s - - . t , .
' " ' i r - I , -
THE SUN, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1918.
3
'SUN' FINDS HOG
ISLAND'S MEN
PROUD OF TASK
Resentful of the Charges
Against "World's Largest
Shipyard-to-Bc.
BOWLES IS OPTIMISTIC
Says He Believes Vessels Will
Do Rushcd.Tlirough ns
Originally Planned.
iliieial Dttpatch to tat Scs
pillWDELriitA Feb. 22. Hog Island
In snowstorm was bnrcd to public view
to-day- Sand lots and swamp full of
cattails less than five months ago, It now
!, the world's biggest shipyard.
M.ide famous virtually overnight by
l-s selection as tho cradle of 120 steel
(s;fb that are to cross the Atlantic
tome time, It has Jumped from fame to
notoriety because of Senate charges of
IM wastefulness of Uncle Sam's money,
No layman could dream of saying who
rlsht or who Is wrong In the contro'
uri' or of striking a balance between
the accusers and tho accused. It Is even
doubtful It tho learned gentlemen of the
Swate Commcrcu . Committee, who are
to Inspect the yard on Monday, will be
MtKh wiser after their visit.
Tlie truth from a non-technical view
joint lies as deep as the mud under the
Ufl of the first ship, and that mud Just
i.ow frozen so tight that holes for the
I lira had to be blown with dynamite.
mil InvestUrattoa Coarte.
Bat the fact stands that the uniformed
S'wds with rifles who swarm In the
ird and cover its. approaches for miles,
stood back to-day and reporters for New
York and Philadelphia newspapers were
ihown all around. They were guided
wherever they wanted to go, and then
utrr free to roam where they pleased,
.ce what they could see and hear what
they might hear. No restrictions as to
utiat they should write were hinted at.
Officers of the American International
Shipbuilding Corporation naturally said
nafcy things and gave out a prepared
tatement, all sctUng the mammoth un
iltrtaklns In the best possible light. For
the rtJt there wavlsual evidence of
lie things:
The keel of the first ship Is down. It
tn laid on February 12. which the
i-ltnr were told was six days ahead of
fh'dulc as plotte1 when tho contracts
ere signed October 13.
Further construction of that ship has
it been started. This, it was ex
plained, is due to the non-arrival of
tee!, twenty-eight cars of which were
si 1 to be on the way.
Work on the fifty shlpways i pro
Si rfeing. Twelve, including the one on
tfcloh the first keel rests, were said to
bo completed, but this seemed to be
'1'iojiv true of not more than half a
dozen.
1'lsuratlvely, the ways are the first
' tif trenches in a shipyard. Many steel
ifirkTS who otherwise would be in
fnslvely busy In them are either doing
nvthlng else or waiting for the rall
oads to deliver the stceL
'econilarjr Work Well tinder Way.
The trenches back of the first line
the barracks, mess halls, piers, water
isteni, eewer system and a thousand
"id one other essentials of the plan
v been constructed faster than a
iir of criticism heatd in Wnshlne
m might suppose. Many things are
' I'omplete, but are workable. The
mlpht be compared to a factory
'jn ng out its product simultaneously
the erection of its walls.
Uos Island, the whole SI6 acres of It,
. .it o with workers.. One wns told that
t-fif'O were busy on Wednesday, 16,300
enerday and between H.000 and 15,000
o.inv Next summer the number will
! -'f..'iOij. of whom 19,000 will bo bulld
'u linn and 111,000 occupied In the
ep and yards.
"Hit- number fluctuate' from day to
'"e employment manager said, be-
. .e m these times there Is no way of
;.nir a man from taking a day or
vc.il days off when lie lias money
i'JSii in his pocket to accommodate his
'."un IJaelj worker Is docked for alt
tune.
Hi cry bod y Seems Bust.
TV number at the yard to-day was at
minimum, the same authority said,
'cause although this was not a holiday
places where America's win the war
'u.r are being built many men will not
ork nn such days as the birthday vof
KVhinston,
It has been charged that a great many
of 'hof on the payroll are Idle. All that
slble to-day seemed to be doing
'"netlitng. How fruitful their labor was
'isual olistrver could tell.
TIih occasion for the llrst public In-
ution of the wilderness of derricks,
tldniga, timbers, railroad track", piers,
nps moving and stationary engines,
n'or 'tucks and mule power wagons,
t.api nf lumber, cranes, driven piles
ill p ! drivers, steam Jets, pumps and
'"'line htimanM which Is tho Hog Isl
' .'1 of to-day was tho raising of an
i"r an tl.ig on a high staff in front of
" Administration Uulldlng.
Eiery ian In the yards not engaged
p- retniitory work was privileged to
'and out in the snow nnd sen the na
""' Miow About 2,000 were there.
"anptnij their feet on the hard but
" ihy ground and baring their heads
wn m nag was broken out and a band
' i Philadelphia played "The Star
Tar.slf.l n.inner."
t"e Si s- reporter talked with many of
men mm wim otners about the
I Considering the fact that thev
" from every nation under the sun
' 'at a great number are amthtne
"iiiu niecnanics or educated men,
.'" rather surprising to find that most
e: Knew that Hog Island was under
' rt,lfi that the Senate committee was
mine
Men Proud of Their Work.
