New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-15

of the affidavit, NJ. Lasker invited
questions on any points touched upon
therein. Asked If the old board mad
investigated the contention Of the
Mayors that they had $4,000 900 to put
into the business il awarded the con-
tract. he replied:
II take it that the cid board took
Mr.. Mayors word for it, out have no
connection with the old board
Mr.. Lasker refused to enter into any
discussion Of the actions of his prede-
cessor and the latter's associates, con-
tining himself to what had transpired
since he took charge. 1t has been said
that Admiral Benson was among the
first to urge Mr.. Lasker to seize the
ships, as the Admiral knew. it was
declared. that tho company was in bad
shape financially.
Regarding the libeling of the Po-
cahontas in Italian waters, Mr.. Las
ker said that the board probably would
have to pay the indebtedness incurred
on that vessel overseas, even as it may
have to pay for reconditioning the
George Washington, matter of 81 ,5o0,-
900, in order to prevent her being
llbeled upon her return to these shores
from her maiden voyage under the
American flag.
Referring to Delaney Nicoll IT,, he
called upon Mr.. Bulltt to substantiate
a statement that Mr.. Nicoll at the time
he was planning with the creditors to
bring bankruptcy proceedings was also
attorney for the Mail. Mr.. Iasker
said that Mr.. Nicoll's dual capacity
was unknown to the board, and that
the lawyer had called up Mr. Bullitt at
Washington and had told the latter
that contract had been signed in his
(Nicolls) office whereby capital was to
be obtained for the purchase of the
derts. Mr.. Nicoll put Mr.. Bullitt off
from day to day, said the chairman. re-
garding settlement
This is the first. last and only
statement that the Shipping Board will
have to make on the subject" added
the chairman. ~ am unwilling to rive
power of attorney to any one to
speak for me, and as the chairman 7
Will do all the talking There will be
no more newspaper debates. We sill
take up our case in the courts md
make all our statements there"
Mr.. Lasker said that one of the first
things he did when he took charge Of
the board was to find out where he
could raise money, and that the first
case to come to his attention OF a COM
pany in arrears was that of the United
States Mail
Hartman To Operate Ships
The ships are going to Hartman,
the chairman concluded. "They are
gong to him temporarily, and any man
who says that | am turning them over
to him either through friendship or
politics is liar selected Hartman
because his company, the United Amer
lean lines, was tho best equipped to
handle the ships. The ALLEGATION will
not be permanent, as propose to
place the ships on the market for sale
and the bids will be opened in the
presence of Congress and the press
They are the assets of the board, which
we are most easily able to dramatize
Nobody IS responsible for their tempo
rary ALLEGATION to Hartman but my
self, and ] am as rascally a crook as
other motive behind my action except
the serving Of my country to its best
interests. Hartman never knew that
was going to turn the ships over TO
HIM before they were seized'
1t ls known now that the contract
with the Hartman lines was an allo-
cation from day to day instead of
ninety days, as previously published.
Bainbridge Colby, when seen at his
residence, AZ East Sixty-siXth Street
authorized the following statement
after he had studied the main points
OF the Shipping Boards answer:
1.-THE field of newspaper loquacity i:
80 exclusively Chairman Lasker's very
own that l will not intrude to the cx
tent Of even commenting upon his lat
est outgiving.
To Reply in Court, Colby Retorts
! The story of his conspring effort;
to wreck the United States Mail wher
he found that he could not appropriate
it for his personal friends will be fully
related in the courts. I will say what
| have to say there. and it will throw
some light upon the attitude of the
present Shipping Board toward the
American merchant marine.
when say the board l mean Lasscl
and his personal friends.
81 cannot believe that his course ha:
the sanction of his sober and respon
siblc colleagues, such as Admiral Ben
son and ex-senator Chamberlain. no
to mention others whom / do not know
hut all Of whom haze been strangely
silent throughout the weird succession
of events that has constituted tn.
boards record in this matter, begun
by nocturnal raid and now pursued