The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-09-14

can Shipping Interests to BE Scared
Out OF Trade-Faise RumOrs About
Shipping Board Disturbs President
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Especial Dispatch to The Reformerl
Copyright 1922.
WASHINGTON. Sept. l4.-Thorough
Investigation of all OF the evidence in
the case Of two American consuls whose
credentials were revoked by Great Brit
ain has convinced the United States
government that not a scntilla OF
proof lies behind the charge of undue
influence said to have been used in
favor of American and against British
ships.
The episode has intensified the feel
ing of competition between the shipping
interests Of the two countries. The
British are naturally sohcitous about
Their carrying trade-they believe they
need it TO pay their war debts and keep
their commercial advantages of the
past The United States shipping board
II iucoInpetently managed will not dis
turb the British. What, they fear most
| Is that the government here viii really
| make progress in the shipping business,
| or worse yet, that private American in
| tcTests wall be able to reach degree
! OF efficiency not possible under American
! government operation.
! Naturally American officials look ask
| ance at what they consider the cOnspir-
ucics of competition. One hears tales
! Of British intimidation. or American
! cunsuis throughout the world. If for
! instance, an American consul Is remove cd
and the cause has no connection with
| shipping. rumOTs are said To be propa-
| gated to make other consuls believe
! they, too, Will lose their posts if they
work too conspicuous in favor of Ameri-
can trade and shipping.
\ Recent Ofense.
The latest incident which has aroused
the ire of officials here. however, is the
persistent runOrs OF change in manage
ment OF the United States shipping
board. These rumors are believed tC
have for their object the undermining
of confidence in the shipping board sC
that those who may be thinking 81
making contracts with the board vii
| be dissuaded. Only Tuesday of thH
; week the ticker services in New NorE
city carried the rumors of the ALLEGED
resignation of Albert d. Lasker as chair
man Of the shipping board. The Ion!
distance telephones were kept busy will
Inquiries Nobody here knows how TIN
rumor got started and the natural in
ference i that somebody interested II
seeing il circulated gave il currency.
The fact j. that Mr.. Lasker has m
intention of resiguing and that Prcsi
dent Harding has absolute confidence II
\ him and his already effective TcconStruc
ton IF the shipping boards affairs. l
4 j. an open secret in Washington tina
i'm no man i'm the national capital hq
Mr. Harding more confidence than h
has in the, ability Of tn. men he ma
pf Ia gbfaf ahLf a.lg- to 1orpurnS
has been the constant shifting ant
CHANGING Of executives IN the shippin'
! board The President i determined f.
Give Mr.. Laskcr a free hand and M
Harding has only recently told fried
\ ! that he regarded the lob done nv M
\ LaSkcr IS completely iUstifvin" the al
most unbo,mded authority given tn
chairman of the board
Z No Change i'm Management.
So the rumors of another change il
management are unfounded and are AT
4 tributed here to quarters where the vi
! may be father to the thought. Foreig
[ competition is of course beginning [
bring all sorts of new experiences f
the governments shipping project bu
\ it is interesting to note the almost uni
versal belief abroad that CONGRESS- vii
pass ship subsidy bill. All the move
I of he foreigners are predicated on tina
| assumption and they are endpavorin
\ To checkmate as far as possible an
/ advantages that may accrue to Americ
from such a course It is ease of sol
l preservation On the part of tho carrvin
I interests of Euronean countries an
A while there Is a disposition here t
= recognize tn" viewpoint of competito
| it is not to be expected that the Amer
| can government will permit the in
4 timidation of American cousuls for tn
4 nurnose of assistiu" British shinpip
I compauies. Something vnrv plain
! lil-elv to lao said to the British foreig
office on the subject very soon.