo deserted his vessel As soon
as she arrived at that port, and was
never seen again until she was ready
for the return voyage.
1.-THE British were always ready to
stick us II we were not eternally on
the look out" he continued. "In the
absence of the captain some Of us had
to assume authority. For instance.
forty stevedores were assigned to our
ship to unload her. at Liverpool, al
though there was no possible use for
more than twenty-three. I had to
make a strong protest before the
extra seventeen men were taken off
and that much extra expense for the
Shipping Board saved"
Ditchie told OF the action OF the
International Mercantile Marine in
replacing an American captain by a
British officer.
''The American crew refused to sail
under this particular captain" he
said. They had their way"
Want British Officers.
He charged that it was the sys-
tematic policy of the International
Mercantile Marine to man all Amer
lean vessels with British officers and
crews-a policy which absolutely
killed the prospect of real Amer
lean merchant marine.
Ditchie's remedy for the present
situation Is the establishment OF
Government corporation, the stock of
which should be distributed among
former service men, for the operation
and control of the American mer-
chant marine.
He declared that "this plan would
answer the soldiers and sailors bonus
question and keep the ships under
American registry" He was inter
rogated at some length by Senator
Nelson, who expressed sharp dissent
from his views.
Others Oppose Sale.
The Senate Commerce Committee
also heard two other witnesses yes
terday who were opposed to the sale
OF American shipping at the present
time.
r.. II. Robinson, Of the Atlantic
Coast Shipbuilding Association, op-
posed the sale OF more than 20 per
cent OF the tonnage now in the con-
troll of the Shipping Board "until
Congress establishes a policy which
will insure future American registry"
He declared that the American in
weston could not absorb more than
this amount now, since shipping was
still regarded as a speculative VEN
ture, and would remain so until some
form of international sterilization has
been adopted by the leading nations.
william A. Dobson, OF the Crsmp
Shipbuilding and Engine Company, of
Philadelphia, expressed general APP
prevail of Robinson's views.
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