The New York herald., 1921-09-11
LASKER TO DISMISS
ALL WILSON KEY MEN
ON ship BOARD ROLL
Chairman Sticks to Econ
omy Policy and Will Lop
Off 500 Employees.
NEW LIST READY SOON
Follows Harding Lead and
Takes Congress at Word
on Retrenchment.
QUITS TALK GOES TO WORK
M0ndell Takes Blame for One
Cause of Criticism in Fleet
Administration.
QUITS TALK GOES TO WORK
Special Despatch to THE NEw YoEK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau,
Waahngt0u. ID. g. Sent. IN {

Special Despatch to THE Nrw Yorx HrnALp.
New York Herald Bureau,(
Washington. ID. g., Sept. 10.
Undisturbed by complaints over the
dismissal Of more than 500 employees
OF the Shipping Board and Emergency
Fleet Corporation. Chairman Lasker
is preparing to dismiss approximately
500 more employees within the next
few weeks.
Those who have received notices
that their services are no longer needed
and those who are to receive their
notices are employed not only in
Washington but at various other points
where the board or the Fleet Cor
poration has offices.
In making the dismissals Mr.. Laskel
is following out the Administration
policy Of cutting expenses. Members
Of the House and Senate have been
crying loudly for economy in the adj
ministration of the Governments at
fairs. The Shipping Board Is taking
them at their word and Is marching
straight ahead with its retrerchment
programme.
The principal complaint among the
clerks is not that SO many have been
dismissed, but that the selection of
those marked to go was not made by
Lasker appointee. chosen for the
purpose, but by an old employee of
the board whose sympathies are all
with the Wilson appointees.
None willing TO File Charges.
The charge is that the Comptroller's
office was ordered to reduce, and that
the men and women whose names
we're struck off the list were mostly
Republicans. So far these clerks have
found no one to file the charges they
are making. but they have let 1t be
known that they expect to have them
taken up by Senators and Represen-
tatives as soon as Congress recon-
venes
Despite this IL is STATED officially that
Chairman Lacker's policy will not be
changed. The requisite number OF per-
sons whose removal the board deems
necessary to reduce It's organization TO
the proper proportions will be dismissed.
It Is stated.
II is expected, as matter OF iact
.hat some time next week an announce
ment will be made of changes ia the
personnel which affect officers above the
class Of clerks. Mr.. I.asker and Joseph
| W. Powell. former vice-president OF the
Bethlehem Steel Corporation. VINO re-
,ently assumed his duties as fret vice.
president of the fleet corporation. are
working with all the speed possible on
general reorganization plans. which In
ciude important changes in personnel
Mr.. Lasker intimated that he would not
announce these changes until all Of them
had been decided upon.
Aside from the matter OF dismissals.
other criticisms that have been made
against Mr.. LaslSer of late are that he
asks too much. is trying TO run the whole
board singlehanded. that he is spending
too much money on high salaried men,.
that he used strong arm tactics on the
| United states Mail Steamship Company.
that he does not understand the pro-
visions OF the Jones Shipping Act and
that nc knows nothing about ships. any
| how.
IL happens that soon after MIR. Lasker
arrived In washington ne found that he
needed money. He went straight to
Representative Frank p. Mondell
fMont.), Republican leader OF the
House, and asked his advice.
Monden Takes Part Blame.
IL told Mr.. L.asker" Mr.. Mondell in
formed THE NEW YORK HERALD, that
II was bad time to ask for money
as we we're trying to economize and that
II he really needed funds he should do
something to prepare the country for
the passage Of an appropriation mea-
sure. suggested that he make public
statement showing up the situation.
| Afterward Mr.. Lasker was criticised for
casting aspersions on the men who man
aged the boards affairs before him and
OF blowing his own horn. As a matter
OF fact. was responsible for that inter-
view he gave out"
II might also bo added that before
he made his now famous statement Mr..
T.asl<er consulted not only Mr.. Mondeil
but several Scna tors and President Har-
ding.
The charge that Mr.. Lasltcr Is trying
to run the board is coupled with con-
structive criticism recently made by a
New York shipping man. the soundness
OF WnOEe AmeriCanlSm ana knowledge
of shipping is above question. The
New Yorker said that apparently Lasker
In looking only at the Emergency Fleet
Corporation and not at the Shipping
Board. the functions OF the latter being
TO work out policies for the development
of permanent American merchant
marine. The answer to these charges IL
that Mr.. L1skcr knows nothing about
shipping but he does know something
about liquidation. and the liquidation
Of the Emergency Fleet Corporation ap-
pears to him ms the immediate fob
The working out OF the policies he
expects to be accom- ,lished mostly by
tho members Of the board qualified for
the task and BY the various experts he
has employed to hclp him out He will
sit In and exercise his natural business
sense and experience. of course.
In fact. all this afternoon ho spent
with tho members Of tho board and the
presidents of the Fleet Corporation
discussing policies. Gradually these