Evening star., 1925-09-26
0NE-MAN CONTROL
FAVORED FOR SHIPS
Coolidge May Ask Congress
: to Abolish Present Board
to End Long Fight.

President Coolidge has taken an ac,
tive interest in the Shipping Board
difficulties, which admittedly have
brought affairs in the board to an
acute stage. Closely following a
conference with Chairman O'Connor
of the Shipping Board, the President
yesterday summoned to the White
House Commissioners Plummer and
Hill to obtain their views.
While the President is not under
stood to have reached any definite
conclusion, 1t was indicated that the
suggestion is being advanced that IL
no solution of the boards difhcultles
is reached before Congress conVenes'
the President should recommend that
the board be abolished and Its rune
tions transferred to some other agency,
perhaps with the authority vested In
one person.
Control Power Doubtful.
At the same time, 1t was stated Tor
Mr.. Coolidge that there was a con-
siderable doubt whether the board
could be directed at all in the admin
istration Of it's affairs now on the
L
bureau under the jurisdiction OF
neither the executive nor legislative
branch of the Government.
In the midst of the general discus
sions. Leigh c.. Palmer, president OF
the Fleet Corporation and center OF
one phase of the controversy, re
Trained from comment beyond say
ing that he had enough business TO
do going along with things as they
Co. l-rnn
pointment has as yet been made Tor
him TO see Mr.. Coolidge.
While there were some intimations
that the board would move to oust
Mr.. Palmer If he did not voluntarily
retire. there were other indications
of a disposition on the part of some
of the commissioners opposed to the
Fleet Corporation president to permit
Mr.. Coolidge to obtain all the infor-
nation he desired and indicate his
views before any extreme action was
resorted to.
When Mr.. Palmer a few years ago
was elected to his present Office by
the board, at the suggestion of Mr..
Coolidge and with the approval OF
several administration Senators and
Representatives, the board requested
that he place his resignation on file
30 that it could be available at any
time. In recent weeks Commissioner
Haney has repeatedly moved its &C
ceptance. The motion never has been
seconded because several commission
placed m the position of challenging
President Coolidge, who, from the
first, had urged that Mr.. Palmer be
given all support possible in admin
istering the Fleet Corporation as the
agent of the board.
Haney Recess Appointee.
Mr.. Haney to+Mr. Palmer which led
the President at Swampscott this
Summer to request the commits
sioners resignation. This was re-
fused by Mr.. Haney. who declared
the telegram of the President alleged
that he had violated an understanding
to support Mr.. Palmer when he was
reappointed upon the expiration of
his term last June.
The commissioner insisted that he
had told the President explicitly of
his position and that there was no
understanding as a condition of his
reappotntment. Mr.. Coolidge has not
pressed the point since and has not
indicated whether he would send Mr..
Haneys name to the Senate In
December. the reappointment In June
being a recess one.
The entire question promises to be
taken up by Congress this Winter,
either IN connection with the conf1rma-
ton by the Senate of Mr.. Haney or
his successor. or in connection with
shipping legislation which the ad-
ministration may recommend. Evi-
dence Is accommodating that an effort
will be made to abolish the Shipping
Board and transfer the Fleet Corpora
ton to the Commerce Department.
Senator Edge, Republican, New Jersey,
In statement yesterday reiterated
his determination to press for such
legislation.
The charge is made by the Presi-
dents critics that he has interfered
with an independent office of the Gov
ernment esta blished by Congress and
no more beholden to the executive
branch than the Interstate Commerce
Commission, the Federal Trade Com
mission or the Tariff Commission. On
the other hand, administration spokes-
men contend that the President is re-
sponsible for enforcing the laws and
administering the Government, and
that his efforts with reference to the
Shipping Board have been solely to
make the best of a situation marked
nv division of authority and duplica-
zion of functions, in which the develop
ment of an adequate merchant marine
was in danger of being seriously i'm
paired.
Majority Against Palmer.
Commissioners opposed to Mr.. Palm
er contend that he has not been sue
cessful in developing the merchant
marine, but instead that he has with
drawn ships for reasons OF economy
without consideration of commerce
needs and to the advantage Of foreign
ship owners, and that his policies have
been in general far apart from those
of the board. while, it is charged. his
operation reports to the board have
been misleading.
Mr.. Palmer has contended that he
was attempting to administer the
merchant marine economically and ef-
ficiently, that whereas some ships
nave been withdrawn there has been
mo decrease in business. the Increased
efficiency having made possible the
carrying of equivalent cargoes on
fewer ships, and that his reports to
the board have followed the standard
Szed forms Of the past several years.
Whereas the President may urge
the board to adopt measures, II is
held that he has few legal powers In
the matter. and that. even II he should
reiterate his support OF Mr.. Palmer,
he could not remove any OF the COM
missioners without showing cause.
Those commissioners said to be op-
posed to Mr.. Palmer are O'Connor,
PIummer. Haney. Thompson and Ben
son, while those favorable to his con-
tinuance in office are Lissner, who is
now in Europe, and Hill.
Tho hoard ia not eYnpCted TO take