Evening star., 1941-04-30
100000 Tons
Monthly Asked
For Transfer
Admiral Lond Says
Lake and Coastal
Croft May Go

The Maritime Commission has
been asked to prepare plans to ,
furnish the British government
with 100000 tons Of shipping a
month to replace losses which
the British now are suffering at
the rate of 100000 tons a year,
Chairman Emory S. Land of the
commission said in an address ,
here this afternoon.
Earlier Admiral Land had talked
"ships, ships and more ships with
President Roosevelt and Harry L.
Hopkins and reported that Mr..
Roosevelt wanted everything ex-
pedited like hell
Admiral Land listed seven differ
ent categories from which the COM
mission expects to draw ships for
Britain. He made his address at a
conference meeting on transporta-
ton and defense of the Chamber of
Commerce of the United States at ,
the Washington Hotel.
a month may not be turned over to ,
Britain at once. but that is the fig
ure OF the basis of which the Mari
time Commission is asked to prepare :
the plans. He said that the bottle
necks in ship building at present
were turbines, machine tools, gear
turning tools, steel and labor.
Lists Sources of Ships.
The seven different sources which
the speaker saw Tor potential tom
mage foI Britain we're:
l. Domestic, including the Great
Lake;
?. IIter-coastaI.
3. Army and Navy transports, to
the number of about so.
4. Foreign flag ships in United
States ports.
5. A few ships from the over
age fleet.
s. Possible curtailing of foreign
services importing to the United
States
Small crafts of 1900 tons and
up in the Caribbean and serving
Alaska until more new construction .
is available
Concerning the inter-coastal ship
ping. Admiral Land indicated a.
transition of transportation could be
planned whereby cargoes now NOV
ing by inter-coastal ships could be-
transferred to railroads. buses,
trucks and even pipe lines. This. he
predicted might result in higher :
costs and result in higher prices.
The United States merchant fleet
he estimated at about 100000 tons, I
including 100000 in ocean serv-
ices of ships of 1000 tons or up, and
100000 tons in the Great Lakes.
Will Use Idle Foreign Ships.
Admiral Land said at the White
House that he had informed the
President on the status of legisla-
ton to authorize the United States
to take over foreign flag ships now
| idle in American ports and said
those ships would go into a pool :
/ and be used las they are best
suited for the defense Of the United
| States"
All available shipping is going into
| the pool, he said. including vessels ,
of the laidup reserve feet which
are being put back into service.
From the pool. he said, ships are
drawn as needed, and some could
be transferred to Great Britain if
that step were held necessary.
we can do anything We want
to with them" Admiral Land said.
1--WE don't want any string on
them"
Before he saw Admiral Land
President Roosevelt conferred with
the four cabinet officers who have
been functioning as a special ad-
wiser group on foreign policy and
the defense program.
Called to the meeting we're Secre-
! tary of State Hull. Secretary of
Treasury Morgenthau, Secretary of
War Stimson and Secretary of Navy
Knox. This group, usually joined
by Mr.. Hopkins. has met about once,
weekly for complete check on the
defense and aid programs.