The New York herald., 1921-07-27
BOARD may SEIZE
ALL DEBTOR Liners
Such Action Rumored Follow
ing Move Against U. s.
Mail Company.
AMERICA OFF TO EUROPE
Vessel Released by Supreme
Court Writ Departs, Under
Own C0lOrs.

The steamship America, which was
seized Friday by officials OF the United
States Shipping Board for Overdue
charter hire. sailed yesterday after
noon for European ports under the
protection OF Q Supreme Court An
junction with 1855 cabin and 100
steeraSe passengers and 1852 baSs Of
mail. She made her way down the
Hudson River and out into the ocean
under the ensign OF the United States
Mail Steamship Company. which had
been supplanted Saturday By. the
colors Of the United American Lines
whom the vessel was ailocatkd tenn
porarily by the Shipping Board to that
company.
We will abide by the injurction re-
straining us in the matter, fand fur
thermore we recognisss this rights of
the passengers" N<than A. smyth.
assistant executiye counsel ofSthe Ship
ping Board. <aid as the America
passed out 70 sea.
Aside from that statemen1 no word
has come ofiicially from the LOCAL oficiais
Of the board since Supreme Court JUS
ticc Burr refused Monday night at the
Manhattan Club to modify tho terms of
the Injunction. Elmer Schieanser. gen.
erai counsel for the board, who, with
Henry w. Taft. sought to vacate the
United States Mails Injunction. returned
to Washington at noon. yesterday for
what was termed "an important con-
ference"
f. A. Quarles, assistant I'd Francis IT,
Mayer. president OF the United States
Mail. let It be known last night that
De Lancey Nicoil. Jr.. counsel for the
company, offered last Saturday to place
100000 in escrow IL the Snlpplng Board
would release the nine seized steamships
and enter into a conferencei1 looking tow
ard a modification OF the contract be-
tween the board and the stoamship COM
pany. Tho offer was made direct to Mr.
SchlesfnEer, Mr.. Quarles said. and was
turned down II was then that the
steamship company decided uaon an in
Junction. -
There were rumors aflcst enat the stir
caused by the United States Mail seizure
might possibly lead to th<e taking over
by the Shipping Board OF every one Of
its vessels on which the Government II
owed money. But In thf absence OF
oficiais the report was neither affirmed
nor denied. Shipping men wore inclined.
however. TO feel u was erroneous Such
procedure. they thought, would produce
only untold complications for the Gov
eminent and hundreds or private ship
operators.
The injunction signed by Justice Burr
having prodD the desiIed effect. De
Jancey Nicoii and Bsiubridge Colby.
former Secretary OF stat'. counsel for
the United States Mail. s.handoned the
effort TO obtain a simieir restraining
order In New Jersey. Robert McCarter.
the steamship companyk attorney In
Jersey city. 90 notified vice-Chanceiior
Lewis. before whom the spplication had
been made Monday sftcrpoun.
Marshaii Buiiitt. Solicitor General OF
the United states In 1917 and 1912. who
IL associated with counsel Cor the Ship
ping Board was sent from washington
TO assume command OF the legal forces
here fr the absence OF Mr. Schlesin9er.
Mr.. Riilitt took all OF thc legal papers
In the case and retired To the library OF
the Bar Association. 10 West Forty
has digested them fully Mr. Buiiitt said
he probably would have no statement
10 make. ".
An effort was made yesterday to OBJ
tain answers from the United American
Lines. OF which w. Aven'ii Hartman Is
president, to several Ques ticns that have
come UP since the vessels OF the United
States Mail were seized and turned over
10 that line. Mr.. Harrifusn and r. ri.
M. Robinson, vice-prcsidrh. OF the COM
psny, refused to see reporters. Through
49, A. IA
were not true they alsos orwcd the Ship
ping Board q large amotAt OF money.
I'VE wish that ststunent to come