The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1921-06-30
TASK Of LAsKER
VERY DIFFICULT
cHicAGoAN MADE HEAD OF THE
SHIPPING BOARD KNOWS He
FACES BIG PROBLEMS.
POSITION A THANKLEss ONE
Labor Troubles Must Be Settled and
Some Plan Devised for Successful
Competition With the Ships Of 9th
er Nations.
BY EDWARD g.. CLARK.

Washington.-A new chief of the
United States shipping board has been
appointed. A. D. Lasker, business
man Of Chicago, has been given the
job. 1t hurts nothing to say that it
is a hard job and one which politi-
clans did not fall over themselves In
an attempt to seize upon for some
friend.
1t looks today as If within a year
or two the United States will get out
Of the shipping business. 1t probably
will dispose Of its holdings and let
private ownership 60 back on the Job.
This is the suggestion which seems to
have authority behind it, but it will
take long time before the end sought,
If It is to be sought, can be reached.
The shipping board has had trouble
Of one kind or another ever since it
was established in the early days Of
the war. Men have come and men
have gone, but the trouble has stuck.
Somebody said that the board was
hoodooed as some ships are said to
be. Perhaps it was not properly
christened, or as some fippant one
has said, perhaps an old-time kind OF
bottle was not broken on the day
Of Its launching.
The senate has voted an additional
$75,0OO,00O to carry on the work of
the shipping board. This sum is plus
the first appropriation. 1t Is not def
initely decided yet, because Of oppOsi-
tion in the house to granting this ad-
ditiOnal money.
| Knows What Confronts Him.
Mr.. Lasker has no illusions. he
knows that he will have trouble to
carry the shipping boards operations
through to high success and he knows
that generally speaking the position
has been regarded as thankless one
1t is said in Washington that the
draft law, metaphorically speaking
went into effect again when the Presi
dent named the members Of the ship
ping board. In other words, he wa
compelled to bring men to him and t.
tell them that it was their duty tt
accept the positions which were of
fered.
This may not be quite true, but tn
correspondents in Washington knew
perfectly well that the President wa
having great difficulty in finding
man whom he considered proper on
:, for the high place on the board, an
was having some considerable diff
Guilty in finding men for the mino
memberships. The finally chosen on
was in Washington several times 70
conferences with the President befor
E he said "rll take It,"
The new appointee is said to be
good business man, but it is know
that he is no sailor. However, sal
or is not needed for this shippin
board job. A man with hard han
and hard head is needed. The fat
5 that Mr.. Lasker has shown so clearl
, that he knows the difficulties whic
are ahead of him does not discour
Il them, and simply says in effect II
try" may mean that he has the har
. hand and the hard head necessary
put the job over.
: Some of the Boards Problems.
. Of course it is too early to dete
G mine definitely what the policy of tt
new shipping board will be, but amor
t other things that it will have to 9
e will be the settlement of a lot Of lab'
n troubles, the adoption of some pla
which will enable the American shil
Z to compete successfully with foreis
I ships, and the solution Of other pro
Il lens which confront the country
I' Shipping interests. 4r
The government has put somethii
like three billions Of dollars into l
u fleet of ships. 1t is said that thu
$ will sell today for only about thre
h quarters Of billion. The reason f
d the decrease Is not that the ships ha'
deteriorated, but the unsettled CONF
tions in the world. ...tl
|. A plan has been suggested by Will
r. the shipping board would turn the ve
t sells over to private corporations
l. have them run the ships at q certa
price fixed on the tonnage. 1t Is he
q that perhaps the government wou
. make more money this way than
4 any other, but probably, 1t is said, Il
4 prospective income, II the course we
a adopted, would not take care Of t
deficit. 4 F6s. ,etss8 @, #lf, IT,.
h For a great many years In congre
! there have been advocates Of n pl
= for subsidizing the American mercha
Il marine. This always has been foug
vigorously by the opponents Of &
ernment subsidies In any form.
course In sense the government b
II been subsidizing its merchant mari
since the shipping board was ests
4 lished, but the venture was gone ir
as a war measure. It Is said by
D. great many shipping men that I
te merchant; marine cannot enter II
competition with foreign vessels ,
" less some means Is taken to redu
operating expenses. l5, s
ur --- ~ -.--
\. World Patent Office.
I The French government Is planni
VI the establishment Of an information