Show SHIP 8 BOARD ARO EXPOSURE u E EI STARTLING I Vice Tice Chairman Stevens Tells Senate Committee That Associates Planned to Sell Liners Under Tinder T Value alue B Br Ry al erke WASHINGTON Feb 18 Start Startling Start Start- T V ling exposure of or the United States shipping boards board's plan to dispose dispose dispose dis dis- dis- dis pose of its fleet of thirty former Ger- Ger Geri i shir hinc nt at third one-third I r 1 L. L of their real value was made before tho the Senate commerce committee today by Raymond B. B Stevens vice chairman chairman chairman chair chair- man of the board Mr Ir Stevens told the committee committe that the ships are aro worth ills Elis associates on oi the board over his protest proposed to sell them for Mr Stevens disclosed by his testimony testimony testimony mony that he is in thorough disagreement disagreement disagree disagree- ment meat with Chairman Payne Pano and Commissioners Com Corn missioners loners Scott and Donald aa as to the policy polley to be followed with respect to the ships now v owned b by the govern govern- ment S ro To Reject All jUl nit BIds nida Chairman man n Payne preceding Mr Stevens Stev- Stev ens cn ore ole the tho committee announced that that- it had been en deel decided ed to reject all the bids bills received receded last Monday fonda and nd yesterday yesterday yesterday yes yes- and arid to continue continuo the negotiations for the 5 sale 10 at better prices than those offered Mr Stevens presented to the committee committee com corn a resolution offered b by him at atthe atthe atthe the boards board's meeting tho the bids but providing providing- that no further steps lad had been taken to effect their sale Eale This resolution was wag defeated and aud an another another nn- nn other was adopted b by a vote yoto of or three to one Ilan llon J In WrongS Wrong lie Hc Sa Says Suy Mr tr Stevens told tho the committee that tho the plan adopted b by tho the majority of tho the board was fundamentally wrong He le declared that not on only was the price at which they were sought to be besold besold besold sold ridiculously low Jow but that the tho estimates of ot the cos cost of or reconditionIng recondition recondition- In Ing ng tho the ships which the majority has accepted are absurdly high h. Chairman Payne Parne reiterated his de demand demand demand de- de mand for the tho sale of or all tho the ships owned by the government go so that the they may bo be operated by private owners Mr Ir Stevens wants the ships ships' retained b by the tho government With additional legislation by Congress s to guarantee that hit they shall forever be operated un under under un- un der ller tho the American fla flag Ire ent Insufficient Chairman Payne admitted that tho the I existing listing guarantees ire arc not sufficient to o prevent transfer o of th the tho ships to British or other foreign Ownership and registry x Tho The committee listened In astonishment astonishment astonish astonish- ment as Mr lr Stevens Ste presented the tho facts and figures ure lg-ure to show tho the great loss to Continued on page So C. C S. S I I EXPOSURE r OF SHIP I SELLING STARTLES I Continued Continue from Page Pago o 1 I Ithe that would woul ha have been the government g I imposed b by the tho plan of ot sale fostered ost re by Chairman Payne and his associates I IThe The Tho climax of ot Mr fro Stevens Stevens' testimony was reached wh when n he ho replied to a a. flog Nelson that the b by Senator Senator- most economical thing for Cor tho the government government govern overn ment to do was to tc sell the ships hips now not rather ther than tako take a chance of or lo losing 11 have to bo be sold Bold mone money on them If they after millions have havo been spent in fn reconditioning recon recon- them for tor service Confidence I IN I Worthy on Leaning directly across the tho table to toward toward toward to- to ward Senator N Nelson lson Mr Ir St Stevens re replied replied replied re- re v plied That may be so but there Is something something some some- some some-I thing moro more Important to the government government govern govern- ment of or tho the United States Stales than the tho money question It Jt Is the confidence I of tho the American public If It you sell these ships at this thin time limo in the tho manner proposed by bJ tho rho majority of ot the tho shipping ship ship- shipping ping pin board bo rd you will m lose the tb confidence confidence conCi dence ence of or the public and that Is really realty important Mr Mfr Stevens also al o ridiculed the steps tak taken n by b- Chairman Payne Payne- and his as associates associates associates as- as on tho the board for tor the tho retention of or the thc American flag on the tho ships after they thoy pass to private ownership He ITa said It II would not Work His testimony on this m matter Ur was ns as follows More I Needed I If U 11 you want to make sure that the ships will be kept under the Am American flag flab additional legislation will bo ho essary The law low provides that in time of or emergency OT or upon a a. proclamation by the President ships may not nol bo be b transferred without tho the permission of 01 the tha shipping board Bat But if it hero thero Is no I emergency It will not be necessary to obtain the tho permission of oe the board boar to I transfer them from tho the American flag nag Somo Some additional legislation there there- therefore fore forc is Is' Is needed unless 5 you rou are aro there there-I going to keep tho the treaty forever for wo have a 3 President In office who will hold there thero is aJ always rays an nn emer I erner-I gency geney To make mak it if clear that no transfer from the American flag may be bt made It is my opinion that thit there should be specific Wc legislation on that point Expect President To Deny Ship Deal Dear DealEy nr Ey S Service Washington Feb Tob 18 President Wilson Wilson Wil Wil- son will reply tomorrow to the Bran Bran- resolution passed by the Senate which requests CJ him to supply information tion as to whether or not an agreement agree agree- agreement ment exists exist with Groat Britain per per- to tho disposal of or tho the former German ships it was said at the tho White WhiteHouse WhiteHouse WhiteHouse House toda today Xo No official at the tho White House would disclose the nature of his communication tion but it is expected to be bo nn an emphatic emphatic emphatic em em- denial of or the charge This already al alread already al- al read ready has hns been indicated by attaches of the White hUc House and md officials official of ot the tho shipping board |