Show Shipping Board Lacks Power to Sell Hun Ships I Senator Ashurst Declares the I IFor For Former German Vessels r Cannot Be Sold I By J. J Bart Campbell Intern International tion l News S Service Staff I Correspondent W WASHINGTON A HINGTON Feb Peb 14 Th The shippIng ship ship- pIng board is without authority or power td d s sell the German ex-German ships I Jt ir lh I jo Joint t T resolution i Uon of congress of May 12 1911 1917 Senator Ashurst I Democrat of Arizona declared today In attempting to sell the vessels Joni John ton Payne and nl associates les leson on on th the shipping board were Exceeding th p powers vested in th them m by congress I the senator emphasized WITHOUT OT POWER He said be would call the attention I I I of t the e senate today to the fact th that t inder the the joint nt resolution of May 12 1017 1917 the board had no legal or other 12 I tight fight to 10 sell the German ex-German ships Had congress intended that th the shipping board should have the power I to sell th the German ex-German ships congress would have used s d the the word sell 5 ell in the joint r resolution Senator Senat i Ashurst S said The resolution is silent on an the question ques ques- I I tto tion of qt selling the G ex-G German ex-German ships i and Jn in such sucha a case as lawyer r I lU knows ws silence is negation A A lawyer himself Senator Ashurst I as a member of the senate judiciary I c assisted s d in framing the he j joint I. I reso resolution 1 ut I on t PURPOSE NAMED AM ED S Senator Ashurst said t too much emI emphasis em em- could not be placed on on the fact I thit the joint r solution resolution gae ra e the sh ip phi board no no power to dispose of ships s that it merely empowered the thebo I bo bo rd to operate lease charter and equip Senator Smoot Rep of Utah said Jf If It were Vere true British interests were I I seeing see to acquire the ships he hI could I I not nolo understand wh British mon money y I WAS b being lpg offered red for th them m w when en th the I British an an inability to evenI even en I pa pay the interest due on the American j ey mor l them DELAY ACTON ji the Condition that bids would be received and considered on n Monday but that none would b be e a ac I nor any sale completed the j t senate agreed t to defer action pending th the ot of Payne before the senate commerce committee on Tu Tues Tuesday sd s- s d day y wh when n an n investigation of of th the shipping board oardA attempt to sell seII the ships ships' 1 is to be started I |