The New York herald., 1921-11-10

New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. C., Nov. o.
After spending the entire morning
listening TO pioneer purchasers of
Shipping Board tonnage pleading for
a lowering OF the prices originally
agreed on for vessels. Chairman
Lasker told the sixty-odd steamship
men who attended the hearing that
their slokesmen had given the board
no more specifications than the board
already had. Further inquiries in
definite cases would be necessary, he
said. if the board is to request Con-
gfess for the authority to do what the
steamship men asked.
Hearings to obtain this information
will be held daily by officials of the
board and the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration, beginning on November 81.
Mr.. Lasker anticipated.
The committee appointed from the
ings is composed Of II. S. Kimball finan-
cial vice-president; Edward p. Farley.
Nice-president of ship sales. and j. Bars
low .Smull, vice president on charters and
allocations. A member of the Shipping;
Board will be delegated to attend each
hearing.
Must Tell Histories.
individuals and firms who purchased
tonnage at high rates will be expected
TO present complete histories OF their
organizations from their inception so
that the board may be informed fully
on each case. A QUESTIONABLE indicating
the information the board desires will
be sent to all those Interested.
In his statement to the Shipping
Board men. which was delivered at the
opening of the afternoon session, Mr..
Lasker intimated that the board might
be willing to help in the matter provided
the shipping men made out case suf-
ticiently convincing to justify the atten.
tion OF Congress.
The general mental attitude OF the
members of the board in approaching
the entire question of a rebate of ton
mage rates Mr. Lasker made plain in a
brief speech with which he opened the
morning session. The board. he said,
lacks the legal power to reduce these
prices if it wished to, although that
might be corrected by Congress. He
added that in spite of Investigations the
board has not been able 70 see how II
can give relief.
Fears other Rebating.
Consequently it was the desire OF the
board to approach the subject with an
open mind and do what Is best for the
American merchant marine as a whole
Tho board, the chairman continued, Is
in duty bound 20 protect American
owners of ships bought on private ac-
count as well as owners who purchased
their vessels from the Shipping Board
lie said:
IF the board or the Government
would establish the principle of relief tc
ship owners what would be the measur.
of relief to be demanded by those who
have purchased plants from the Wal
Department or who had purchased from
the Navy Department? Where would
II end? Can the Government any NOR.
than private purchaser--any private
seller--readjust a rebate?
THESE are the questions that hav,
crowded into the minds of the member.
Of the Shipping Board and as 20 v-hici
they have had unending discussion
railing to arrive at any light on the
situation we have asked ii for this rea.
son, fully sympathetic with those who
have the desire and the courage to bs
pioneer purchasers of American ships
Many Organizations Represented
Suggestions for the relief of the pion.
Ger purchasers we're presented by rep.
resentatives of the American STEAMSHIP
Owners Association, the American
steamship Operators Association, th,
American merchant marine joint com.
'nittee and the National Merchant Ma.
rine Association.
The steamship companies represented
were the American Ship and Commerce
corporation. the American Merchan,
Marines, Inc, American Star Line. At
)antic Fruit Company. American Fucl
oil and Transportation Company. At
Iantic, Gulf and Pacific Steamship Cor.
poration. Atlantic-Adriatic Steamship
Corporation. Clinchfield Navigation Com
pany. Elder Steel Steamship Company
french-American Line. General Steam
chip. Green Star, Gulf Navigation. In
ternational Maritime, North Atlantic
end Western, Paragon. Pioneer, Polish.
American Navigation. Shawmut, Stand
ard. Susquehanna and William Steam
ship Company.
The principal speakers were J. Parker
Eirlin. attorney for the American Stesm-
SHIP owners Association n. Fl. Robin
son. attorney for the joint committee
Theodore Luce of the Elder Steel Steam.
snip Company; Eugene II. Moran. of the
Moran Towing and transportation ;
Charies Il. Ware, president of the North