The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-06-15

CdA SHOuLu OOaL proudly over the
achievement in the treconditioning
Of the Incompatible Leviathan-
we are confronted with the spec.
tacle Of a political committee
picking flaws and endeavoring by
gross Misrepresentation to muddy
the waters.
What are the facts? It would
appear, on reading the statement
Of the Democratic National Com.
mittee, that the trial trip Of the
Leviathan, was suddenly con.
ceived, and that guests were in
vtted purely as private junket.
If that were true, the criticism
would be fully justified, particu.
larry in these days when, as
President Harding rightly says,
economy in Government IL the
paramount need Of America.
Planned Back In 1919.
The truth of the matter is that
this very trial trip was fully pro-
vided for by experts engaged in
December. 1919, by a Shipping
Board headed by John Barton
Payne under the Democratic AID.
ministration. If the critics had
only taken the trouble to look up
the records, they would have
found that the plans and specifi-
cations for the reconditioning Of
the Leviathan were not hastily
made, but that every detail, in
GLIDING the testing Of the great
ship in the proposed trial trip,
was worked out long in advance,
even to the last dollar that would
be spent. The experts who pre-
pared the plans and specifications
for the reconditioning Of the Le-
viathan and who still have sole
charge of the work were en-
gagged by the board under John
Barton Payne in December, 1919.
More than 100 craftsmen
worked continuously under the
Payne contract until October,
1921, In the preparation Of the
plans and specifications. These
were embodied in three printed
volumes, requiring over 1900
pages.
Reviewed BY Experts.
Before the board accepted these
specifications, they were reviewed
by experts from all the big ship
building companies in America.
Included in these specifications
was provision for the moving of
the vessel from the recondition.
ing yard to the dry dock, to be
followed by a trial trip on the
high seas such as now will be
taken. One reason for both runs
Is only half power should be
generated on the trip to the dry
dock, where the hull was to be
scraped and cleaned, and which
had not been done for years.
In January, 1922, the experts
referred to as having in charge
the reconditioning, asked the pres
ent board, among other sundry
items required for the completion
of the Leviathan, to appropriate
$4,000 to cover the cost of the
trial trip. which sum included the
cost of guests.
Planned Five-Day Trip.
The experts then as now con.
templated at least five days for
the trip. At that time-fully six
teen months ago-the board, con-
sisting of four Republicans and
three DE rats unanimously &C.
cepted IL 8. commentator of the
experts ana made the appropria-
ton. At the same time, at a hear.
Ing OF the House Appropriations
Committee, In reporting the vari-
Gus items that went into the total
Of the Leviathan's reconditioning
cost, the board included a trial
trip.
When the Government took over
the LeViathan during the war, the
navy, first having made sure her
machinery had not been tam
pered with but in face Of some
necessary repairs, which are minor
compared to those now made, sent
the ship on more than a five-days'
trial cruise in southern waters
five precious days necessarily lost
to war transport.
Responsibility Up to u. s.
1t would be futile to array the
opinion of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee alongside that
OF practically all the experts of
our navy and Americas ship
building and operating companies.
fortunately, the responsibility for
a thorough test of the Leviathan
is not upon the shoulders of the
Democratic National Committee,
but rests solely with the United
States Government.
1t is customary practice the
world over to have trial trips for
all vessels. but particularly ex.
tended trips before passenger
ships like the Leviathan are NIT