Evening star., 1924-01-09
SINGLE DIRECTOR
FOR FLEET URGED
Edge Says Seven Men Cannot Con-
troll ANY Business With
Efficiency.
AGAINST U. S. POLICY
Senator Points to Other Govern
ment Activities.
AGAINST u, S. POLICY

Declaring that the operation of the
government owned merchant feet by
"a shipping board of seven members
did not make for economical and
businesslike management, Senator
Edge Of New Jersey. addressing the
Senate yesterday afternoon, strongly
urged that the merchant fleet be
turned over to the control of one
responsible official of the government.
Senator Edge had previously intro
duced a bill doing away with the
Shipping Board and providing for a
director of shipping.
Il have had some experience in
business administration" said Sena-
tor Edge, and l can see nothing but
confusion when purely executive
function has seven heads with equal
responsibility 1t is contrary to the
policy in vogue in any successful
business enterprise in the nation. 1t
is contrary to the policy in vogue in
the federal government itself.
Have Single Heads.
'@The Navy is mana ged by a single
head; the Army likewise: the Post
Office business as WELL, the budget,
and practically every other RESPONSE
bility of an executive character.
IF there ever was responsibility
which required, in my judgment, one
strong, powerful. executive head, it
Is the administration of the American
merchant marine"
Referring to the present attempt on
the part of the President to bring
about a division of the duties of the
Emergency Fleet Corporation and the
Shipping Board. SO as TO place the
administration of the fleet in the
hands of the president of the Fleet
Corporation and to leave to the Ship
ping Board regulatory duties with
regard to shipping generally, Senator
Edge said he did not believe this
could well be accomplished without
additional legislation.
Need of New Laws.
81 do not see how this much be-
desired remodeling of responsibilities
can be assured without new legiSla-
ton" declared Senator Edge. Ger
tainly past experience in every way
justifies that conclusion. On Septem-
ber 80, 1921, the Shipping Board
passed comprehensive resolution
deIegating to the Emergency Fleet
Corporation fun power of admins
tration, but from time to time have
withdrawn the power so delegated,
until now administration is practi-
calIy back in the hands of the seven
commissioner executives.
II understand another effort is to be
made 70 again pass such a resolution,
and when the new president OF the
Fleet Corporation is appointed to give
him the same power .ormerly lodged
in this office.
That is all right as far as it goes,
but experience has demonstrated it
does not go far enough. In fact, ac-
cording to information appearing in
the press IN the last twenty four
hours, the Shipping Board are balk-
ing on the suggestion to transfer
their powers. Therefore, if th%t in
formation is correct, the, necessity
for definite legislation is all the more
apparent or the present costly sys-
TEN. with its dual responsibility and
confusion, must continue. Surely it
is too expensive to longer. condone
such a situation
Even should they pass such reso-
luton s they did in 1921, it is hu-'
man nature that with unlimited pow
ers under existing legislation they
would from time to time run counter
to the Executive, and, as has been the
history Of the past, create divisions
and dissensions, with, of course,
lack of teamwork and desired re-
suits"
Senator Edge spoke strongly in
favor of the adoption of the subsid-
iary corporation plan for the opera
ton of the ships, proposed by there
firing chairman of the Shipping
Board, Edward P. Farley.