Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-01
CAN ACCOUNT FOR
COST Of SHIPPING,
TWEEDALE SAYS
System Now in Use Has Re-
placed Chaos With Accuracy,
Boards Controller Says.
DENIES ANY ATTEMPT
TO DISPLACE ABADIE

Declares There Was No Evidence OF
Intrigue to Get His Predecessor
Out of Office.
Every dollar expended by the
Emergency Fleet Corporation for con-
ly will be accounted for, AlonZo
Tweedale, general controller of the
Shipping Board, trday informed the
House committee Investigating the
boards operations. An accounting
system has been established, Mr..
possible to check up on all advances
and payments to ship construction
companies. Rapid progress. he add
ed, is being made in this direction.
The witness testified that when he
assumed charge of the Shipping
Boards financial department he
found accounts in chaotic con-
dition, due chiefly, he declared. to
to define the duties and RESPONSE
bilities of various officials. Immedi-
ate steps were taken, Mr.. Tweedale
said, to centraliZe the boards ac-
counting system, and conditions today
are in satisfactory shape.
Shifting of funds to various ac-
counts has made it almost impossible,
the committee was told, to trace
money received from the Treasury or
from the boards operations division.
Questioned by Chairman Walsh as to
whether there was any evidence of
misrepresentation of funds, Mr.. Twee-
dale said he was satisfied no money
had been miSappropriated.
Every cent due the Emergency
Fleet Corporation from operations
either has been actually paid in or is
properly charged up on our books
against ship operators who have not
made settlements" the controller as
serted. ''Of course, a great many mil
lion dollars are still due the fleet cor
poration, but these amounts are offset
by charter hire"
Displacement of Col. Abadie.
Chairman Walsh asked Mr. Twee-
dale whether he had made an effort to
displace Col. e. H. Abadie as general
controller.
None whatever" replied Mr.. Twee-
dale. "On the contrary. tried not
to become general controller"
Mr.. Tweedale denied that he had
held conferences with members of the
Shipping Board which led to his ap-
pointment as general controller.
troIler, the witness said, he was treas
urer Of the Shipping Board at sal
ary of $4,000. AS general controller,
he added. he has been paid $4,000
year.
Mr.. Tweedale spoke highly of Col
Abadie's ability, but declared that
various associates of the colonel had
complained that they could not get
along with him. Several members of
the Shipping Board, Mr.. Tweedale
said. were displeased with Col
Abadie's methods and were anxious to
displace him.
Judge Payne's Criticism.
Judge Payne. as chairman of the
Shipping Board, the witness testified,
had taken the position that salaries
in Col. Abadie's department were too
high.
Commenting on the charge made
by Col. Abadie before the investigat-
ing committee that he had been
''railroaded" out of his position as
general controller by Martin J. Gillen.
executive assistant to the chairman
of the Shipping Board. Mr.. Tweedale
said that while there had been dis
putes between Mr. Gillen and Col
Abadie, he knew of several occasions
on which Mr.. Gillen had defended Col.
Abadie.
Questioned by committee members.
Mr.. Tweedale declared there was no
ecidence Of intrigue to get Col. Aba
die out of Office.
Mr. Tweedale testified Chairman
Payne took the position the Perley
Morse & Co. audit should be stopped
because of the expense. Summoning
Col. Abadie. Judge Payne, according
to the witness declared a contract Of
such size should never be let without
the approval of the members of the
Shipping Board. Col. Abadie, readily
agreed to cancellation of the contract,
Mr.. Tweedale added.
"If Col. Abadie thought there was
any justification for having an audit
made by an outside concern you would
think he would have objected stren-
uously at the time to calling off the
Perley Morse audit" remarked Rep
resentative Foster, a member of the
committee.
Selection of Mr.. boiling.
Discussing his elevation from treas
urer Of the Shipping Board to general
controller, Mr. Tweedale said he was
given complete leeway by the board
members to recommend his successor
as treasurer. He selected his assist
ant. r. w. Eolling. a brother-in-law
Of President Wilson.
Questioned by Chairman Walsh as
to whether Mr.. Boiling ever had in
terceded in behalf Of contractors who
were constructing ships for the Emer-
gency Fleet Corporation or had at
tempted to use his influence in any
way. Mr.. Tweedale declared "IIe GER
tainly could not have done so Off
cially" and he was certain he never
had done SO unofficially.
Morse Audit Deemed Too Expensive,
The investigating committee again
went into the audit of the accounts
Of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Cor
poration, by Perley Morse & Co., New
York.
Mr.. Tweedale declared the audit had
been called off because ft was found
that 1t probably would cost $75O,O00,
perhaps a million dollars" and it was
thought there was no justification for
such an expensive audit by an outside
concern. when the Shipping Board had
a sufficient force to make a complete
survey.
Mr. Tweedale said he was called
into conference one morning by
Chairman Payne. who told him he had
found out that an audit OF the Bethle-
hem Corporations books would cost
a great deal of money" The witness
said he looked into the matter, and
was informed by the boards depart
ment Of investigation that the audit
might cost $1.0o0.000. He also was
convinced. Mr.. Tweedale said there
had been a lack of competition in
authorizing the audit"
Pleased With Tweedale's Work.
Chairman Walsh and other men,
bers of the committee showed plain
ly their satisfaction at the improve
mont brought about by Mr.. TweedaIe
since his employment August 19. 1919,
by the Shipping Board as treasurer
and since April as general controller.
Mr.. Tweedale was auditor for the