The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-24
PLUMMER URGES
FURTHER DELAY
NSECTION q
Denies Palmer Is Prepar-
ing To Withdraw
20 Vessels

y WASHINGTON, April 23.-Defer-
ment of the operation of section IS of
+ the merchant marine act, restricting
preferential rail rates to shippers using
{ American flag vessels, was advocated
today by Vice Chairman Plummer in
testimony before the House committee
z Investigating the shipping board.
Representative Davis, democrat, Ten
nessee, committee prosecutor. exaniin-
ing Mr.. Plummer, referred to reports
that President Palmer of the fleet
corporation intended to withdraw about
20 vessels from service in the face of
3ffortS to enforce section %, which, it
Is held, will necessitate additional ton
mage being placed in operation to meet
the needs of shippers.
Discounts Statements.
Mr.. Plummer discounted the state
ments credited to Mr.. Palmer and
called attention to the latter's report
to the board that 200 ships could be
aput in condition to meet any require
: ments arising out of enforcement of
the preferential provisions.
Aside from section %, another fea-
ture of the days proceedings was the
questioning by Representative Con-
nally, democrat, Texas, Of the propriety
of former Chairman Lasker of the
board in calling in Senator Pepper, re-
publican, Pennsylvania, as an unof-
fetal referee on claims against the
board by the Atlantic Corporation, of
Portsmouth. n. H.. formed to build
ships for the government.
"PIan to Delay Action
He charged that reference of the
claim to the Pennsylvania senator
seemed to be part Of a concerted plan
to delay action but in fairness to
= asker he said the records showed he
was in. favor of the Atlantic Corpora
4 tion coming across
One of the claims, which totalled
more than million dollars and which
III the board rejected, according to the re-
mort read by Mr.. Connally, was for
50 500 to cover expenses incident to a
ship launching luncheon at which Sen
ator Moses, republican. New Hamp-
ssshire, was the principal guest. Plum
Y mer said the board had rejected this
{; As well as all other claims filed by the
Evaporation and that MIR. Moses depre-
Gated the proposition in regard to TINS
: phase of the claims.
Senator Peppers findings were
stlissented from, the witness testified.
and the matter, is now in the hands OF
81 the boards legal department for pres
entation to the courts.
81 Representative Davis. developed the
discussion over Section IS, explaining
that it would aid the members of the
investigating committee, who are also
members of the House merchant ma
rine committee, in considering legisla--
-. \ hn
committee will meet tomorrow in exec
utive session to discuss the preferential
clause and indications are that efforts
will be made to obtain prompt action
+ on the Newton resolution to postpone
enforcement of the section to July 1,
1925.
Representative Davis desired to know
: if the Shipping Board, having reserved
- AIse tveto power" over President Pal
d er, was going to exercise that power.
Hummer said it was doing. so where
NECESSARY. He added that the board 8
i!kty in regard to Section IS had been
tldne when it certified to the interstate
commerce commission that an adequacy
of tonnage existed to warrant enforce
5meIf.
The witness declared, however, that
the board desired to be fair and see
that the section was enforced with the
least possible damage.
k1 July "T0O Long"
Citing the request of flour millets
that operation of the section be deferred
until their rush" season is over, Mr..
Plummer said he considered December
81, next, would be reasonable time
to allow sfor any readiustments. He
~ thought suspension until July /, 1925.
was "too long? Some members of the
merchant marine committee also are
inclined to believe the Newton proposal
sets the date too far up.
Mr.. Davis expressed the opinion if
1.-The board lis instrumental in putting
Section % prematurely into effect the
board will be put out of business"
Mr.. Plummer said this would not
occur and added it was the hope of the
board that during suspension of the
section the railroads would arrange ex-
port and import rates TO New York and
other ports not now having such rates.
"a joint committee composed of three
members of the Shipping Board and
three of the interstate commerce COM
mission will meet tomorrow to consider
the advisability of further postponing
the date for enforcing the section. The
commission already has deferred the
effective date from May 20 to June 20.
To Make U. S. Business
"a Another sidelight in connection with
the preferential clause was furnished
by Vice Chairman Plummer, who made
public letter he received from A. w.
frost and company, ship owners and
brokers of Portland, Me-, starting brok-
$ers in England had requested them to
offer American ships to charter for
Transportation of cargoes from Baltic
Fand Scandinavian ports to the United
States ''as they state the Jones act
(Section 2S) will mean that these
goods be imported in American Ships
I'VE are writing this" the letter
stated, ito give you the information in
regard to what foreign ship owners
4 think will happen if the Jones act is
\ put into effect, and We think it will
\ De the only thing to make business for
American ships"
The investigating committee adj
Sourned until Friday.