The evening world., 1920-02-13
congress REQUEST
MAY PREVENT SALE
OF GERMAN LINERS
Payne Declares He Will Stop
Auction, but Advises
Against 1t.

Shipping Board will hold up the sale
OF ex-German ships n Congress goes
on record against II. John Barton
Payne, Chairman. told the Senate
4 Commerce Committee to-day.
III the committee thinks we ought
not make that sale. all the committee
has to do is to pass the resolution and
It will be cheerfully complied wih,"
Payne said. He advised against this
course, however.
While Payne was making this
statement. the white House gave out
a letter which Payne had written 10
President Wilson. defending the pro-
posed sale set for next Monday and
charaoterizing the attack on the sale
as vicious but Characteristic"
A concurrent resolution directing
the Shipping Board not 20 sell the
thirty former German Liners, which
the Board plans 10 dispose OF at pub
lie auction here Monday, except
through regular public bidding after
three months advertising and then
only n proper offers are received, was
introduced to-day by senator Ashurst
Democrat, OF Arizona.
Senator Jones, Washington, object
cd to consideration Ofsthe resolution
until II had been passed on in the
Commerce Committee.
The resolution was offered during a
debate on the sale Of the ships. SEN
ator Ashurst declared II was a fact
that the Shipping Board and the
Emergency Fleet Corporation intend
20 sell the vessels 20 the international
Mercantile Marine for $685. 900.
He said tho vessels had a pre-war
value of tl54. 100000 and a present
value OF SSOO,OOO,OOO.
Application for an injunction
against the Shipping Board and the
Emergency Fleet Corporation 10 pre-
vent the sale OF the liners at public
auction next Monday was filed in the
District Of Columbia Supreme Court
to-day by William Randolph Hearst
Of New York, acting as taxpayer.
Chief Jusdce Mccoy issued rule
requiring the defendants to show
cause Monday morning why tenn
porary Injunction should not be is-
sued.
During the Senate debate Senator
Ransden, Democrat, Louisiana, told
the Senate 1t was ridiculous to think
the Shipping Board would sell the
fleet at the price quoted" and
Senator King, Democrat, Utah, an
ncunoed that he had talked with
Chairman Payne on the telephone
and that Mr. Payne had told him that
the charge is an absolute falsehood
and that no secret agreement had
been arranged"
Senator Jones said Chairman
Payne was TO appear before the Com
merce Committee this afternoon at
his own request to explain the
reasons which prompted the Board
10 offer the ships for sale.
Asked by Senator Borah, Repub-
lican, Idaho, whether he had inquired
specifically about the reported under
standing with tho international Mer-
camille Marine, Jones replied: 81 did
not, but do not believe there Is any
truth In the report. Nrhe Admlnistryl-
ton officials are not OF my party, but
l believe they are honest men and pa
| triotic citizens. have been told that
| from surveys made the Board believes
Il will cost from $50, ,000, 900 TO $50, ,000,-
900 to put these ships in proper
condition"
! In introducing the resolution, 5ena-
/ tor Ashurst said he did not intend II
as a reflection on the Shipping Board
/ He said, however, he wanted TO pro-
I test against the sale OF the ships, as
I they were a necessary adjunct of the
I Navy.
Senator Mcclellan. Democrat Ten
nessee, urged that Government built
ships as we'll as the German vessels
would be held from sale. lie declared
none OF the Governments ships
should be disposed of without legislA-
ton by Congress.
"If the Congress does not act
i soon" said senator simmons, "the
Shipping Board will have sold the
PASSENGER Ships while we SIT here
Senator Smoot, Republican. Utah
! interrupted 70 ask how England could
offer SIPS a ton for the vessels and
stu be unable to pay the interest on
money borrowed from the United
States. Senator AshurBt replied that
II England could get hold OF thii
fleet II would earn here enough moi
only TO pay the interest. but soon 4
pay the principal"
Following word that Payne intend.
ed 20 proceed with sale OF the shipt
Monday, Senator Jones announced
that II necessary he would withdraw
J his objection 10 the Ashurst resolu-
tion after Payne had appeared before