New-York tribune., 1922-02-15
IlartlingFr Frowns
On BostonPlea
For Leviatl1an
Won't Favor Navy Yard
at. Expense of Private
Plants That Have Spent
Big Sums Making Bids
Lets Contract To-day
l. NJ. NJ. Surrendcrs Option
and Ship Will Be Nucleus
of US. Transatlantic Line

~~,- IRE T-t,ur<'s vcstsno.o- Bu-en.
WASHINGTON, Feb I4.-1ae Pres-
dcnt is opposed TO the extension of
gorcrnreHt business activities. and for
tsa' reason opposed to The Boston navy
yard reitting the liner LeyiaShan. it
aas earned at the Write House to- day.
since the Shipping Board asked for
bids 70 reconstruct the former German
r~r there has been considerable pres
sure brought TO bear on the Admins-
ration TO designate the Boston navy
yard for the work. The President feels
.1zt from a strictly business point Of
v'cw such a procedure would be unfair
I'D urbusinesslike.
Private shipyards have submitted
ds ranging as high as $l2.000.o00
Thc lowest bid submitted involved an
,ypenditure On the part o. the firm sub
= ,ting it of s2s. 800. and some went ss
h'gh as s37 900. The money was spent
n making a survey of the liner pre-
I~ratorr to submitting q bid The
Pres dent has expressed the opinion to
members o. the Adm nistration that to
route such bids in favor Of a govern
mt shi7yard would be an unfair busi-
.css practice.
Representations that such work IN
government yards would relieve the
unemployment situation have not car
Rod weight with the Admin istration.
The President feels that. no matter
where the work goes. it will relieve the
situation and he does not believe that
'ne Shipping Board should be required
10 ts'e chance on the work being done
at the navy yard, with no bids of any
Kind submitted, as compared with bids
from private firms
Against Sectional Favors
4 sane business-ljke action would be
r. award the BID to the lowest bidder.
s. was indicated at the White House.
= 4 IT was pointed out that com rruni-
tlts cannot be favored in awarding
government work. The President has
expressed himself strongly in regard to
tie plan 70 award government work to
communities. Ec has condemned it rs
an ahominapie practice and has told
S advisers that no one could foretell
where It would end If once initiated
samuel Gompers, veteran head OF the
American Federation Of Labor, called
af the White House recently with r
delegation and urged that the Boston
navy yard be given considerations II
is known that the American Federation
oi Labor has been active in bringing
pressure to bear on the Senate TO bring
@oout such disposition Of the contract.
The bid of the Newport News Ship
building and Drydock Company fer re-
conditioning the Lcviatnan will be ac-
copied oincialy tomorrow morning by
tie Shipping Board. which has been
c"lied by Chairman Lasker to meet at
o'clock. Once the bid is awarded to
tee Newport News concern the atten-
son OF the hoard WI be given 10 the
question Of the ships ultimate pur-
chaser or operator. III this connection
It was announced to-day by Chairman
lasker that the International Mercan-
tiie Marine has surrendered its option
4 recc ndltion and operate the vessel
lr tho North Atlantic trade, leaving the
hoard with free hand to put the
'essel again IN commission and opcr-
ato 1t.
20 Be Nucleus of New Line
lnder plans now being worked out
h tho Slipping Board, the 3eviathan
when 1T 5 reconditioned will form the
ruclcus of 'rans- Atlantic passenger
'lno under the American flag to COM
pete with the largest liner under for
eigr fags.
+. 4. s. Franklin, president of the
International Mercantile .Iarine, reluc-
taNtlN has released the board from the
pitrisions of what he maintained was
. contract. executed by the old Ship
pinc Beard and signed by John Barton
it*, ri'H Nldt4 man, WHtH Il showing
'e'.s made to him BIZ Chairman Lasker
that the board should have free nand
= disposing Of the Leviathan case. 1t
understood that Chairman Aasker
n'ld that tha contract with the former
board was net binding in fact.
The bid OF the Newport News Com
pany for the work Of reconditioning the
vessel and that of Gimbel Brothers for
furnishing the stewards department.
which we're the lowest submitted TO the
Shipping Board, total sS,166, 900, as fol-
lows:
Reconditioning and converting vessel
to fuel oil. s5,595, 600: repairs and ma
or rinery. S5l5.0oo; equipment of stew
ards department, $3.50 900; allowance
for library, $4,000; cost of removing
snip 20 contractors yard, including in
eGrance, dry docking for thirty days,
new anchors and chains, removing ship
rom dry docs and trial trip, s627 600;
maintenance and guarding Tor fourteen
months during reconditioning. S65o.oo0;
inspection during work Of rocondit!on-
ing. etc, S2o5 900.