The Washington times., 1921-04-18
FARRELL SEEN AS
SHIP BOARD Chief
President viii Announce Per-
sonneI and Chairman
In Few Days.

President Harding will announce
the membership of the new United
States Shipping Board within a few
days. 1t was learned at the White
House today.
In discussing the announcement of
the board personnel, the President
made no indication Of the man who
would be named chairman, but it was
learned from a good source, however,
that James A. Farrell. president OF the
United States Steel Corporation. will be
offered the post It is understood, how.
ever, that should Mr.. Farrell accept
he will not assume the duties of
Chairman until next June or July.
The President has not hesitated to
create the impression that in naming
chairman of the Shipping Board he
VIII be naming the man upon whom
the major burden OF responsibility
will rest. Other candidates for places
on the board have been given to un-
derstand that the chairman named by
the President will be invested with
supreme authority.
Assuming. that the naming of Mr..
Farrell as chairman will mean repre-
sentation for the North Atlantic dis
trict. and, incidentally, one Repub-
lican. there rem ain six places, three
OF which must be fillad by Repub-
licans and three by Democrats. 1t is
for the Republican berths that the
strongest fights have been waged.
At present the Republicans who ap-
pear the strongest contenders include
Norris Lissner, of California; George
logan. Of Jacksonville, Fla, and
Percy L. Mclean. of Chicago. Liss-
ners choice would be pleasing to
Hiram Johnson and incidentally take
care Of the Coast representation on
the board. Logan, being from
Florida, would At geographically. and
Mclean. as the Great Lakes repre-
sentative is said to be likely.
1t is generally conceded that former
Senator Chamberlain Of Oregon viii
head the Democratic contingent OF
the board. Fred I. Thompson, of Mo-
bile Ga, present Democratic incum-
bent is picked to remain as the Gulf
district representative. Joshua w.
Alexander. of Missouri, formerly Sec
retary Of Commerce under the Wilson
Administration, is rated as a strong
Democratic possibility.
The Shipping Board is now giving
active consideration to the adoption
OF q bareboat form of charter to re-
place the present system of alloca-
tion OF vessels. The method of opera
tion or the entire government fest Of
1000 ships is involved. At present
the board Is paying its operators a
commission to handle it's tonnage as
agents. Under the new form the
board seeks to withdraw from active
sponsibility to the charterers on pay
ment of a regular monthly hire. The
attitude Of the present commissioners
is that 1t will pay the insurance on
the hull and machinery but that all
other expenses including voyage re-
pairs must be assumed by the chart
erers An average rate of fifty cents
per ton per month has been accepted
tentatively as q fair charge, subject
10 some variations according to ports
and trade routes.
Several vessels have already been
chartered by the board on this basis
and other offers are now under con-
sideration. Admiral Benson has an
nounced his intention of proceeding
with this policy in regard to the
cargo vessels, but the question Of
the disposition Of the passenger ships
will be left to the new commi ssiouers.
Adoption of the policy will make 1t
possible for the board to make dras-
tic cuts in it's overhead expenses, in
cluding the elimination of most of the
personnel OF the Division OF Opera
fjons and the comptroler's office.
with saving Of several million dol
lars yearly to- the government
Admiral Benson has stated that
some such policy must be adopted.
The only question at issue is an
agreement upon details, which will
be worked out in cooperation with
the owners and operators. The Ship
ping Board will insist upon the main
tenance Of new trade routes and