New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-26
Boies Queries
Lasker Call to
Aid Ship ! Board
Testimony Given by Twee-
dale Don's Fit With APP
plication for $500, OOO,-
600, Says Representative
Congress Inquiry Urged
Comptroller Declared Fleet
Was Operated ON May 9
at Profit, House Informed
From The Tribupe's waenino,on guyeoa

From The Trtbunc's Waehineton Buycca
WASHINGTON, July 25.-Charging
that statements made before the House
Committee on Appropriations in May
by Alonzo Tweedale, comptroller of the
United States Shipping Board, as to
the boards finances do not square with
the announcement made recently by
Chairman A. D. Lasker that the board
will need $300,o0o0oo from Congress,
Representative Boics, Of Iowa, to-day
declared that Congress will I'M
doubtedly ask for more light before it
complies with Chairman Lasker's ap-
plication for an appropriation"
In a lengthy statement containing
portions of the testimony given by
Comptroller Tweedale before the
House appropriations Committee on
May O. Representative Boies charges
that the Shipping Boards chief auditor
then declared that operation of the
feet has not lost money to the Ship
ping Board or to the United States
government. Tweedale is further re-
ported by Mr. Boies as declaring that
during the period from May i, 1919, to
March /. 1921. "the feet operated at q
profit Of $17,ooo.O0o."
Report of Tweedale Hearing
Citing the testimony, which was
given before the House Committee on
Appropriations on May 8, 1921, when
the second deficiency appropriations
~
sentative Boies points out that Mr.
Tweedale then said that the Shipping
Board hoped to be abreast of expenses
by the end of the fiscal year. The
stenographic record of that hearing,
Mr. Boies said, follows:
Mr.. Tweedale-We had a deficiency
from the operation of ships during the
last three months of about s18,000,000
Mr.. Good, chairman-Is that continu-
ing?
Mr.. Tweedale--1t is getting less,
right straight along, and we anticipate
that when we get further down toward
the close of the next fiscal year we
will be able to catch up.
On the same day Representative
Boies declares the following testimony
was taken:
The chairman-You should have
some loss, but there should be a time
coming when this property which has
cost US $4,000, 000,000--I suppose the
ships alone cost US s2,500,O00 ,ooo-
Mr.. Tweedale-Over that.
The Chairman. continuing
to be source of revenue.
Mr.. Tweedale-I should like tc
just give you little reflection on that
one point, Mr.. Chairman. From the
beginning Of the operation of this fleet
to May 1, 1919, we paid all the ex-
renses Of the fleet, the operations of
the feet, and, in addition to that,
cleared profit of $48 ,325,000, and also
laid up S33 100000 for depreciation.
making total of s1,325,OOO. From
that point-May /, 1sI9, down 70 Marcn
l, 1S2l-the fleet was operated at a
profit of S17,000,000, but it did not pro-
vide IN any way. for depreciation. 1t
took care of the carrying charges.
What actually happened was this, that
they turned over out of the operation
of these ships S165,0O0,00O to the con-
struction department.. That has been
used in construction, instead of hav-
ing Congress make an appropriation,
If we had that money to-day we would
be able to take care of our losses,
all of them. | just want to give you
the general ioea here that the opera
ton of the fleet, as a whole, has not
lost money to the Shipping Board or to
the United States government"
Self-Support Promised
Mr.. Buchanan-Have you any idea
that the time will ever come when the
ships can maintain themselves?
Mr.. Tweedale-We certainly do:
don't think there is any question
Calling att tAasi to the published