Fi'iJlltMul OhaseS Of 111 firnilfittna
e tn,j ueep for the majority, but they
ii'i etl w,th A warmth agreeable on so
- .. ..oj wi.ii, invy wrro in a re
'ui mood. They professed to know
'f e important their work is In
' " " and said they were sura that
'; an niie the transformation of Hog
ii iriin, us ancient marshy estate
" ein u-cn seen anywhere before.
. 'c were proud of their share In
"hat
to them a miracle, and they
Mntei tlw. t.iiKTI , l.nn.. v.n. ir
Jtl . ,'M..V. tw .nun ui.i Hug
i.rid ha, bten mBgned. This sum-
of their remarks Is passed along
.' what It Is worth. A few hours on
Wand alTords no excuse for conclu-
r a little over a month Hear Ad
rranels T. Bowles, managing
rector of the Kmergeney Fleet
i.,7i"ra!10"' ,,!tH been n the ''" In
e ll ,,a""8 "Irregularities." by
Ll;,"011 ot Chairman Hurley of the
iihf.i" Coird' anl "tudylng the whole
'"utlon with a view to speeding the
:J"PS. He was uL-l .hi. .ft.mAAr, te
i. v.. j - . - -. ..
ik." reached any conclusions as to
soundness of criticism that has been
1 hv
ome Ideas," he said, "but in
view of the fact that the President and
congress have ordered an Investigation
I am not In a position to 'express them,"
After the Admiral pulled the halliard
that released the flag whose first 'ap
pearance fas celebrated at 1 o'clock this
nfternoon ho made a llttlo speech that
was full of optimism.
"I believe that the programme will
be carried through exactly as It has been
planned," he said, which mado the work
men cheer. Admiral Bowles added that
remark to his prepared speech. In which
ho Implored the Hog Islanders, I'en
gaged In the greatest shipbuilding enter
prise the world has ever known," to draw
Inspiration from the most dominant fea
ture of Washington's character "stead
fastness of purpose, unvarying devotion
to the welfaro of his countrymen."
"Washington," he added, "said that
to make a soldier and to bring him to a
state of discipline required time and
was a work of difficulty as well. That
work is being undtrtaken In a system
atic, orderly way and will carry on,
but the first great offensive of the Amer.
lean people is the bulBIng of a merchant
marine to make, that army effective In
this war.
"You are now In the first line of
attack. Let us go on with steadfast
purpose, take every shovelful, drive
every nail home, make every rivet sound.
Iet us each In our own way be con
scious of our duty and encouraging to
our mates."
II r. Katon Eves More Hopefnl.
Dr. Charles A. Katon, the Madison
Avenue pastor who has dropped his
church work to pound home to tho ship
builders the need of speed and stick
toltlveness. was even more hopeful about
Hog Island than Admiral Dowles. He
said the public had no Idea of the gi
gantic difficulties encountered In raising
such a yard as this.
"Normally," he said, "It would repre
sent 100 years development In ship
building. Doubtless thero have been
mistake due to haete and condition
under which tho work has to be done.
Hut back of this lie tho main fact that
enormous progress has been made, the
enterprise Is headed for a great success
and the ships will be delivered according
to contract. The time has come when
we ought to encourage every shlpbuirderr
manager and man, just as we are en
couraging our soldiers and sailors."
Well, whoevcr's at fault. If anybody
Is, It did one's ears good (If the drums
were not too thin) to hear tho whistles
screaming when "The Star Spangled
Banner" sprawled Itself Into vision over
America's greatest tha world's greatest
shipyard.
Whistle experts said they could distin
guish in the glorious babel the voice of
steam shovels, donkey engines,' tugboats,
river boats, locomotives motionless for
tho moment on the fifty miles or so of
track that vein the Island's surface, of
power stations, of alt manner of riveting
and pounding machinery, of automobiles
and fire headquarters, and as if the toot
ing and honking wasn't enough the tiny
thrill of men whistling on their fingers.
Jnat South of Navy Ynrd.
It was the voice of tho yard nt that
moment saluting the Stars and Strlnes.
and It certainly sounded goad, with the
band and Its national anUiem all mixed
up with the 'harsher hdllabaloo.
Itoughly the island Is two miles long
nnl half a mllo wide. It is Just Bouth of
League Island, where the navy yard Is.
How it got its name not a person tested
to-day knew.
"Imnno If hogs ran here once, but they
say wild horses did," was the nearest
approach to the desired Information.
Hear Admiral Bowles motored from
Philadelphia down to the yard with Dr.
Katon, Walter !oodenough, the general
manager of the plant, and others of the
American international Corporation and
Its subsidiary, the American Interna
tional Shipbuilding Corporation, which
has the contracts for the ships followed.
