Evening star., 1935-01-30
|B|DD|NGCOLLUS|ON
REVEALED BY GIRL
ShipbuiIders Also Give Del
tails of Conference in
Hotel Here.
Continued From First Page.)


| the committee records Of what sh8
claimed took place at a meeting in a
/ Washington hotel on August 8, 1888,
where the services of the "flxer" al
legedly were proffered to Wilder to
get him some naval building.
Wilder told the committee he had
been disappointed at the days bid
ding for naval ships, saying he was
low bidder on three deStroyers, but
failed to get them because of a previ-
GUS agreement among the big three"
by which the 27-ship program was
shared, each taking third.
Stories Nearly Same.
Miss Kitchen related substantially
the same story Of "the fixer," given
yesterday by William Calvin, secre-
tary-treaSurer Of the Metal Trades
Department of the American Fedora
ton of Labor.
She related that Alex B. Craven, a
Washington attorney, had offered t0
get Wilder S10.0O0.OOO to $4,000. 900
| in naval building for a consideration
described earlier by Calvin as $250,000
She quoted Craven as describing
the 'fixer" as "frantly a chiseler," but
| asserted the man had power to have
the naval program extended" for the
benefit Of Wilder and Gulf industries
Without assistance of "the fixer."
she quoted Craven as saying, no
business could be secured.
She quoted Craven as saying "the
fixer" had close friendship with the
(, President and high naval officials,
| through whom he operated in bring
| ing about his deals.
Taking the stand after his secre-
| tary, Wilder signed a waiver Of his
constitutional rights so that any
"self-incriminating" testimony he
| gave is made available for any later
criminal proceedings. Thereupon he
said he had long been excluded from
any share in the alleged coiluSion
councils where. he told the commit
| tee, the naval building was appor-
| toned.
Break in 1925-192S.
His break with shipbuilding COM
panies came while he was president
from 1925 to 1928, of the New York
Shipbuilding Co.
He said the names Of the low bid
ders on all the categorieS of ships in
the 1888 program were general
knowledge" in the industry. How
ever he added. the low bidders did
not always get the contracts from
the Navy, citing his own experience
as proof.
He declared the "big three" had
sought through manipulation Of the
shipbuilding code being set up in the
Summer of 1888 to keep out all
competition"
Thanks to organized labor" said
the fast-speaking Wilder, "they
couldn't do it."
Are you cognizant of the facts of
collision among these big builders?"
Senator Vandenberg. Republican of
Michigan. a committee member asked.
1T looked that way" he said, "hut
I want to emphasize that was MT
in on it."
Tempers Earlier Assertions.
This tempered his previous posi-
assertions that the big three had al
ranged in advance to share the bids
WAS collusion in bidding custo-
mary?" asked Senator Clark, Demo
| crat Of Missouri.
Not as much before as In 1889,
Wilder replied.
He declared an organization know
as the National Council of Amer1cs7 :
Shipbuilders acted as place for "the
meeting of minds" among the major
builders in apportioning business.
b IN "a nl-e- AL
ing" commented Vandenberg.
Nicely put" agreed Wilder, laugh
ing.
The committee introduced letter in
which he had asked the Secretary OF
the Navy to reopen the 1888 bids.
/ In 1t he declared saving Of several
millions" could be brought about.
: Three Divided Business.
He declared the bulk Of 1888 bust
ness was divided proportionatel''
! among the three major builders but
only after fight"
Bethlehem had protested, he de-
! clared, having to accept cruiser job
obtained in 1882 as part Of its quota.
but finally did so.
He then began tracing a rise in
cruiser prices that swept swiftly from
about $500, 900 bid by the Bethlehem
Co. to get a cruiser job in 1882 TO
high of SIS 500 900 asked in 1884.
bethlehem got that 1882 cruiser on
a fighting bid he told the committee.
He went on to explain that "hghtin''
bid" was offered by the company Il
/ freeze out" menacing new compet.-
tor, the United Dry Dock Co.
They bid very low on that Job
he said, "and that is why they pro-
tested at having it included in their
| 1888 share"
No Loss on 1882 Bid.
To a committee comment that the
company asked a larger share OF 1883
| business to offset a loss" taken on
the 1882 bid, he gave assent but
added
II might add there was no loss on
! that bid"
He estimated "s1O,oOO,OOO was
far price" for a cruiser.
He told the committee his break
with the other shipbuilders came In
1926, when as president of the New
1 York Shipbuilding Co.. he took over
| from the Navy the job of completing
| the Saratoga laid down in navy
| yard in war time. The contract was
on terms disapproved by the other
| companies, he said.
For a while after that" he added,
Il couldn't go to my luncheon CLUB
| in New York"
r. nnFnN AnF On Fnr