Show direct operation of government ships of the shipping board V VESSELS fleet will be offered for sale by groups cud and if purchasers cannot be found at satisfactory terms the government will adopt a 0 new plan of direct operation with a view to the maintenance of an adequate Amerl american ban merchant darlne i before offering the ships for sale there will bo be a 0 consolidation of foreign trade lines now in operation into not more than four systems all services from north atlantic ports to europe for example will be merged under a single organization and all the ships operating in these lines offered for sale as a group direct operation by the government wit will mean the abolition of the present managing agents contract by which the actual operation of the ships Is in charge of private shipping companies which receive a percentage of the gross revenues without any participation other otherwise in profits or losses the government would proceed to build up its own operating organization president hording harding it Is shown its Is opposed to government ownership and operation of the merchant fleet fleck as a permanent policy the plan outlined Is considered by the adminis tra tion as a last resort if it proves impossible to sell the ships the official of ficia I 1 white house statement was as follows with the failure of the subsidy act the shipping board la Is confronted with its vast possession of ships and the heavy losses under the existing plan of allocated operations under managing agents in compliance with the shipping act the board will proceed at once anc e to the consolidation of foreign trade lines and then offer the sale of these lines and ships under the authorization of the law conditioned on suitable guaranty of maintained service if such sales cannot bo be made without with unjustifiable sacrifice of the ships then the government will proceed to direct government emment gov operation aggressively gig gres pursued 11 |