A string of automobiles with the visitors
trailed them. The cars approached care
fully over plank roads. All the roads In
and around the yard are of plank. Ex
travagance In using plank Instead of ma
cadam la one of the accusations against
the management. It replies that tho
ground proved to bfc so swampy that
stone wouldn't May on the surface and
that boards had to he ued.
,ny way, plank roads they are. They
lead to fo many frame buildings that
each one Is numbered. ICach one Is also
labelled "Don't remove" A few are
painted, ninut aro not. To-day's tourists
were taken first to a imm hall, through
spotless kitchens to a huge dining room.
It Is run cafeteria stylf. Kach workman
gets his meal, from soup to pudding, all
at once on a tray.
Hear Admiral Howies and everybods:
with him sat down at a workman's table
with his tray futl of food The food wan
eaten. It was good, und oni- w,i told
It was a fal' .ample of the midday meal
ll costs the woikin.m llil cen's. The
manai-'cment uld it vost-i the io-,' ra
tion about 3" tents.
In thlf restaurant and another about
16,000 men are fed every day. The lest
bring their lunches from home. Nor
mally smoking1 is not permitted la the
restaurant. This being a special day
Admiral Bowies lit a cigarette. Tim
other visitors smoked. The workmen
did not.
After the fla raising the party drove
through tho yards, stopping first at Way
No. 1. The fifty ways, or the nartr of
them completed, slope into the Delaware
side by side, with railroad tracks be
tween them so that the stnel can be
hoisted from the oar and deposited
where It belongs.
ei Keel Laying Thursday.
On way Noil Is the keel of the first
ship, laid on Lincoln's Birthday. It w;
tiald that tho second would be laid
next Thursday. Not many men Were
visible on way No. 1, T.u men are
waiting for strel. The steel, it was
.'aid, was held back bv the piiority
rights of food and coal.
Along tho ranks of shlpways pile
drivers were thumping. "Die frozen
mud has to bo thawed with steam Jeta
when dynamite isn't used. That Is one
of tho biggest causes of extra expense
the visitors were Informed.
Standing near tho first keelson one
got a partial view of tho panorama.
much of which was obscured by fnjltng
snow, At first it seemed chaotic, livcn
tually the observer Teallzed that what
ever the delays and their causes have
been tho gigantic shlpyaul Is carefully
and systematically planned. It Is not
as orderly an Camp Upton, for instance,
for Upton has no forest of derricks, re
minding one of an oil field, that towers
over Hog island. Those plank roads
have squashed 4n In some iplaces.
Evidence ot Winning; Plsht.
Everywhere Is the evidence of a hatd
and apparently winning battle against
swamp, mud and a fierce winter. The
hardness of the winter Is stressed In
the yard officials' explanation of mat
ters complained of to the President
and tho Keuate committee. For a month
a n time, they said, tho mercury did
not budge nbove rero, and outdoor work
most of the Hog Island work Is that
kind sagged n great deal.
Fifty miles of railroad track have been
built on the Island. The Hhlpplng Board
decided that was too much and had
twelve miles removed. Since then, yard
officers said, twelve of the miles that
were torn out have had to be rebuilt
and more track Is needed.
They also said that much delay was
caused by changes In the ship pro
gramme made by the Shipping- Board.
Tho original plan was to have 120 7,500
ton vessels mado at Hog Island. Later
It was ordered that seventy of these be
8,000 ton dead weight capacity. In get
ting ready for them the corporation had
to enlarge -the ways, and this was an
other delaying factor. v
Much was said to-day. also as to how
much profit the corporation and the sub
contractors are getting- out of the Hog
Island-undertaking, but as the Senate
commutes and the Attorney-General's
office are going to dig Into all these mat
ters thero Is no us In exploring them
here.
To-day's official statement said' that
from the two miles of shlpways amd
piers on the Island the first completed
vessels will cmorgo on November IS
this year. Unofficial prediction was that
the date will bo earlier than that.
Beginning November 1, according to
the stated programme a ship will be fin
ished every two days for eight and a
half months, so that by July IS, 1919,
there will have been turned over to the
Government 120 ships ot a total of 035,
000 tons. That many ships with a ISO
foot hawser between each pair would
make a Una thirty miles long.
Parts Made In Steel Mills.
The ships are to be "manufactured"
of fabricated steel. That means that the
parts are made In various steel mills
about the country and put together at
Hog Island. One thousand shops, em
ploying about 350,000 persons, aro mak
ing the steel and other materials.
Foundations for tmi ways and build
ings on the Island require 120.000 piles.
which If laid end to epd would stretch
from New York to Chicago. That Is
one of the ways In which the corporation
Is trying to make the publlo realize what
a whale of a work It Is doing.
Carpenters are getting $t.40 a day,
and common laborers, at the 35 cents an
hour and overtime agreement, are mak
tng 3. S.'. It wan admitted to-day that
i great many men needed at tho yard
for the work requiring great skill have
to be taught after they get th"re. The
corporation has a school for that pur
pose. VETERAN SOLDIER
EXTOLS NEW ARMY
Col. John F. C. Tilson Asserts
He Has Fonnd Xo
Slacker.
