Evening star., 1935-02-07
BUYING SHIP FIRM
LINKED TO ?. WA.
Vandenberg Hints in Senate
Probe Group Received
Assurances Here.
By the Associated Press.

Corp. soon after President Roosevelt
was inauguTated, because they were
informed from Washington contacts"
that public works money was to be
made available for a naval buildiSg
program.
The two Wall Street operators,
named as Ben Smith and Tom Bragg,
were disclosed as having SO per cent
interest in the New York company and
represented on the board of directors
by Gene Tunney. former world heavy
weight boxing champion.
Ministers Got Checks.
Earlier the committee received teSti-
mony that two New Jersey ministers
who participated in the settlement of
the shipyardS strike last Spring, had
received checks from the New York
Shipbuilding Corp. as appreciation"
for their aid.
1T seems to me-" Senator Vanden-
berg. Republican of Michigan, said
that Bragg and Smith must have
given you some assurance they would
get some Public Works money"
He was addressing L. B. Manning,
chairman of the board of Cord Corp.
and of the Shipbuilding Corp, a wit
ness
I'VE had no such assurance" Man
ming replied. Anybody could have
known it, the newspapers were full
of it."
Rise Held Unusual.
wasn't it very unusual that the
stock of the ship company could rise
from 314 in March of 1888 to % in
August" Senator Clark, Democrat of
Missouri, asked.
Very unusual" Manning replied.
Did you buy into New York Ship"
Vandenberg asked. because you hoped
Ben Smith and Tom Bragg could re-
move part of the speculation out of
the investment because of their WASH
ington contacts?"
Before replying, Manning paused
moment, then added:
Its still quite a speculation"
A moment later, he added:
I'VE tried to take the company out
OF politics when we came in"
Questioned About Flynn.
els that why you hired the Demo-
as soon as you took over?" Vanden-
berg asked.
That had nothing to do with it,"
Manning responded.
Vandenberg identified the New
York secretary to whom he referred
as Edward j. Flynn.
Manning testified that Tunney
represented Bragg and Smith on the
board of directors and all the others,
including himself, held only nominal
amounts in their own name and the
balance in the Cord Corps interest.
The committee recessed until Mon
day.
The evidence about the ministers
was introduced by the committee
while questioning Philip Chappell,
commissioner of conciliation in the
Department of Labor, major medl-
ator in the strike.
Chappell attributed the strike to
bitterness on the part of men,
skilled mechanics, who were receiv-
ing IS and rs cents an hour, while
men on other projects financed by
public works funds were receiving 81
to $1.25 an hour"
Ships Financed by P. W. A.
He recalled that the ships in the
company's yards were financed by P.
W. A. funds.
Chappell testified the strike was
settled by an agreement for an in
crease of IA per cent in wages.
The ministers were named as Rev.
Harold P. Sloan of Woodbury. ana
Rev. John Pemberton, jr., OF the Cen
tenary Tabernacle Methodist Episco-
pal Church in Camden.
The checks, written on the COM
pany were sent by Clinton L. Bardo,
then president. who described them as
for 1.-The very helpful and constructive
aid which you rendered in the final
settlement of our labor situation
"As more substantial token OF our
appreciation, said a paragraph in the
letter to each, 'I beg to inclose here
with check for $3.50 which I hope you
will accept in the spirit in which it
is sent. This is intended for your per-
sonal use"
Minister Replies to Bardo.
The letters were dated May 16, 1884.
TO Bardo saying:
II was as surprised to receive it as
Moses must have been to receive the
mama when he was leading the chill
dren of Israel out of the wilderness.
II interested myself in the New
York shipbuilding strike solely be-
cause of my concern for the welfare
of my following and the community.
1t never occurred to me that either
side would express such genuine ap-
probation as you have shown.
"At any time in the future that
can be of assistance to you or the
men, shall be pleased to be called
upon"
He added a postscript saying:
IT am still looking forward to an
other bowl of bananas and cream
with you"
Capt. Williams Criticized.
Chappell did not go into detail as to
the part played by the New Jersey
ministers IN the strike settlement, say
ing merely they had injected" them
selves into the negotiations.
He criticized strike settlement efforts
OF Capt. Henry Williams of the NAVY.
Capt. Williams intimated,'' he said,
that unless the men went back to
work the Navy would take the fusca-
loosa IA cruiser) out of the yards and
finish 1t in the Navy yards"
He said Williams had ''intimated"
he had received instructions for his
action in Washington.
II felt it was not right for a govern
ment to come in and threaten the men
in this manner" Chappell said.