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Show SHIP 01111; IPI1 TO HUES Former Chairman Hurley of Board Gives Facts to Committee WASHINGTON', Feb. IS. Both the allies and the Germana were astounded as-tounded at the rapidity with which the shipping board constructed ships after the United States entered the war. a house Investigating committee commit-tee was Informed today by H'N. Hur- ley of fhieago, chairman of tha board from July, 1917, to the summer of 1919. High government officials In England. En-gland. France and Italy, told him after af-ter the armistice, he said, that they were highly pleased at the achievements achieve-ments of the board. He learned also, he said, that the Germans, too, had been amaxed at the board's program, MISTAKES INEVITABLE. He discussed the favorable com-ment com-ment he had heard abcoad after touching on criticisms in this country. coun-try. Admitting mistakes had been matfe;"" he said, that wail " Inevitable' since It was necessary to create a mammoth organization quickly to turn out ships. "We delivered the ships." he declared. de-clared. 'That's what we were supposed sup-posed to do. Shipping board officers profited by their mistakes and took pains not to repeat them, the witness said, adding that the country could view with pride, the board's accomplishment. The ships it put Into use. he declared, de-clared, helped turn the tide of the war. PRAISES ASSOCIATES. Mr. Hurley paid tribute to the men associated with him, especially Charles M. Schwab, who, he said, 'had been drafted to take charge of construction con-struction when satisfactory progress wss not being made. At the peace conference. Mr. Hurley continued, t'lemenceau told him that this appointment ap-pointment had frightened the Germans, Ger-mans, heartened the Krench and enthused en-thused the British. "1 know that his appointment," he added, "inspired the American peo- pie, to get behind the ship building program." He expressed optimism over the future of the American merchant marine, ma-rine, but paid too many ships might prove a liability in case of Insufficient Insuffi-cient cargoes. Junking of the government's wooden ships was favored by Mr. Hurley, who said the vessels were no longer of any use or practical value. WAS RU8H JOB. OuUlning the rush job which the board faced, Mr. Hurley said: "In the circumstances which then existed Is there any. man of affairs who would contend that the job could be done with that high degree of efficiency ef-ficiency that would commend Itself to competent business men In times Xef peace, or that there could be exercised ex-ercised that rigid economy which might have been possible had the ships had been constructed when peace prevailed?" When the United States entered the war, he said, there were thirty-seven steel and twenty-four wooden shipyards, ship-yards, employing 44.000 men. At the peak of activities this force wss increased in-creased to 381,000 with 200.000 others In industries providing ship materials. - The witness defended the account ing system of the Emergency Fleet corporation. A modern business method was adopted, he said, but its operation was Interfered with by the loss of skilled accountants, who were lured away to better Jobs. |