While 10,000 men, with faces set and
minds solemnly determined upon some
thing that Is to be accomplished 3,000
miles away, with guns on their shoul
ders and heavy equipment on their
backs, marched In the snow down Fifth
avenue yesterday afternoon an old sol
dler talked about tho new fighters. He
stood before an audience at the Wash
Ington Headquarters Association of the
Daughters of the American Revolution
which had met for the annual Washing
ton's Birthday celebration In the Jumel
mansion at 160th street and Edgecombe
avenue.
"We call them our soldier boy," he
said. 'There are no boys among them.
They aro all men. 1 have seen the de
parture of many troopships and I have
noted that there has been no shouting
by these men in khaki. There has been
no yelling, like 'Remember the Slalne' or
the Lueitanla. There have been no col
lege 'rah rahs.' No. There has been on
each and every face a fierce look of de
termination.
Col. John V. C. Tilson. commanding of
ficer of Fort Jay, (lovemors Island, was
the epeakcy. He has seived in the riill
ipplnes and in China, and ho Is now
handling, as he says, "thousands and
thousands of the men of the new army."
o Slacker. lie Says.
"There are no such men as slackers."
he said. "We have no slackers. 1 know,
because the alleged slackers come to me
at Fort Jay, and I have found that not
one of them has been a slacker. Every
one of them has been a real American
and equal to any volunteer we have.
They did not speak English; the draft
had not been explained properly to
them ; they didn't understand.
"During the civil war I saw at the big
concentration depots, wholo companies of
troops on -their way to the trains throw
away their equipment and lice. They
don't do that these days.
"And I don't want to boast, but many
thousands of the' new army have been
so large physically that it was necessary
to change tho standardisation of our
uniforms nnd equipment. Wo have men
In France to-day who are almost super
men. "As a soldier, I bring you no words of
crltlcbim. Our Government lias raised
one million and n half soldiers. And do
you actually know that this great army
was raised according to the plans of
fJeorge Washington'.' lie was the first
President to advocate military prepard
neas. and the present day army was or
ganized according to the plan with which
he continually confronted the Colonial
Congress. He tried, but In vain, to bring
about military preparedness. Washing
I ton was tho first and last President to
advocate military preparedness.
Tribute o Washington.
In a soldier's way of talking Col.
TlUon paid tribute to the memory of
America's first President :
"As an army officer," he said, "I was
sent to the Philippines in the early days
of the American occupancy, and I found
that Aguinaldo and his followers, who
were strUing to make the remote archi
pelago a lepubllc, wero following tho
principles and the plans of W ashington.
Some of the Filipinos know more about
fleorge Washington and his Ideals than
some Amerlciftis do.
"loiter on I wan detailed to China,
and 1 met the !ln-t President of the Chi
nese Republic When he learned that I
was an American army officer hp wanted
to talk about George Washington im
mediately. Thrice arpund the world and
In its most remote places I have heard
the immortal name of Washington in nil
languages.
"Some of us think of Waehington ns a
superman, and like to think of him In his
silk stockings, sliver buttons, white lace
cuffs nnd iwwdered wig, but we officers
of the army love to think of him as a
Virginia farmer nnd backwoodsman,
stalwart, daring, worthy of nny foe. a
ninn to be loved, anil a great soldier."
The Right Rev. Dr. Charles 8. Hurch,
Suffragan Bishop nf New York, another
f-peaker. said that If the spirit of Wash
ington had been In the Russian people
there would be no weakening In that nu
Hon. Washington hnd to deal with slack
ers, ho said, and many a one was struck
by the flat side of that General's sword
SEEKING TO WW A. F. OP L.
American snpport Wanted by Al
lied I.nbor Conferees.
Lonoon, Feb. 22. Kmll Vandervelde,
representing tho Belgian Labor party,
presided at the continuation of the con
ference of the Labor and Socialist
parties of tho Kntentc allied countries
to-day. M. Vandervelde said there were
two great questions beforo the confer
ence, namely, the elaboration of n corn
mon programme and the calling of a
general international conference. On the
first question agreement hnd virtually
been reached, the speaker said. He
added :
"The American Federation of Labor Is
the only party to tho contract that Is
lacking. Its adhesion Is Indispensable,
and measures must be taken to insure
It."
Four Draft Conspirators Convicted.
figATTJ.E, Feb. 22. A verdict of guilty
wus returned by a Jury In the United
States district court hero last night In
the cases of Unlet M, Wells, Joe Pass,
Morris Pass and Sam Sadler, Socialists,
charged with conspiring to block the
operation of tho selective service act by
distributing anti-draft literature.
WARNED HURLEY OF
HOG ISLAND DANGER
Philip Manson Tells Senate
Committee Ho Also Wroto
Constructor Capps.
SUBMITS HIS LETTERS
As Early as Last April He
Urged That Shipping Hoard
Avort Profiteering.
Special Dttpatck to Tns Sew.
