New-York tribune., 1921-07-24
Vessels Remaining in the
u. S. Mail Co. Service
Called In by Wireless;
Will Demand Fourth
United American
Line Given First 5
Ulferior Motive Denied:
Mayer Says 2 Million
Is Due His Corporation

More ships chartered by the United
States Shipping Board to the United
States Mail Steamship Company were
seized by the government yesterday.
Three liners were taken over on or
ders sent to sea from Washington by
wireless, and another, now at Boston,
is to be seized tomorrow. The seiz-
ure Of the vessel at Boston will strip
the firm of Shipping Board craft.
Coincident with this drastic move
because of the alleged failure of the
charterers to pay rentals and to recon-
dition the boats as per contract, the
five steamships that were seized on
Friday night were allocated to the
Hartman interests, operating the
United American Line.
No other action of the Shipping
Board under its new regime has
created a greater furor in the Ameri-
can merchant marine. The seizures
came swiftly after the government had
made demand for back pay and failed
TO obtain it.
Elmer schlesinser, general counsel
FOR the board, and J. Barstow Smull.
yice-president of the Emergency Fleet
Corporation and director of operations,
denied emphatically yesterday that
there was any ulterior motive in the
seizures.
Captain Francis H. Mayer, president
Of the U. S. Mail Steamship Company,
issued a statement in which he charac-
terlzed as ridiculous the contention of
the Shipping Board that the taking over
OF the vessels was due to the company
IL
owed his corporation $2,000,O0o.
To Sail on Schedule
R. H. NJ. Robinson, president of the
hartman corporation, announced late
yesterday afternoon that the shins
tickets purchased from the Mail com
many would be honored by his lines.
Captain E. c. Tobey, director of oper-
stlons for the Hartman lines, said
there probably would be no change in
the rersonnel or the crews.
The United American Line will re-
celve the usual commission for overat-
ing the ships, which, it is understood.
is per cent of the gross passenger
receipts, 2la per cent on outgoing
trelght and Il per cent on incoming
freight. If there is any loss in opera
ton the deficit is to be met by the
government.
In addition to the George Washing
ton, the America, President Grant,
Agamemnon and Susquehanna, seized
Friday night the Pocahontas nt
Naples, the Princess Matoika, in Bre-
men, and the Potomac, On the high
seas, bound for this port, were taken
over by wireless yesterday.
The Mount Vernon, which is at Bos-
ton, will be taken in charge by the
board tomorrow.
Mr.. Schlesinger and Mr.. smull met
the newspaper men in the formers
office at headquarters, IS Broadway,
shortly after o'clock yesterday after
noon. They launched at once into the
transference of the five ships to the
Hartman lines.
1--WE have made arrangements, said
Mr.. Schlesinger, who acted as spokes-
man the greater part of the time, with
the United American Lines temporarily y
to arrange for the sailing of the ships
We took over last night, and to honor
all tickets and contracts, and they will
act as our AGENTS. The boats will sail
on scheduled time.
I'VE selected the Hartman lines be-
cause we thought they were the most
ef1cient people to run the ships. The
board has not committed itself on any
policy as to what it will do. Hartman
Will operate the ships until we def
n,teiy decide what will be done with
them.
Temporary Arrangement
1T is purely temporary arrange
,,nent. We thought the people should
be protected, and that is the reason we
seized the ships when the Mail company
refused to pay us the 100000 due u.s.
The Mail company claims that the
Board owes it 50 0,o00," Mr.. Schles-
niger was informed.
We don't owe them anything" he
replied. THAT is matter for the
courts; but when they went on collect
ing passenger fares and freight
charges and did not turn in cent to
the Shipping Board, after March 81
we ws, decided to take prompt action
,Mhy they did nothing to three of the
largest ships for more than year,
while it was in their contract to re-
condition themt
What they did do was to jolly the
9it 9,a board out of $5,oo0,00o to recon
u''on two of the vessels. The recon
CCont,nued on pege four