Pueblo chieftain., 1921-05-15
U. S. MARINE
VENTURE IS
BIG PROBLEM
Harding Wants Big Man
to Head New Shipping
Board
TBy Mark Suliivan)

fBy Mark Sulhvan)
Washington. u. C., May Livery
body in Washington understands that
President Harding's long delay in ma nm
ing now shipping board has been due
tn his wish to get the biggest possible
man for tho job. Practically everybody
believes that tho two big men whom
President Harding has considered are
James Farrell, president of tho United
states Steel corporation. and William
Teasle. head OF the Standard Oil COM
pany.
Gossip in the most authentic sources
SAYS that President Harding ever since
he nrst gave thought to the subject
when he was in Florida in February.
has been eager to get one or the other
Of these men. To both tho men the
acceptance of tho job would. of course.
mean great sacrifice. II ia not merely
that they would sacrifice their earning
Capacity In their present positions: they
would suffer further sacrifice in tho
fart that under the law II would be
necessary for them to sell every secur-
i'y they might have Of sort that
would conflict with the interests of the
shipping board
How either or both Of these men may
have felt about approaches that may
have been made TO them. nobody
knows. The moro thoughtful students
Of tho problem in Washington believe
that Tesrlc would he tho better man.
They say that while Farrell is ex-
'remely able he has the lesser elasticity
OF greater years, Also they point out
thst Farrell is tho typo Of captain OF
Industry who has come up from the
ranks who has been workman in the
yards hims~n. and who. as Ia often the
case with this typo of man. is more
rigid and snccmpromising towards Ia
hor than men of \ different experi-
ercc
Teasle ir \ younger man. whose
training has included more that Ia acs-
dsmlr and who has shown greater
sympathy toward tho modern point Of
View about tho relations OF capital and
labor. TeagIe is credited with invent
ing and putting into effect those de-
vices for cooperation with labor which
makes the Standard oil company one
Of tho mort modern American indus
tries in this respect. Tho difference in
dssirability between the two men Is
not great. however. and II Is recognized
thar If President Harding should sue
csed in getting either Of them he
would go far towards solving what is
urGuestonahly the most embarrassing
business problem the government has
Tho public generally does not rccog-
nize what "A very serious mess tho ship
ping board is Senator Elgo the other
y million dollars a dsy in tho mere up
keep Of idle ships. Officials familiar
with the situation do not admit this
They say that the idia ships arc tied
IN in units of eight ships IN group
with tho entire group cared for BY a
skeleton crew maintained on ono ship.
They say that 300 .ooo. 100 a year will
cover the governments loss in taking
care of idle ships. But. whether this
estimate Of 500. loo "A year Ia cor
rect or whether senator Edges estf-
mate of $3.50. .o00. 900 a year is right in
either event tho ships arc a uoustrous
source Of loss and waste. Taking the
ships that tho government owns as .
whole. thcy are worth today close to a
billion dollars less than they cost to
build
Government must taks tho loss what
ever We do as a matter of policy as to
tho future, and whoever In chosen as
head OF tho shipping board. there is
probably no way out except to charge
of that billion dollars as one of the
expenses OF the war. just like tho cost
OF shells and rifles. II is true that
there was Time when we might have
salvaEed most of this money For
fuily a year after the war ended tho
price Of ships was high. and they were
in demand all over the world. Mr.
Farrell himself the other day cstima ed
tina. at anytime during 1919 the United
states could havo sold the ships which
are now a burden to It at a price that
would havo eaved the government
$500. .o0o, 900.
There is no possible description of
the governments shipping experiment
except Us that OF n discouraging weller
of mistakes.
The results of old mistakes are com
ing back today. Soon after tho arm
,sticc the shipping board. in half
hearted way. sold good many ships
on long tern, installments. In it's eag-
erness to make sales, the government,
occasionally sold tho ships to com
panies not financially stable. with the
present depression in business many Of
these companies arc now failing. and
the government ia in the most uncom-
Portable and expensive position of TAX
ing over property of doubtful value.
Whoever Is appointed chairman of
tho shipping board. the policy un-
doubtedly win be to iiauidate this ex
pertinent very largely. We shall give
III the early ambition We had to main
tain subsidized shipping routes all over
the world We shall probably pick out
p few main routes and be content with
maintaining JA!f4s on these. As to the
enormous amount of idle ships the gov
ernment owns. We shall pursue q policy
Of getting rid of them. If we can't sell
them, we shall probably give them
away. The time may readily come
when any seaport city that wants To
own a. ship can arrange to get one from
the United States government without
any particular outlay of money
Copyright hy the Nav York Evening
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