The New York herald., 1921-07-07
LASKER HERE, SEES
LEADING SHIP MEN
Personnel of Appointments to
Most Important Executive
Posts Is Discussed.
WALKER OR LEWIS HlNTED
Elevation Is Not Assured Ow-
ing to Many Protests Received
Regarding Positions.

Albert ID. Laskei. chairman of the
United States Shipping Board, came 30
New York again yesterday and passed
most of the day In conference with
leading shipping men. The principal
thsme discussed was the personnel of
the chief executives to be named for the
most important posts in the operating
department of the board.
Two main plans had been under con-
sideration. Mr.. Lasker said. Ths one
favored by members of the Shipping
Board contemplates the appointment Of
three high executives as "key men," to
work under the chairman. each to have
charge Of distinct part of the boards
operations.
The alternative plan, he said. is to
have single individual as head OF the
entire activities of the department of
operations. This Is the plan which finds
favor with most of the actual ship OPP
orators, both American and British.
This course was recommended last
week, Mr.. Lasker said. by a Joint COM
mittee representing the American
Steamship Owners Association and the
United States Ship Operators Associa-
tion. whose coordinated assistance he
had invited.
Although Chairman Lasker would
neither affirm nor deny 1t. prevalent
rumor among shipping men has 1t that,
II the one man plan should be adopted,
the post of chief of operations is likely to
hn @ff u
dent of the Old Dominion Steamship
Company or William J. Lewis, freight
traffic manager for Furncss, Witty
& Co.
Shipping men are by no means unani-
nous, however, in advocating these se-
lections. Philip Manson, president Of
the Pacific and Eastern Steamship Com
pany, few days ago published pro-
test against the appointment either Of
Mr.. Walker or of any man identified
with the shipping hrm Of Furness, Witty
S Co., whose primary interests. he as
serted. are more British than American.
Mr.. Manson. who has long been a critic
of the Shipping Board, averred that Mr.
Walker and an officer Of Furness, Witty
Co. were the men the associations Of
steamship owners and steamship opera
tors had agreed to recommend. Mr..
Lasker, though he refused to comment
upon this yesterday. admitted that the
joint committee of the two associations
had advocated that one man be placed
in charge of operations.
If. In spite Of this, the multiple head
plan should be adopted by the board,
one of the key men," 1t was explained,
probably would have command Of op-
erations Of ships, another OF the ships
themselves. including their upkeep.
maintenance, &C., and third Of the al
location Of vessels to the various op-
Grating companies.
The chairman emphasized the fact
that no decision had yet been reached
concerning the appointments and that
there is complete harmony between him.
self, the Shipping Board and the ship
ping interests.
His conferences with the joint COM
mittee and with other shipping men. the
chairman said. represented the crystal
lization Of the views Of the shipping in
terests in every Atlantic seaport, the
associations in each port having sent
representatives to Washington to confer
with the board.
II should like the newspapers to en-
phasize that fact Also, please make 1t
plain that 1 am not the entire board.
but merely an agent of the board, and
that any appointment will have to be
approved by President Harding before
becoming effective" said Mr.. Lasker.
Though I am only the spokesman of
the board, can assure everybody Of one
thing. and that is that the board will
do nothing that will not tend to make
for the closest partnership between It
and the people of America
When he was asked about the large
number Of vessels that have been listed
recently as mysterious disappearances
on the high seas. giving rise to reports
OF modern buccaneers, Chairman Lasker
smiled and said: II think those ships
must have been painted ships upon a
painted ocean,"