Evening star., 1935-01-31
Wilder Tells Probers "Pres-
sure" After Conference
Caused Higher Costs.
SAYS "BIG THREE" GOT
AWARDS AT OWN TERMS
Craven Denies He offered Serv-
ices of "Fixer" to Florida
Shipbuilder.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
The opinion that political pres
sure" applied on the Navy after a
conference at Hyde Park had brought
naval Shipbuilding contract awards in
1888 at greatly increased prices was
given the Senate Munitions Commit
tee today by Laurence r. Wilder, a
shipbuilder.
The awards were made exactly as
bid" Wilder testified, referring TO
previous assertions that the big
three" companies had asked about
$4,000 900 each for building cruisers,
although one of the companies pre-
viously mad undertaken construction of
one of the craft at S8,3O0,00O.
Navy Protest Charged.
Wilder, stalwart 6-foot chairman
of the Board of Gulf Industries OF
Pensacola, declared he had heard the
Navy protested the award.
A conference was held July 29, he
said he was informed, at which rep
resentativeS of the big three" and
the Secretary of the Navy discussed
the bids on a 27-ship program.
Subsequently, he said, two admirals,
S. M Robinson and Emory S. Land,
went to Hyde Park.
On August 3, 1888, after the visit
to Hyde Park, Wilder continued, the
awards were made.
THE awards were made exactly as
bid, no reduction" Wilder declared.
rising to his feet to emphasize his
statement.
Before Wilder left the stand he tes-
titled he had made an offer to the
Navy Department to build two or
three of the cruisers at Sl0,0O0,OOO,
or about $2OO0,000 below the level at
which the awards were made.
81 think the Navy was coerced,
forced by political pressure to make
these awards" he testified.
He said tremendous political pres
sure" had been applied on the Navy
Department on naval construction,
beginning in the post-Spanish War
period"
In the period between the Spanish
and World Wars, he said, the Navy
Department was forced to put all
the armor plate possible on ships,
whether it wanted it or not"
Says Navy Is in Wise.
"I feel the Navy is in wise con-
troled by these three yards" Wilder
declared. listing the New York Ship
building Co.. the Bethlehem Ship
building Co. and the Newport News
Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.
How do they apply this force?"
| Senator Bone, Democrat. of Washing
! ton asked.
Wilder then said an official Of the
Electric Boat Co. had threatened to
have a commander Welsh removed
from his post at the company's yards
if he refused to approve certain boats
sought by the Navy.
Flat denial that he had offered the
services of a "fixer to get naval build
ing jobs for shipyards" Tor con-
sideration was made by Axel B.
Craven before the committee.
Craven Shows Emotion.
Craven, slender. pale faced and
wearing spats, testified in voice
emphatic and filled with emotion.
L did not" he said, in reply to a
committee question whether he had
offered the services of ''f1xer" to
! Wilder to get him naval shipbuild-
ing contracts for his Gulf Industries,
which the company had failed to get
! by regular bidding.
Wilder testified yesterday such a
proposition had been made him by
Craven on behalf of the "flxer."
Craven said he had offered Wilder
the aid of Arthur p Homer in prepar-
ing designs and possibly to get f1nan-
cial aid in setting Gulf Industries
IN order for bidding on naval jobs.
Asked whether he had cited figure
of $3.50, 900 for services of Homer as
a "fixer" in having the shipbuilding
program extended in 1888 so Wilder
would get business, Craven bounded
to his feet shouting:
Ridiculous and prepoSterouS."
Craven later said Homer was
naval architect with a distinguished