The Washington times., 1923-03-04
SHIPPING BOARD
! WILL KEEP ALL.
| ITSL|NESOPEN
Hopes to Bring About Private
Ownership So Far as Pos
sible While Operating Ships
PLANS GREATEST FLEET
WIN Recondltion Vessels, Max
lno Them Finest Sailing Un-
der Any Flag In the World
~ UuIversal Service

~ VuANefD0A CcENASS
- Chairman A. D. Lasker Of the
United States Shipping Board, an
nounced last night that the Ship
ping Board would continue oper-
alton Of all It's lines as hereto
fore. He said:
aShippers and passengers are
given assurance they need net
hesitate TO book on government
ships.
'The service will be as in the
past, adequate, prompt and regu-
laf.n
FEARS MISUNDERSTANDING.
Until yesterday Il had been gener.
ally understood that the Shipping
Board had prepared an elaborate
plan for the disposal OF the big nner,
chant fleet without delay, due to the
refusal Of Congress to pass the ship
subsidy bill.
Chairman Laeker's statement
makes this explanation:
After careful deliberation, the .
board Is Of the opinion that 20 an.
nounos any general plans without
giving fullest details would lead
to MISUNDERSTANDING. The board
has, therefore, decided that ma
tufed plans and details had better
be announced simultaneously.
These we hope to have ready with
all Celebrations as expeditiously as
possible.
A COMMITTEES; consisting OF Com
missioners Lissner, Thompson and
Chamberlain, has been appointed
to prepare and study plans with d
view OF bringing about without in.
terruption Of service the passage
Of the Governments lines into pri-
vate ownership insofar az possible.
WILL REFTT FLEET. r
Mr.. Laslxer also revealed plans
Tor the extensive overhauling and
srecoHditioning Of the fleet to give
this country the finest ships under
any flag In the world.
The Agamemnon," formerly the
Kaiser Wilhelm II, and the Mt.
Vernon, formerly the Kronprinzes-
ein-Ceci1e. have been ordered COM
pletely refitted and win be ready
for service in the North Atlantic
passenger lane In 1924. They are
to be converted into oil burners, and
will be the equal of any ships afloat,,
Mr. LaSker says s.. ses+
( 1.-THE President Buchanan ana the.
America, already In active trans-Ats
lantfc service, are also to sbe recon.
ditioned. With these and the Liviat.
than. George Washington, Fillmore,
Arthur, Roosevelt, Garfield, Adams,
Polk. Van Buren,, Monroe and Hard
Ing. the fleet viii be complete.
QUOTES MARINE Law.
5 Chairman Lasker then. quotes
from the merchant marine act of
1890 the law which directs him to
follow the course he has decided
upon. The law reads:
THAT 1t is necessary for the ma
tional defense and for the proper
growth of its foreign and domestic
commerce that. the United States
shall have q merchant marine of the
best equipped and most suitable
types OF vessels sufficient to carry
the greater portion of it's commerce
and serve as a naval or military
auxiliary in time OF war or ma
fional emergency. ultimately to be
owned and operated privately by
citizens OF the United States"
Mr.. Lasker asserted that any ar.
rangemeft that may be made will
carry with 1t the guarantee that
the lines established under private
ownership Twill be maintained for
q term Of years, thus assuring to
ports and shippers continuous serv.
Ice" He said:
Regardless Of any plan that may
be contemplated by the board, the
Mt. Vernon, Agememnon, America,
President Buchanan, ana Leviathan
will be assigned to the United States
lines 90 as to make that lire second
to none strategically in the north
Atlantic"