Washington, Feb. 22. Evidence that
Chairman Hurley and Rear Admiral
Capps, at that tlmo head of the Emer
gency Fleet Corporation, did not go Into
the Hog Island contracts unwarned of
the doubtful wisdom of tho movo and
tho possibility of profiteering. was pre
sented to-day to tho Senate Commerce
Committee by Philip Manson of New
York, managing director of the Pacific
and Eastern Steamship Company, ono of
the men who drew the law creating the
Shipping Board. He submitted to the
committee copies of correspondence with
Mr. Hurley and Rear Admiral Capps
chief of naval construction, some of the
letters dating back to April. The corrc-
ronilcr.ce continued until November
last.
A letter urging the "better wisdom" of
constructing merchant ships at a num
ber of small Govcrnnicnt yards which
could be quickly put up Instead of
putting up half a hundred building ways
at Hog Island, was submitted to the
committee. In this letter, Mr. Manson
demonstrated, Mr. Hurley and Rear Ad
miral Capps wero warned of the possi
bilities of profiteering In awarding the
8200,000,000 "cost plus" contract to the
American International Corporation.
"Merely a Holding Company.'
Mr. Manson asserted that he had
warnsd Rear Admiral Capps against
contracting to build ships with a con
cern which had no shipbuilding facilities
and suggested that the Government it
self undertake to build the ships, thin
escaping hundreds of millions of dollars
In protit to some private concern.
His letter to Mr. Hurley dated Sep
tember 15 said:
"I consider it unnecessary nnd un
wle for the Government to contract
with the American International Cor
poration, which Is merely a holding com
pany and not a shipbuilding cuncern.
The work should be done by the Gov
ernment Itself for the benefit of the
whole people and free from tho machln.i
tlons ot private interests. So done the
cost should not be more than half of
what you will have to pay under tho
present plan."
This letter, it was testified, was re
ferred by Mr. Hurley to Hear Admiral
Capps, who replied, touching a para
graph In tho letter referring to the plan
for building ships at several smaller
Government yards: "Your outline of a
plan for the construction of merchant
Bteamers li n,"t to be found."
Cited British F.conomr.
To substantiate his assertion thai am
ple warning was given those In charge
of the possibilities of granting enormous
contracts to a concern having no experi
ence in shipbuilding, Mr. Manson cited
this from a letter he wrote Rear Ad
miral Capps early In October: "The
fact Is that you have contracted for
most of your tonnage with concerns that
have little or no existing facilities for
this woik, and In many instances have
never built a ship before, and the Gov
ernment is financing these concerns."
In this letter Mr. Manson made a
forcible cost comparison, f-howlng that
while tho British Government had built
the same sou of esels for only 175 a
deadweight ton, the American Govern
ment had contracted to pay 1143 a ton.
and urged this as a reason for construc
tion of the vessels by the Government.
Only once, the correspondence showed.
did Hear Admiral Capps make any ref
erence to these reported agreements for
Government building of the vessels con
tained In Mr. Manson's letter.!, the lai-
t-r said to-day This lone letter from
year Admiral Capi. under date of No-
i ember 5 last, said that "consideration
was given to th suggestion," but "it
was deemed more advisable and more
expeditious to employ organizations as
agents of the Emergency Fleet Corpora
tion."
Three days later-Mr. Manson said he
replied in part: "I am amazed that
with all the opportunities the Shipping
Board anil the Emergency Fleet Corpor
ation had at their disposal to ascertain
the facts regarding this shipbuilding
work they have consummated contracts
compared with which all other war prof
lteerlng pales Into insignificance and the
most serious result of tho corporation's
inexplicable failure to nave this work
done by tho Government itself Is that
the success of our arms may bo gravely
Impaired by the delay in turning out the
hli."
Senator Fletcher (Fla.), chairman of
the committee, asked Mr, Mausou If be
thought the $25,000 salary paid Walter
Goodonough as general manager at Hog
Island, was excelvi. Mr. Manson said
it was, as his salary had been I1S.O0O,
Then ho criticised other salaries paid at
Dog Isfand, particularly thoso paid
"press agents." He said the publicity
end of the shipbuilding business wns
"ono of Its worst evils" and that the
newspapers were "only too glad to print
every possible Item of legitimate news
without the assldanCM of publicity
agonts receiving fancy salaries."
The Commerco Committee will visit
Hoa) Island Monday, leaving hern at 8
o'clock that morning.
PJJVNS TO REOPEN BLACK SEA.
Herman)- to t'ae Ships to fjrt (iraln
From the Ukraine,
Amsteiidam, Feb. 22. Advices re.
eclved here from Berlin yesterday say
that It was announced in the Joint sit
ting ot tho Reichstag that it was planned
to rem mo shipping in the Black Sea
after the mines have been clenred away.
The plan Is to expedite shipments to
Crcrmany from the Ukraine, Germany to
supply agricultural machinery and Im
plements In return for grnln.
WISCONSIN ELECTION APRIL 2.
(iov. l'hlllpp Sets Hale for Fllllnsi
i;. 8. Senate Vacancy.
Madison, Wis., Feb. 22. (iov. Phlllpp
of Wisconsin to-night called a special
election for April 2 to choose a United
States Senator.
