Evening star., 1925-11-16
HOOVER WOULD END
SHIP BOARD POWER
Urges Transfer of Entire
Property to Emergency
Fleet Corporation.
By the Associated Press.

Ending Of the present system Of di-
vided responsibility under the Ship
ping Boards control Of Government
ship operations, IN the opinion OF Sec
retary Hoover. is the most pressing
need for progress in the Nation mer-
chant marine Development
The Secretary presented his views
on the question In a recent letter TO
Chairman White of the House com
mittee on marine and fisheries, which
he made public in an address 10 the
shipping conference convened here TO-
day by the Chamber of Commerce OF
the United States.
Referring 10 the boards refusal TO
follow the views Of President Coolidge
by vesting operating authority in the
president Of the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration. Mr.. Hoover declared its
present personnel had denied respon-
sibility to the President. the one re-
sponsibility which every admlnistra,
tive officer Of the Government should
acknowledge under the spirit of the
Constitution.
Proposes Advisory Board.
Mr.. Hoover proposed that in the
exercise Of such authority the Fleet
CORPORATION head should be assisted
by an advisory board composed of
cabinet officers and the chairman of
the Shipping Board.
Government support Of shipping
should be maintained, he said but
attempt should be made to enlist
regional and community aid in meet
ing deficits. with the ultimate aim of
eating prtyate ownership TO assume
the burden.
ITO our view" he said. 1T is vital
that w-e provide a form of admlnlStra-
ton Of the Government fee that will
reduce losses on those routes which
the Government must operate pending
trade growth. and to provide methods
which will facilitate these lines being
disposed of to private enterprise.
Urges Entire Transfer.
"The Shipping Board was originally
conceived largely for regulation of dis
ordinations and other bad practices
in ocean traffic. 1t was established
upon a bi-psrtisa n and later q regional
basis. It was afterwards loaded with
the most gigantic administrative task
in the Government. The necessarily
divided minds of the best board on
earth has always resulted IN failure
IN executive "Ork.
Therefore our view has been that
the whole feet and other property
should be transferred to the Emer-
gency Fleet Corporation and the preSi-
dent thereof should be appointed by
the President of the United States,
subject to confirmation by the Senate.
and should he solely responsible TO
the President.
1--WE believe that for certain ma jor
questions of policy an advisory board
to the Emergency Fleet Corporation
Is desirable, and this board should
represent and coordinate the great
Government departments. for they
are very largely involved in merchant
marine questions. Such an advisory
board should comprise the Secretaries
of the Treausry, War, Navy and Com
merce, the Postmaster General, the
president Of the Emergency Fleet
Corporation and chairman of the Ship
ping Board.
Questions OF Advice.
This advisory board should be call
ed upon for approval or recommends
ton in the following major questions:
Inauguration of new routes or
abandonment of those being operated
and the sale of ships or routes.
I'm order to facilitate operation and
disposal authority should be given to
the President upon approval of the
advisory board to create subsidiary
corporations for special lines and to
offer stock in them to private op-
orators or communities.
I'VE consider that the administra-
0~ontinued an Pace 2 Column 81