New-York tribune., 1921-06-26
Iasker | to Refit
Shipping Board
With AL Timber
rouasry's Marine Leaders
To Be Asked TO Aid Cow
err,anent and May Be Conn
,uandeered. If Necessary
u Present Change Here
gel;ef Is Not Expected for
Year: Merit Is TO C6unt;
{ Millian Tonnage Idle


A.sfJn;tsd States Shipping Board will
~ =. areeederee over the formulation
81 .su policies, said Albert D. Lasker.
s.lvs,sn. at his headquarters, IS
gnaaway, yesterday.
So changes in the present force in
3. city will be considered now, but
.eo,,s will be made to obtain the most
.,,.oeteut men for the reconstructed
asara. If necessary, they will be COM
,.pSeered from private corporations.
"a obtain definite view of the con-
ssioss now confronting the. rehabili-
.asioa program, Mr.. Lasker has called
meeting of the ship owners and op-
...sars of the country and will give
- consideration 10 their suggestions
ND recommendations as result of the
sasferenee. He declared no relief
eoTld be obtained for at least q year.
Interesting data was made public
-ssterday by Commander f. D. Gate
xood, q. S. N, regarding the present
status Of the operating department, in
which he said that approximately 675
shipping Board vessels were laid up,
/
100000 dead weight tons.
Lasker Meets Shipping Chiefs
Nr. Lasker. who arrived in this city
Friday morning, has occupied his time
since then in interviewing leaders of
,hs shipping industry in this port. He
iaft for Washington last night, and viii.
nsks report to the President to-mor-
row.
q have been advising with the ship
ovners and operators since my arrival
hsra yesterday" said Mr.. Lasker. "I
rave visited them with a view of OBJ
aiaing their cooperation. | have been
boxing also into, and thinking OF, the
ascessary operation changes.
We may have to devise something
anique to fit the peculiar conditions
anx existing. I told the owners and
operators that / saw that cooperation
lad to be translated into something
more than mere words. Cooperation
means initiative on both sides.
II any steamship company has
big man whose loss to it would be
sslamity, but whose services are
needed by the government, that COM
sany will have TO hand him over.
nave in mind lots of such men and if
necessary will commandeer them.
5elieve, however. that the companies,
ahether they will or will not turn
these men over at the present time,
vii ultimately do so.
High Grade Men Wanted
Regarding their remuneration | do
npt expect to hire a $4,000 man for
4 5000 year salary. That is one of
tae most disastrous things in the past
@iicy Of the board. | want men of the
highest caliber, men who know the
shipping game thoroughly, and no 9TH
sfs need apply.
Il certainly viii try 80 find cornnen-
surase salaries for them. A man who
enters the government service for a
small salary does so in the majority of
cases for the experience, and then hay-
ing obtained it is taken over BY some
private corporation. That is the main
reason why the present situation has
arisen in the board.
We Will talk policies. I have been in
Washington long enough TO have
earned that il you have the courage
% differ with the members of Congress
Oh something which they know you are
aolng with courage and good faith they
VIII support you if you do it with
courtesy and intelligence, even if they
ceme to you originally with a different
viewpoint. All this talk of pressure
rom Congress is only to cover up in
competence. What I have said regard
sag congress and the way to approach
Us members is also true of the press
and the citizenry of the country.
reorganizing the Shipping Board
VIII DO 1r along the same lines that
. big corporation would do its own
business, looking out for the profits
,or the stockholders, and the stock
holders IN the case of the Shipping
States"
DO you contemplate making any
ssaanges in the New York personnel ?''
MI. Lasker was asked.
Ability Will Be Real Test
= am glad you asked me that ques-
sSn, he replied. ~ am viewing all
sae human material in and out Of the
organization and preference will be
gwen to those men now in the Board
sao s.s, nave ability, intelligence and good
ann, who will look on every dollar
mat passes through their hands with
ssen Closer scrutiny than IF it was
1helf own. All such men will not only
70 re.sined but encouraged.
nave requested H. Fl. Raymond,
glssident Of the American Steamship
srsrsfs association to cooperate with
60 q rotter, president OF the United
s1s snip Operators Association, and
nire all their affiliated associates to
sss mere and to make suggestions
ratt snese associations as whole
ssaer saaI shan Tor me TO get first into the
sss9alaslon OF the understandable con-
s'sGslhg Views of the various ports.
.selahisnder Gatewood said that there
- gsts only thirty ships to be delivered
sr .ns active program of 2,312 cen
astea for. The original program,
~ slg sne war called for 3,270 vessels,
= ap phicn number s5s were Cancelled.
ss9pie are continually asking WHY
s s,',,i ishipping Board is continuing to
.fI SHIPS" said the naval officer, who
Il peeh lent to the board by the navy
eo.ss rs director of the division of
i lssluesion sssion and repair. "The reason
6snssst saat we found it cheaper to com
tsse trsaa with the shipbuilding con
rstEs. and curtail their contracts
eelis.; snan to have them file can
tn.ss tsssloh claims. These claims would
s0sai more than the ships cost.
ns. AGAIN we have purchased DO or so
cent Of the material. and it has
ws w deilvered at the shipyards, so it
4 @s "a a matter Of economy for the board
Esspaitlnae some of the contracts
ns,s-.r s..ner schlesinger, the newly ap-
ssi1 i1sasra general counsel for the board,
a is mad visited four of the lawyers
aa as his guests at luncheon on
ssss s4y and had interviewed about ff-
la lssa1 appiieations for positions in the
ssa department., but had only OBJ
tSss H. tlte tentative services of one Of
lie anfi,ssratas -,