The election will bo held to fill the
vacancy caused by tha accidental death
last Octnher of Paul O, Hustlng.
BELL-AIMS
Absolutely 'Removes
Indigestion. Druggist
refund money if it fails. 25c
ft
CITY IN NO DANGER
OF FOOD SHORTAGE
Administrator Williams Con
fident of Adequate Sup
ply for All.'
URGES NEED OF ECONOMY
Potatoes,. Poultry, Meat, Fish
and Cheese Plentiful
Hoarders Warned.
Herbert C. Hoover's declaration that
"the next sixty days will be the most
Critical period In our food history" sug
gasted yesterday many questions as to
what those engaged In food administra
tion work think Is going to happen In
the food markets of tho city.
"Of what kinds of foodstuffs will there
be a shortage?"
"Will consumers start to hoard food,
believing there will be a shortage?"
"What's to bo done about It anyway 7"
These and many, other questions were
asked of Arthur Williams, Federal Food
Administrator of this city, and he
frankly expressed tho opinion that If the
people of New York ' patriotically obey
Mr. Hoover's food regulations, save
foodstuffs needed by the Allies and our
j soldiers and eat of tho foods that- aro
abundant, everybody Is going to get all
the food he needs.
"New Yolk city will not suffer In any
way for food," ho said. "Tho people of
this city have been assured by Mr.
Hoover that New York will be fed and
there Isn't any doubt but that all the
food tbat the city requires will be sent
here.
"At the suggestion of Mr. Hoover we
are starting to organlzo a committee
which will make an Index, a permanent
Index, while the war lasts, of all food
stuffs In storage plants, warehouses,
wholesale stores, retail shops In tho city
and also foods In transit to tho city. Wo
have Invited an unusually able man to
act at tha head of this organization.
By this plan we will know. exactly what
stocks of foods there are on hand and
what Is headed this way. We can check
up every week and thus keen In touch
with the situation all the time. With'
the information that we will get It will
bo very easy to supply sutllclent food for
the city s need "
Hoarding: to He PanlalirO.
"It has been suggested tint people
might hoard foodstuffs Jf they thought ,
there was going to be a scarcity. Any- .
body who hoards food will be hauled up.
nnd we would like tho name of any- -body
who Is hoarding. One of (he big,
department stores recently notified us 1
that some of their customers were buy-
Ing apparently more groceries than they
need and have asked us what they can ,
do about It.
"I t-hould say that If there l nny i
change In the buying of family supplies
and a family starts to carry more of a
particular food than Is necessary for
Its purposes, that might constitute hoard
ing. "Of course, we may be short on some
foods. For Instance, Just now there I"
a shortage of rice, oatmeal and certain
substitutes for flour that the Food Ad
ministration has asked shall be used in
bread making. There Is no shortage of
these things In the country, but merely
In populous centres of consumption. Tho ,
demand for them has been great, you!
know, because the people are trying to
do what the Government w.nlts save
the wheat
"Kverybody knows that there are mor
potatoes In the country than wo can
consume. There In no shortage of poul
try, fish or tne.it There ii no snortage
In all things, but some foods nre short.
We have a great supply of potatoes be
cause the people responded to the call
for production. Tha fact 'that thero Is a
big stock of meat In storago shows thit
the people responded to the call to sale
meat. New York city Is a dependent cltv
so far as Its food supply i" concerned,
more eo than any other city In the
country.
I'rges All to Kronomlrr.
"I don't want to see a single person
bu) food In excess of hl-i needs. If wc
nre going to be short let us all, rlrh
and poor, go short alike. If we have
got to cut down to a point or neing
pinched let us all, excepting the chil
dren, cut down together.
"I do' not wish to minimize In any
way the warning" given by Mr. Hoover,
The Semi-Annual
Sale of Saks-Made
Suits for Men
Formerly $28, $25 and $23
Now $18.50
2 "Brass-Band" advertising is not necessary
to sell Saks suits at their regular prices, there
fore we see no necessity of spreading ink all over,
this page to emphasize the importance of these
reductions. Woolen prices are playing "leap
frog' labor conditions are abnormal, and
clothing prices must increase accordingly all
of which should tend to bring any clear-thinking
man to Saks this morning in double-quick time.
Big Savings on Saks Overcoats
are now in order in the sale of Saks overcoats
at $18.50. A good selection of models for men
of all preferences. Fifth Floor.
Small charge
Broadway at 3-tth
But if there was a shortage of food here
Mr, Hoover would see that a sufficient
supply was sent at once to this city."
The Federal Food Board received yes
terday from Mr. Hoover a telegram
reading:
"We are wiring Federal Food Admin
istrators west of tho Mississippi River,
also Illinois and Wisconsin, Tho season
of surplus production if mutton and
lamb raised for meat purposes In tho
Western States Is now on. Tho Food
Administration authorizes you to re
move until Agirll 15 Its-recommendation
against eating of-mutton and lamb In the
voluntary meatless Tuesdays."
