South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-09-23
SURVEY TO DECIDE
IF OPERATIONS ARE
TO BE CONTINUED
Shipping Board Must Devise
Plans to Make Vessels
Show Profit.

WASHINGTON. Sept. 22-Wheth-
er the United states flag flies over
the largest merchant marine in the
world. as il once flew over the clip
per ship fleets OF American COM
merce. depends on the development
OF the present shipping boards pro-
gram within the next few months.
Chairman Albert D. Lasker, OF the
new board, has stated that it will
itely the result Of the present pro-
gram.
The preliminary steps in the pro-
gram have already been undertaken
They include:
First A general cleanup OF in
complete contracts.
Second. A thorough survey OF the
entire shipping Board, TO determine
just where the organization stands IN
a business way.
Business Methods Needed.
Third. To put the board on the
same basis as a successful business
The general goal toward which
these steps are directed is a full
fledged American merchant marine,
second TO none.
Chairman Iasker has stated that
his administration has inherited
chaos. They have inherited an or
ganization, in which, owing to war
conditions. accounts with the bust
ness clients are badly scrambled, a
large amount of surplus material is
.,f Tt rr,1 ~
present conditions, and, finally, with
the second largest tonnage in the
world on their hands they are OPP
Grating at a loss to the government.
The first thing the present organ
iZation has undertaken has been TO
clean up. that is, settle long-stand-
ing accounts as rapidly as they can
be put in shape. clear away acCumu-
lated red tape. adjust the oragniza-
ton TO present conditions, and in
general start with as clean a slate
as possible. This is still going on.
and Chairman Lasker expects months
to elapse before most Of the work
is done.
In line with this cleanup, the or
ganization is being thoroughly over
hauled and surveyed This IS to de-
termlne what assets and Liabilities
the present board has. a thing which
the chairman states has never been
done. He states that an enormous
amount Of work is involved in this
alone.
Working Order Needed.
The third step. putting the firm in
working order. involves all these
things and is the immediate goal.
The fundamental thing being I'M
Gertaken now is to stop the loss to
the government through the boards
operations. This is stated 10 be the
keynote TO the entire undertaking
This has been laid by board Of
ficials TO the present system of OPP
Grating Shipping Board vessels.
known as Managing Operators
Agreement No. 4. Under this agree
ment operators are practically guar
anteed 5 per cent of the ships earn
ings, although the losses in operat-
ing might in some cases exceed by
thousands of dollars the total in
come. This is held to be the prim-
airy cause Of all the present trouble.
Accordingly the first definite plank
IN the new boards platform has been
to agree unanimously that this sys-
tenn must be abolished. This fea-
ture of the permanent policy is the
only one fully decided as yet and
until II is done it is stated that lesser
matters must wait
To Stop Losses.
The board, OF course, has deter
mined on other steps besides abro-
eating the present operating agree
ments. but they are all involved un-
der the general head of stopping
loss TO the government.
Negotiations are under way where
by all surplus material will be dis
posed OF. and some Of this work is
now under way. inclU ding the sale
of the wooden ships.
When all this Is done the present
board hopes they will have the fol-
lowing;
a business organization with all
accounts settled or accounted for.
liabilities paid. and in modern form
generally; all old stock of its shelves,
and everything in It producing.
And. first OF all. a full-grown
American merchant fleet, managed
by Americans. sailing every trade
route and bringing in its share OF
the revenue derived from carrying
the goods OF all countries n sue
cessful competition with its rivals at
see