New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-06-25
Ship Board
Total Wreck,
Says Lasker
CONTINUED from page one)

eHe eHecC IL mas HdQ on CH1S Wdr-e8'
panded enterprise"
Mr.. Lasker refused to make any
promises, saying that he would do his
best as the sixth chairman of the board
to bring order out of chaos.
"The Jones law" he continued, Gun
der which we operate, makes it manda-
tory for ships to be available for the
army and navy during time of war and
for the merchant marine in time of
peace, and, as soon as conditions per.
nit, sold to private owners. That man
date will be carried out to the letter by
this board. But at present you can't
sell the ships or you can't give them
away.
"The country must not expect any
Improvement for long time; for many
months it must bear the loss. Reor-
ganization is the prime essential to
pull the board out of it's difficulties,
and whatever has been going on must
continue to 60 on; we might make a
mistake by making a change immedi-
ately.
'sT'he thing to do is to let things go
on as they are until we find policies to
supplant them. To those who ask for q
short cut say that it will mean a
short life for the board if we adopt
that course.
ct want to draw for the country a
picture of small immediate promise OF
measurable performance, but | do
pledge intensive work toward solid
foundation for permanent solution, and
this can be got quickest by the closest
cooperation Of owners, operators and
!aymen.
Will Start New Partnership
"At the luncheon to-day | agreed to
clean the slate and to start new part
nership with owners and operators.
realize that the owners and operators,
who have the most directly at stake,
will be under handicap while we are
working this thing out, but, as the
President said, it cannot be done with
the wave of a magician's wand.
II have asked the President to APP
point board of arbitration to pass
upon the claims against the Shipping
Board. They total about $300,000,000.
This commission will consist of three
men. The members will be independ
emit Of the Shipping Board. The Presi-
dent has agreed to make the appoint
ments.
Regarding the losses to the govern
ment through the present inactivity of
the Shipping Board fleet, ! would place
them. at approximately s35.oo0,O00 a
month, including depreciation. Exclud-
ing depreciation / believe the losses
will run about $1600O,00o monthly, and
they will undoubtedly grow worse be-
cause SO many ships are coming back
with no trade.
AS to the contract between the Ham
burg American Line and the Hartman
Corporation, Mr.. Schlesinger is looking
into that now.
In this game million dollars is like
shooting 20 cents, but think a great
deal of 20 cents, and / want to make
that point emphatic
Depiorable conditions in the legal de-
partment were revealed by Mr..
Schlesinger. He said that he had
found 800 civil cases scattered in va
rlous district courts involving $50. OOO.
600. These actions are being defended
by United States attorneys, who. he
SAID, are much overworked and who are
primarily criminal lawyers, with little
experience in civil law.
Cases Not Sufficiently Prepared
Il found in the legal departm ent j,
said Mr.. Schlesinger, "a corns If
young lawyers getting an average Of
So,oob year. Some of them were trv-
ing cases involving from 81 1000 900 r.
S2o,00o,0o0 against such attorneys
as George Wickersham, former Attor-
ney General. You can imagine the
type of preparation that has been
made in these suits. In my own Of
flee ] have taken from year to Ave
years 70 prepare a case and sometimes
have employed as many as twelve men
to assist me.
There are 100 admiralty cases
pending in the United States courts
and being defended largely in the seme