It Is the understanding of Mr. Will
iam that lamb and mutton still are pro
scribed In tho East.
Commissioner Eugene H. Porter ot the
Division of Foods and Markets of the
Stato Fond Commission reports 17,559,
273 pounds of American cheese (49
firms) wero In cold storago on February
1, or an Increase ot 11,189,890 pounds
over February 1, 1917; 14,427,121 pounds
of broilers, roasters, fowls, turkeys and
miscellaneous poultry (13 firms), an In
crease of 0,219,732 pounds over Feb
ruary 1 a year ago; 27,121,444 pounds
of frozen beef (44 firms), as against 44,
556,961 pounds on February 1, 1917;
4,583,485 pounds ot creamery butter (44
firms), as compared with 0.547,679
pounds a year ago.
BAN ON SHEEP MEAT
LIFTED IN THE YfEST
Beef and Pork, However, Aro
Still to Bo Conserved,
Says Hoover.
Wabhinoton, Feb, 22. Permission
was given to Food Administrators in
States west of tho Mississippi to-day to
lift tho restrictions on the use of mut
ton and lamb during the spring market
ing season. This was done because this
class of meat Is not exported to tho
Allies, and railroad congestion has pre
vented Its freo movement East.
The free uso of mutton and lamb Is
permitted now In several of the Western
States. Tho meatless days in fo far
ns they apply to beef nnd pork will bo
continued in force as at present. The
rebtrictlons may be lifted, tho admin
istrators were notified, until April 15,
when the marketing season virtually Is
over.
"It is de.ilr.ible to bear In mind," said
Food Administrator Hoover to-day, "that
tho meatless days are simply and solely
for the purjiose of enabling us to feed
the Allies by saving on our meat con
sumption. They were Instituted as a
dcvlco to this end because It plsces the
burden of -avlnv on those classes most
able to do so,
"Our national consumption has In
creased nt a fiiKter rate than our produc
tion, nnd therefore without tho meatles3
days we would not be In position to ex
port even tho pro-war average amounts.
Therefore the actual having is more than
Is apparent by the comparison of di
rect figures.
"That llio exports arc absolutely vital
needs no proof further than the state
ment of tho ration at present in foice In
Europe aineug the Allies, which has been
reduced approximately to one pound of
meats of all kinds a week, or less than
30 per cent, of tho present American
consumption, and it Is to-day nt so low
a figure as to tend to diminish the mo
rale and tho resistance of tho Alllc.".
We are doing our best to tncreaso
the amount of exports and can do so
only by rigid conservation on tho
part of tha American people."
Meatless days in tho United States
have F.-tved 110,000.000 pounds of beef
in four months, the Food Administration
announced. During this period HJ.I.GOn,
00ft pounds of beef weie exported to the
Allies with 4 00,000,000 pounds nf poll:
product'. Tlie atinounecnien says:
"If the many people who have assisted
us in the iiriiimulatlon of exportable
stocks of meat products during the lait
three months tould receive the expres
sions of gratitude with which these ship
ments are now being received in Hurope
among the Allies they would feel am
ply lewarded for the sacrifices."
State food ndmitiWtrators were or
dered to enforce stiictly the Food Ad
nilniitratlon's rule requiring baker to
ue J0 rer cent, of wheat Hour sub-tt-tute!
In all bakeiy products by Fcb
lum v 24.
"Thi- rule," lead a telegram sent to
the administrators, "li nn important
link in the Food Administration's wheat
conservation programme, upon the suc
cess of which depends our ability to sup
ply tlm Allies with the wheat flour that
Is essential to their victory and ours.
The list of the substitutes Is wide."
for alterations.
Street
fADOO KEPT HANDS
OFF TUBE TRANSFER
Says 'Ho Asked Railroad Ad
visory Board to Decide Con
trol Question.
tptriat DtipatcH to TBI SUM.
Washington, Feb. 22. Director-General
McAdoo In a statement to-day ex
plained how the Hudson tubes come to
bo taken over by the Government and
his own connection with tho matter.
Mr. McAdoo points out that tha tubes
were taken over December 28 along
with all tho other railroads, the Hudson
and Manhattan Company being an In
terstate carrier and part of the terminal
facilities of tho Pennsylvania. It seemed
clear, he said, that It was embraced In
the President's proclamation as a "ter
minal company,"
"On January 3,"' said Mr. McAdoo, "a
special notice as well as a general order
was Issued and bulletined In tho usual
way by W. C. Flsko, president of the
Hudson and Manhattan terminal, calling
attention to the President's proclamation
and stating that the 'business and opera
tlon of the road will continue In accord
ance therewith.'
"At the same tlmo Mr. Flsko (In like
manner as other rallroai presidents
have done with respect to other rail
roads) formally requested advice as to
the exact status of the Hudson and Man
hattan Company under the President's
proclamation In order that there might
be no question about It.
"On account of my previous connection
with the company, which was terminated
when I entered public life five years ngo,
I submitted the question to a meeting of
the Railroad Advisory Board, nt which
were present Messrs. John Hkelton Will
lams, Henry Walters, Edward Chambers,
Walker D. Hlnes and John Barton
Payne. A. H. Smith, regional director.
