The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-04
SHIP BOARDS LINES T0 bE.
 RUN REGULAR
No Change in Service Pending Transfer to Private Hands, Declares Chairman Las
 ker, Who WithhoIds
 Full Announcement

W WASHlNGION, March o.-(By Associated Press. )-intention of the shipping board to continue all it's lines without change until de- tailed plans are completed for it's transfer of it's merchant fleet into private hands was announced to- night by Chairman Lasker.
 Shippers and passengers have the governments assurance" he said "that they need not hesitate to book on government ships; the service will be as in the past-ade- quate, prompt and regular"
 Mir. Lasker said he had hoped to be able to announce the boards plan in a general way, but that it had been decided that an announce ment lacking fullest details might lead to understanding.
 "The board has therefore, de- cided that matured plans and de- tails had better be announced simul taneously," said MT. Lasker. "These we hope to have ready with all elaboration as expeditiously as pos sible."
 Plans For Transfer.
 Mir Lasker said that a committee consisting of Commissioners Thomp son, Lessner, and Chamberlain had l. I tailed plans with view to bringing about, without interruption of serv- ice the passage Of the government lines to private ownership, in so far as possible.
 Announcement. however. was made that the board intended to fecondi tion four ships. the Mount Vernon, Agaememnon. America and President Buchanan, all of which. together with the Leviathan, now being recondi- toned at Newport News, Va, it was stated. would be assigned to the United States lines.
 Insuring Continuous Service.
 The shipping board, under the mer- chant marine act of 1920. according to MT. Lasker's statement. hopes to brins about the passage of the lines and roates operated by the govern
 
 dated by law, with guaranteed obli- gation that such lines will be main tained for a term of years, thus in suring to ports and shippers continu- ous service"
 A committee consisting of Vice Chairman O'Confor and Commission CTS Benson and Hummer, it was an nounced. will make a survey of the physical condition of the govern ,..
 There is substantial part of the lad-up fleet" said MT. 1.asker, that experts have always maintained can not be successfully operated in peace times, having been built for war needs"
 MT. I.asker indicated that in Iiqui- dating the governments shipping venture, the board would act under the preamble of the merchant marine act of 1920. which reads:
 That 1t is necessary for the ma tonal defense and for the proper growth of it's foreign and domestic commerce that the United States shall have a merchant marine of the best equipped and most suita ble types of vessels sufficient to oarry the greater portion of it's commerce and serve as naval or military auxiliary in time Of war or national emergency ulti-
  vately ty citizens of the United States"
 Congress Opposition Reviewed.
 In his statement the shipping board chairman reviewed the unsuccessful efforts to have Congress enact legis- lation providing government aid for operators of American ships. When the administration shipping bill was given up as lost, Mir. Lasker began conferences with President Harding as to liquidation policy, and while no announcement has been made as to details, it has been stated that the plan would be novel and that if would he put m effect before the next Con Sress convenes, the President having announced he would not renew his recommendation that the shipping bill be enacted.
 Failure of the shipping bill, Mir. I-asker said, has made it necessary TOT the board to attempt to bring about the result contemplated under the merchant marine act.
 The AGememnon and the Mount Vernon, both formerly German liners, will be converted into oil burners with the expectation that they will be ready Tor service in 1924. Each will have dccomm odations for approxi- mately 900 first and second class and 5co third class passengers.
 Plans for refitting the President Buchanan, formerly the President Grant, call for additional boilers. in stallation of fuel oil system, and a general overhauling of mechanical equipment. The ship will have ac- ommodations for TOO cabin and 1, 100 third class passengers. Bids for the rcconditioning of the President Bueh- anan will be opened about April 1, while those for the refitting of the America will be opened March 9 The America has been in the service of the United States lines since their inception.