The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-02-13
WILSON GIVES THE RAILWAY MEN AN ULTINIATUlNI
HEARST STATES


u was n fact that the shipping board /
and emergency fleet corporation In ]
tended to sell the vessels to the Inter
national Mercantile Marine for f2s,- /
600 900. Tie said the vessels had "a
pre-war value OF fiet 5000, OOO and "a
present value OF $500 100000.
Chairman Jones OF the commerce ]
committee previously had told the I
senate that he had no idea that a story .
that the ships were 10 be sold to the
international Mercantile Marine under
IA secret understanding between the
board and British interests was true
Payne Denies Charge
After more than AN hours debate
| Chairman Jones OF the commerce
I committee objected TO Immediate con
4 the ground that "a concurrent reaolu-
| ton should be referred TO the COM
mittse. The resolution then was re-
ierred to his committee.
Senator Runsdell. democrat OF Lou
/ lsinnn. told the senate u was "ridicu-
I lous TO think that the shipping board
/ would sell the fleet at the price
I quoted" and Senator King, democrat.
/ of Utah, announced that while the de-
bate was In progress he had talked
with Chairman Payne. OF the shipping
board. ON the telephone ana that Mr.
/ Payne had told him that the charge
! IN an absolute taiachooo and that no
secret agreement had been arranged
] Tor the Aile OF the meet
Il talked to the board ON the tcle-
phone this morning said senator
Jones. 'and they advised me that they
I simply prut 0aod to open bids aud con
. sider proposals Monday. After that
they proposed to take into cousidera-
uon an OF the circumstances and de
eide whether they Will accept any OF
7 the bids or refuse all Of them
Asked by Senator Bouih, republican
OF Idaho. whether he had inquired
specifically about the reported under
standing with The mercantile marine
corporation, senator Jones replied.
4 did but ! do not believe there is
any truth in the report The admins
tratiOn officials are not OF my party
but | believe they are honest men and
patriotic citizens. ! feel satisfied they
have not entered into any such an
II haze been told that from surveys
made. the board believes Il vii. cost
from $50. 100000 to t6O, zoo. 900 TO put
these ships IN proper condition.
think that is an administrative matter
aud have confidence that II viii be
decided wisely"
senator Jones added that Chairman
Payne several days ago had reuuested
a hentiur before tho commerce cont
I mittoes to explain The whole situation,
Ilcn-ons I'Or Sale.
/ While the debate was proceeding IN
the senate Representative Mead, deu-
Ocrat. OF New York, made public "a
letter from Chairman Payne. explain
ing the reasons Tor tho sale ot the
ships. II was learned that Chairman
Payne had written % similar letter To
President wilson The letter To Repre-
sentative Mead follows.
Answering your inquiry regarding
/ sale OF the cA-Germun passenger ships,
the reasons were principally these.
"l. II is the opinion OF the shipping
board that We viii probably not DE
able To operate passenger ships under
prohibition successfully In compeu-
b ton with foreign ships which sell
liquor. The reason why b.. In peccin- o.
Uct we ftted out the MOCCusin to sail
to South america Her bcrihs were
AN sold. When / announced that in
view OF the policy VI congress OF the
country. government ships would not
bee permitted to sell liquor, one half OF
.nc saiiings were immediately can
celicd.
~. We advertised the oN-Geunan
ships and TOT 20 were offered s2O,
OOO. We had a careful calculation
, made as to the cost OF rCcondiuonink
these ships FOR passenger service and
. reached the sum ut A51OnO.uuO. ~
4 | view OF the present situation, 10 dtd
, not seem 10 NJ that We were luHllhou
in mourning SO large AN expense.
s. Conditions ~ the shipping
world are such that II ~ our conNic
lion that there Will never be time
when we can sell ships to greater al
/ vantage than now, ana since u is Uul
conviction that the ships can be sue
| cesstuiN operated In private owner
u ship Ne believe the sale should h'
, - Two conditions are insisto,
ID upon hy the board, ta) that the snip
e shall remain under the Americsi
tag, CO. mat thcS are to he sailed u
thC routes indicated by the shipping
' board This. We believe. viii adc
u uuately protect the United states
O. Nc;si tho sfips.
In introducing the resolution, Sena
o tor Ashuist said he did not intcnd
L. as reflection on the shipping board
5 Tie said. however, the ships were
J. | necessary adjunct Of the navy.
ID Senator FOmercne. democrat q
,s ohio. said hc had information whic
e. led HIM to believe that the publ
mas not had some opportunities To hi
Tor these Vessels II should have had.
senator Alckcllar, democrat 4
renrtssee, declared that none OF IN
e governments ship holdings should B.
disposed OF without legislation by cor
grCHH
n THE only theory which can iustii
y the sale 0f these vessels at this time
r- said senate" Fletcher democrat
rd Florida, rs hat the shipping boat
ln mas decided to sell every ship and ~
lr ,he gov Nernmcnt out Of the business
~ hNNANA Anh hl'lutiNh HNllhs ~ u WI
~ eft 10 me. / wouldn't soil row hui
- AT this time. We ought not to cstal
=, lish the policy until we've got "a decel
| ! adequate merchant marine cstal
Iished My view is that 1t would be
yriuus mistake To sell"
The question seems To- he whcth'
We should adopt Il nautical Plumb pli
Hr turn our untps into hands OF pr
7 'nte Amorlcgn Citizcns to operate al
der Dur flaE ns we are now doing vii
b." railroads said Sen. or Nelro
ppuhhcln. of Minnesota we h1'
, no transatlantic passenger Lines me-
4 rhr question is shall the EoVernmc
inter into % or ard private cnterpri
y % "st thlish lincs7'
. III We are ever 10 have an Amc
q can merchant marine now ls the tig
o establish H." said senator simmer
q democrat. uf North Carolina
. ~ the congress does not act aO
. he shipping board Will have sCld 1
~ passenger ships while We sit here
p active
senator Smoot republican OF Uta
j. .1ierruptod to ask how England cou
81 foo WNs Il n