New-York tribune., 1922-10-10
OperatingWork
OF Fleet C,orpn.
Is Reorganized
Sheedy Names Three Assist
ants TO Take Over All De-
tails; Change in Washing
tom VIII Be Made at Once
Large Saving ON Stores
New Policies by Board Will
Bring Economies Amount
ing TO Several Millions

The operating department of the
Emergency Fleet Corporation is now
being reorganized, with three men in
charge Of different divisions, Joseph
T.. Sheedy, vice-pres:dent in charge of
operations, said yesterday. G. K.
Nichols, now assistant to Commander
X, D. Gatewood, director of the divi-
sion of maintenance and repairs, will
be placed in charge of the Washington
office. Commander Gatewood will re-
main in New York in his present po-
sision, where he viii have charge Of
the entire work r. D. Gibson, for
rnerly representative of the Shipping
Board in Havana, will be special as
sistant in charge of all foreign opera
tions. C. W. Green will be special
assistant to Mr.. Sheedy in charge of
administrative matters.
Mr.. Sheedy said yesterday that di-
vision of the work was necessary, as
the task was too great for any one
man. 1t will give him more time to
devote to general policies, he added
1t was announced by Mr.. Sheedy that
the Export Steamship Corporation had
been selected as the ship line in New
York upon which the Board would
make its experiment in repairs. I'm
der this policy the company will be
allowed to spend up to $4,000 for
single jobs upon it's own responsibility.
One other line will be chosen from
the freight companies making this
their home port, and lines will also
be designated at other ports. The new
plan will become effective on October
New Repair Policy
The Board intends to allow all pas
senger companies operating it's vessels
to make repairs up to $4,000 for each
vessel, Mr.. Sheedy said. The Admiral
Line, running out of Seattle, has been
designated as the first. The change
will take place as soon as the Board
is assured that each company has an
adequate. competent personnel to care
for this work." it is said.
Mr.. Sheedy said that the fixed al
lowance of s22 to $50 day for deck
and engine room stores WAS expected
to save the Board about S1,350000 a
year. and that at the same time the
sum would be sufficient to cover all
expenses of this nature for the opera
tors The allowance Of 65 cents a day
per man for subsistence of the crews
would save about $875,000 a year, he
estimated.
In reply to questions Mr.. Sheedy
told the story of the negotiations with
the standing committee, which resulted
in the change in policy. The allowance
for stores, he said, was the result of
ten weeks deliberation. The operators
as first submitted sac day as the
minimum figure, and were dismayed
when the board countered with it's
estimate of $50. The figure of the
operators was reached as an average
of the cost on all ships, Mr.. Sheedy
explained while the board felt that
the proper basis would be to take the
average of the twelve lowest, which
presumably were operated on the most
economical basis.
Operators Approve
The stand of the Shipping Board
finally was approved by the operators
themselves, after study of the fig
ures, Mr.. Sheedy said, but he volun-
tarily raised the amount So for each
classification to be fair. Under the ex-
listing plan the operators never know
exactly what their costs are, as the
paid, while under the new plan, to be
made effective on November /, the
companies will find it necessary to keep
close contact with all expenses. In
making this allowance of $22 to $40
day, 1t was said, the board will grant
80 per cent of the estimated cost in
advance, so that the operators will not
be required to finance their transec-
tions.
Mr.. Sheedy remarked that the details
of the new policies. which are expected
to save the government several millions
of dollars yearly, are available for all
private American concerns as WE'LL in
the belief that they may aid in the
upbuilding of an American merchant
marine. Officials of the operating COM
panies are cooperating with the board
in these economies. he added.
Consolidation of the engineering with
the maintenance and repair stats is
proceeding rapidly, it was said. Cap
tains w. E. Griffith and J. E. Bailey
have completed the task in Norfolk and
Baltimore, where they have saved $685.
coo in pay roll of about $500, 900, and
are now in New Orleans. Later they
will visit San Francisco and Seattle
The consolidation at New York will be
left until last Mr.. Sheedy estimates
total saving from this plan of 35 per
cent of the pay roll.
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