Eastern territory, was also present.
"I asked thorn to consider the matter
upon its merits and to advise me what
should be done. After full discussion
they were unanimous In tho conclusion
that the Hudson and Manhattan Rail
road was an Important and necessary
part of tho terminal facilities of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company In New
York and that It was included In the
Presidents proclamation.
"Theso facta wero of common knowl
edge. No unusual consideration has
been given to tho Hudson and Manhat
tan Railroad Company ; It has been dealt
with solely on the merits of tho caso nnd
exactly as In tho caso of other railroad
companies which In Ilka manner have
applied for specific decisions.
"Comment has been mado In n news
paper article on the rise In tha market
value of Hud'on and Manhattan Hall
road bonds. There is nothing significant
about this, Btncn thero was a prompt
rise In the value of all railroad securi
ties after tho publication of the Presi
dent's proclamation."
II 1 1Am.-
Broadway at 34th
Will Offer Extraordinary Values Today in
Men's Silk Neckwear
Special at 55c
To simply say that these cravats are ex
cellent value at fifty -five cents would not begin
to express the unusual importance of this offer
ing. Cravats of this quality cannot be seen any
where in town at anything near this price. The
rare beauty of the silks from which they are
made, the skilful manner in which each scarf
has been tailored, and their soft, exclusive color
ings are entirely foreign to neckwear usually
offered at this figure. .
College. Regimental and Club Stripes
in twin-and tri-colorings; neat fig
ured patterns; Smart Plaid effects
and a thousand other designs to choose from.
We shall also present a special lot of
Men's Shirts at $1.65
Shirts that have been made from short lengths
of cloth intended for shirts at higher prices. The
patterns are in those soft, rich colorings that appeal
especially to men who lean toward higher-priced
made-to-order shirts. The weaves:
Henley Madras, Mentonc Madras, Bcl
nord Cords. Belton Silk-striped Fabrics.
Pickwick Cloth, and Kennmorc - the
richest product of American mills.
Beginning This Morning on the Sixth Floor
Sale of Men's English
Ulsters at $35
Reduced from $50, $60 and $65
j Large, roomy, double-breasted Ulsters,
tailored in soft, fleecy British woolens of the
finest quality. Mostly full-belted models with
Raglan shoulder or set-in sleeves, some with de
tachable fleece linings. Heather Mixtures,
Browns, Greys and other good colors.
REBUKES SENATOR
FOR ATTACKING T.R.
Lanjfley Censures James of
Kentucky During Speech
in-Hoitse.
Special Detpatcti to Tns Sex.
Wabhinoton, Feb. 22. A thinly veiled
attack on Senator James (Kentucky)
for his Incidental attack on TheoVloM
Roosevelt whllo defending the Secretary
of War recently and a plain statement
of tho course in constructive criticism
that tho Republicans In Congress Intend
to follow marked a speech In the House
to-day by Representative Langley (Ken
tucky), Republican.
Mr. Langley reiterated that It Is the
Intention of tho Republican party to da
everything necessary to aid the Presi
dent In the conduct ot tho war, but
added that ho had no patlenco with the ,
argument that "ho who criticises errors
Is guilty of aiding our enemies or being
In sympathy wltli them."
Plainly Indicating Senator James tlien
but not naming him the speaker said I
"The samo distinguished Kentucklan
deprecated tho Injection of politics Into
a discussion of war matters, and yet he
himself is guilty of doing that very
thing. Speaking In a facetious vein, he
Is said to havo madei somo sneering ref
erences to that beloved and patriotlo
American Theodore Roosevelt., referring
to him as the 'King of the Jungle,' the
'hero of San Juan Hill and tho 'discov
erer of tho River of Doubt,' Ac, and
that, too, when Roosevelt was lying 111
and when not only Americans, but our
allies ns well, were hoping and praying
that he might be spared to us,
"When 1 read this part of the speedh."
Mr. Langley continued, "I remembered
that tho man to whom he was referring
was the same one who delivered the ulti
matum to tho CJerman Imperial Govern
ment prohlbttlng.lts ships from touching
tho shores of the land where the lUvei
of Doubt Itself flows and who gave Ad
miral Dewey tho order to have his fleet
ready to sail in twenty-four hours if the
order was not obeyed, I wondered howr
much joy It would liavo brought to tho
palace of tho Kaiser If this samo 'hem
of San Juan Hill,' this same 'King oC
the Jungle' hsd hail It In his power to
give -a like ultimatum before the Lu.il.
tanla was sent to the bottom of tlie sea."
I Soft Coal Production Decrease.
Washington, Feb. 22. Bituminous
I coal production In January was at tha
lowest rate since September, 1916. In
I making public the figures to-day the
, (leologlcal Survey blames the slump en-
' n. .. 1 1 .1 Miiinoattnn TV- 1.1111.
ary output was 4 2,727,000 tons, some
5,000,000 tonH behind the mark set In
January, 1117.
c. . ""
Street