Evening star., 1923-12-29
COOLIDGE TACKLES
SHIP BOARD ISSUE
Successor to Farley and
Questions of Policy Before
President Today.

President Coolidge has not reached
a decision regarding the selection of
a successor to Edward p. Farley. who
has submitted his resignation as
chairman of the Shipping Board, nor
has he made up his mind regarding
any of the proposals made by Sena-
tor Jones, chairman of the Senate
commerce committee. providing far
reaching changes in the policy of the
board and the operation of the fleet.
The President is known TO be giving
both matters his close attention, with
the hope that he will be able to dis
pose of at least one of them in a
short time. In this connection 1t is
believed the President Will for the
present concentrate on the picking OF
"a man entirely suitable to his ideas
70 head the Shipping Board. He is
represented as casting about for an
experienced man who may, ABOVE
everything else, urrayel the present
tanrle Of affairs said to exist In the
shipping Board. and to prepare
policy OF operation for the future
that will meet With the desires or the
administration. He Is known to want
also a man who viii be in entire SYM
pathy with the politics of the ADMIN
istration.
Confers With Jones.
The President continued his study
of these problems today by first con-
ferring with Senator Jones. Rear
Admiral Leigh Palmer. L. s. N, re-
tired, who has been directing the ar
fairs of the Shipping Board in South
America for the past four or hve
months and who has been mentioned
prominently as a possible successor
TO Mr.. Farley, Joined this conference
today. Neither he nor Senator Jones
were in the least communicative re-
garding the nature of the confer
once when they were questioned
upon leaving the White House
Despite the fact that President
Coolidge, In answer to inquiries on
the subject, stated that there was no
Significance to the conference with
Admiral Palmer Thursday afternoon.
following the resignation of Mr..
Farley. there are those who feel that
there is a strong possibility that, Ad-
Iniral Palmer is being considered by
the President for the craftsmanship
of the board.
Some of those who are following the
affairs Of the board closely say that
while the President may not have
the former in mind for the chairman
ship, he may place him at the head
Of the Emergency Fleet Corporation
in the event he approves the Jones
plan to divorce its activities from the
supervision of the Shipping Board.
Admiral Palmer is known to have
been slated to go to London as the
director of the interests of the Ship
ping Board there, but no reason can
he associated with this and his recent
White House calls.
Admiral Palmer Qualified.
1t is pointed out that Admiral Pal
mer is eminently qualified from his
long experience in the Navy and from
mis- experience with the Shipping
o-rl n h
Also the fact that he comes from
Missouri is hailed as a happy fact
inasmuch as the interior of the United
for the President to make a selection
nemb berS and at the same time COM
ply with the geographical restrictions
of the law.
Some of the speculation concerning
the Presidents future, course regard
ing the board is that he will make a
general Shake-up in the boards per-
sonnel or that he will at least make
one or two changes.
Senator Oscar w. Underwood of
Alabama, who has been the sponsor
for Frederick I. Thompson of Mont
gonery, that state, whose reputation
gomery, that state, whose nomination
for membership on the board was
commerce committee reported ad-
Versely upon Chairman Farley, con-
terred with the President today; but
he said the call had nothing to do
with Mr.. Thompson any matter mat
with MIR. Thompson or any matter per-
tanning 10 the Shipping Board